USC beats Arizona...of course!

[johngateswhiteley]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=270180030

thats 4-2 against top 20 teams...how is USC's RPI looking Capt. Mike?

[JMarkJohns]

Completely expected. USC beat Oregon, which beat Arizona, and was coming off a gut-wrenching loss to UCLA where one missed or made basket gives them the win.

Arizona's "best starting five in basketball" is merely a shadow of their early season selves. Maybe its the minutes? Maybe it's the NBA scouts? Don't know. Whatever it is, Budinger isn't the superfrosh any longer, McClellan's shot is all ed up and Ivan seems tired of battling down low, where Arizona needs him worst. Adding insult to injury (so to speak), Arizona's bench has been depleted thanks to the Prince transfer, the Braelmayer injury and Wise academic issue (which is now cleared up).

They picked the worst possible time to go into a funk as well. They've already lossed three of four and face UCLA on the road and then UNC at home in the next two games.

If they win both, they are officially back. If they split, it's understandable. If they lose both, it could affect them for the remainder of Pac-10 play.

[MajorMike]

Agree. This is the equivilent of atm and UT splitting home games. Zona isn't in that unbeatable elite and SC is in the in and out of the top 25 realm, when they should be a home fave and a road dog.

SC has some very nice wins, but some losses that are hard to figure (KSU, USC, home against Wazzu) and they let UCLA get away at home.

They have a BRUTAL schedule ahead. 7 of 12 on the road, to include UCLA and Zona, plus Wazzu again, and Stanford and Cal (both home and away). If that all wasn't bad enough, they play a Ducks team that will be hungry for revenge.

I don't think they go over .500 he rest of the season, making them 10-8/21-10. Only 4 10-8 teams from the P10 have gone to the tourney in the past 15 years. I'd say 11-7 and a 1st round win in the P10 tourney gets them in.

[tlongII]

I say 6 Pac-10 teams will make the tourney this year.

[Horry For 3!]

I had USC over Arizona. Arizona has been struggling lately.

[johngateswhiteley]

1. USC is making the tourney
2. USC is finishing better than .500 the rest of the way

...not a chance, barring injuries, that either of those don't happen.

[KewlKat00]

Young Selected Pac-10 Player Of The Week

Jan. 22, 2007

Junior guard Nick Young was named U.S. Bank Pac-10 Player of the Week for Jan. 15-21 as he averaged 24 points and 5.5 rebounds in USC's sweep of the Arizona schools, and helped catapult the Trojans into the national rankings for the first time since the end of the 2002 regular season.

In USC's 80-73 win over then No. 11 Arizona on Jan. 18, Young scored 30 points on 13-for-19 shooting (.684) and pulled down eight rebounds. It was Young's third career 30-point game and USC's fourth win over a ranked team this season.

Young then scored a game-high 18 points in the Trojans' 58-49 win on Saturday against Arizona State. It is Young's first Pac-10 Player of the Week selection and USC's 26th Player of the Week all-time.

The wins over the Arizona schools last week improved USC's record to 15-5 and earned it a No. 25 ranking in this week's Associated Press poll. USC was last ranked in the final regular season polls of the 2002 season. The 2002 season was also the last time USC had a better 20-game start (16-4).

http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-...012207aaa.html

[johngateswhiteley]

Kewl-
...can't believe how great this team is playing this year. what a great turnaround, thus far. first A&M and now SC!

btw, did you see the article on Pruitt?

[KewlKat00]

btw, did you see the article on Pruitt?

i sure did. i was actually going to ask you the same thing. people are starting to pay attention. some nice articles. crowds are showing up at the galen center (ucla and arizona were sellouts and oregon and cal are already sold out). perhaps an exciting final stretch. and if that's not exciting enough, you can just go on youtube and watch o.j. mayo highlights. good times.

[johngateswhiteley]

and if that's not exciting enough, you can just go on youtube and watch o.j. mayo highlights. good times.

well don't make plans in March, unless you're already planning for SC in the tournament.

[MajorMike]

1. USC is making the tourney
2. USC is finishing better than .500 the rest of the way

...not a chance, barring injuries, that either of those don't happen.

1-0, extending Az St's losing streak to 10.

SC is a 1.5pt dog @ Stanford tonite.

Talk about no love! Oregon (6-1/18-1) is a 4pt dog @ UW tonite (1-6/11-7). Looks like odds makers don't have much love for the qvackers.

[KewlKat00]

SC is a 1.5pt dog @ Stanford tonite.

that's not surprising. i think the last time we won there was in 2002.

Talk about no love! Oregon (6-1/18-1) is a 4pt dog @ UW tonite (1-6/11-7). Looks like odds makers don't have much love for the qvackers.

wow.

[MajorMike]

Agree. This is the equivilent of atm and UT splitting home games. Zona isn't in that unbeatable elite and SC is in the in and out of the top 25 realm, when they should be a home fave and a road dog.

SC has some very nice wins, but some losses that are hard to figure (KSU, USC, home against Wazzu) and they let UCLA get away at home.

They have a BRUTAL schedule ahead. 7 of 12 on the road, to include UCLA and Zona, plus Wazzu again, and Stanford and Cal (both home and away). If that all wasn't bad enough, they play a Ducks team that will be hungry for revenge.

I don't think they go over .500 he rest of the season, making them 10-8/21-10. Only 4 10-8 teams from the P10 have gone to the tourney in the past 15 years. I'd say 11-7 and a 1st round win in the P10 tourney gets them in.

Looks like they will be one game over .500, as they more than likely lose at Wazzu, altho neither team has played particularly well lately. My math on overall record was bad, as it looks like they will be 21-10 after all.

[johngateswhiteley]

Looks like they will be one game over .500, as they more than likely lose at Wazzu, altho neither team has played particularly well lately. My math on overall record was bad, as it looks like they will be 21-10 after all.

funny how i go out on a limb just to take a chance on my team in a prediction nobody else would make....fall just short, and people say i get owned? please, its ridiculous.

you were wrong capt. bag, and USC is a lock to get in the tourney...i wouldn't be surprised if they beat wazzou.

[MajorMike]

Again, why you are a jerk and I'm a realist.

[johngateswhiteley]

Again, why you are a jerk and I'm a realist.

thats your opinion, and i don't think you'd be surprised at mine....

[BUMP]

funny how i go out on a limb just to take a chance on my team in a prediction nobody else would make....fall just short, and people say i get owned? please, its ridiculous.

you were wrong capt. bag, and USC is a lock to get in the tourney...i wouldn't be surprised if they beat wazzou.