Pac-12 Tournament: Second Round Game Thread, USC Trojans vs. Utah

The USC Trojans stomped on the UCLA Bruins last night. Next up: The Utah Utes. The last time USC took on Utah they struggled mightily at home and lost. Can the Trojans respond with a win and advance to the Semi-Finals? Join us as we discuss the game below.

From our recap of the previous USC vs. Utah game:

"McLaughlin and Jacobs had 15 apiece at 6:51. It was clear a comeback wasn't in the cards. Utah matched everything and then some. McLaughlin had 20 points and 3 assists by the time it was over. But, Poeltl was too much. Utah's big guy filled out his night with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists. Utah won 80-69, handing the Trojans their first home loss of the season."

Highlights from the previous USC vs. Utah matchup:

From our friends at Block U's preview:

"The Trojans will also need to figure out a way to stop Jakob Poeltl. The Pac-12 Player of the Year torched the Trojans when the teams met a couple weeks ago, scoring 29 points on 11 of 13 shooting, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished 4 assists. Fellow All-Pac-12 players Jordan Loveridge and Brandon Taylor also had good games last time out against USC. Against a young USC team, Utah has a distinct advantage in experience and will have the best player on the floor.

Could the Trojans come in on Thursday night and upset the Utes? Absolutely. It's officially March and anything can happen. USC is a good team and in many ways is probably the more talented team from a raw, athletic standpoint. Jordan McLaughlin and Bennie Boatwright combine for a dynamic inside out combination and players like Julian Jacobs and Nikola Jovanovic serve as perfect complimentary players."