Southern California Trojans
Record: (21-12, 9-9 Pac-12)
Head coach: Andy Enfield (3rd season)
Season Recap: The Trojans' nine-game improvement from last year is one of the best in the Power Five conferences, but they enter the tournament just 3-7 in their last 10 games. Southern California is only 5-10 either at road or neutral sites, 5-8 against teams in the tournament and 0-5 against the top three teams in the Pac-12—Oregon, California and Utah.
The offense scores 80.8 points per game thanks to six players averaging 9.8 points per game or better. Sophomore guard Jordan McLaughlin leads the team with 13.4 points per game, and All-Pac 12 guard Julian Jacobs leads the conference with 5.5 assists per game.
How they make a run: McLaughlin and Jacobs get everyone involved—including athletic freshman forward Chimezie Metu, who is capable at any moment of a SportsCenter-worthy block or dunk—to help the Trojans get past Providence in the first round.
How they falter: Defense catches up to Southern California, and the Trojans continue their late-season slide on the East coast.
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