Just a couple of quick things this evening.
What difference a week makes. After USC was trounced in an exhibition game against Fresno Pacific the came out and demolished Delaware State 83-54.
But unlike the practice game where the Trojans used a group of reserves to get mangled by Fresno Pacific, the regulars provided a show at the Galen Center.
It was the first of three tune-up games before Pacific-10 Conference play begins, and it was clear that USC (7-3) - which hadn't played a true game in nearly two weeks - was ready.
"We couldn't wait to go out there and play tonight," said guard Daniel Hackett, who had nine points and five assists. "We were really excited about this game. I think we came out focused."
Things are going to get tough in conference play so SC needs to get things right and focus on making the right plays. From what I have seen and read SC has been all over the map this season. They have had some great games and they have had some real stinkers so now is the time to knuckle down. Looking at the box score it appears that this was a much more balanced win than some in the past and Mayo and Jefferson seemed to have productive evenings.
The bad news is that Kyle Austin confirmed that he is going to transfer from USC.
"I really didn't see a spot for me on this team," said Austin, who had played only two minutes this season before suffering a serious back injury in practice last month that has sidelined him indefinitely.
Austin said he was targeting Long Beach State, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis--schools that had recruited the 6-foot-7, 205-pounder coming out of Pasadena High. He said he planned to visit the schools in the coming days and make a decision by early next week.
This is puzzling to me, if he is injured and can't play how would he know if there is or isn't a spot on this team? On the flip side I'm not sure that keeping him around is a good thing if he is going to be complaining about playing time while he is injured. We wish him luck.
There was a little movement in the spat between USC and the Coliseum Commission in regards to some of their differences. I'm not sure if the Commission really has SC's interests in mind but SC has played it well again: (Emphasis Mine)
But school officials said that if the upgrades - ranging from new scoreboards and locker rooms to replacing seats, concession stands and broken concrete - aren't completed on time, it wants to take over the stadium and pay for the improvements itself.
"With control comes responsibility, and if we were in control we would be responsible for the repair, maintenance and improvement," said Kristina Raspe, USC's associate senior vice president for real estate and asset management. "If they're going to be in control, they need to be responsible for those items."
That was well stated, this is really no different than being a renter in an apartment building. The landlord is responsible for the infrastructure while the tenants has a responsibility to pay on time. The Commission has let the property fall into disrepair and they have been irresponsible in not making a better effort at keeping up the property.