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USC has hopes on making the NCAA Tournament this season. They have the talent to do it with three potential NBA draft picks on the roster, however if the tournament were to start today the Trojans would once again be on the outside looking in according to most analyst. The result of that comes from the lack of quality out of conference wins against tournament teams. USC played and lost to Vanderbilt, Texas Tech, and Nevada. Now they go down the street to Staples Center for a meeting against the TCU Horned Frogs in a game that could help boost their resume a little bit.
USC has to take the fate out of the selection committee’s hands and rack up victories against last years tournament teams. A win against TCU could help jump start that. The Horned Frogs are expected to contend in the Big 12 this season. At 6-1 they’re proving people right and in position to potentially earn another at large berth in the NCAA Tournament come March.
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It’s early in December so we are a long ways away from selection Sunday, however don’t think that these games don’t matter. That was a lesson the Trojans learned last season when they were left on the outside looking in despite finishing second in the Pac-12. The Trojans went 2-2 against teams who made the NCAA Tournament Out of conference wins against quality opponents matter and USC has yet to earn one in their last three games against tournament. They have to make it easier on themselves by beating TCU tonight and Oklahoma next week. If they can do that then things can ease up a bit in a wide open Pac-12.
It must start with a win over the Horned Frogs. Defeating a 6-1 team will look good on their resume come March.