What follows is a first-world problem for USC basketball and its fans: On one hand, the UCLA Bruins need to win a lot in the next several weeks. UCLA winning means that USC’s victory over the Bruins on Thursday night would look a million times better on the NCAA Tournament ledger sheet. If the UCLA win ages well, USC’s odds of playing in March Madness will rise.
Let’s consider a very different scenario: If UCLA — now just one game ahead of the Trojans — loses a bunch of games in February, the Bruins will lose their hold on first place. USC, Utah and Arizona would all have a chance to overtake the Bruins.
When was the last time USC won the regular-season championship of its conference? 1985, when the Trojans claimed the Pac-10 title.
Either their win over UCLA grows in value, or they get a better chance to win a conference championship.
Either way, USC has created more interesting possibilities for its season.
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