USC Trojans (3-1, 14-3) @ UCLA Bruins (2-2, 11-6)
Time: 8:00 P.T.
TV: ESPN2 /WatchESPN
Radio: ESPN710
It's time to take the USC Men's Basketball team seriously. Football season is over and fans need to support their Trojans. USC is on the cusp of being ranked in various national polls after their thrilling 4OT victory over Arizona last Saturday. ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the Trojans as a #6 seed in his latest bracketology and although it is way too early to talk about the NCAA Tournament, the fact that the Trojans would probably be in the tournament if the season ended today is huge for a team that was supposed to finish in the bottom half of their conference. USC looks to stay hot as they travel 13 miles to face the Bruins tonight.
Previewing the Bruins
One word to describe the UCLA Men's Basketball season so far this year: Roller Coaster. They have beaten Kentucky at home and Gonzaga on the road and lost to Wake Forest and Washington State. Head Coach Steve Alford has a clear number one scoring option on his team, his son, Bryce. Bryce Alford was named Pac-12 Player of the Week on Monday for his performances against the Arizona schools. Alford leads the team in scoring with 17.4 points per game and assists with 5.1 assists per game. Guard Isaac Hamilton has increased his scoring this year by nearly six points per game from last year (10.6 to 16.5). Hamilton is shooting close to 49% from the field, an amazing stat for a guard. Forwards Tony Parker and Thomas Welsh are the two big men that the Bruins rely on and both will present a huge challenge to the USC bigs.