USC Basketball: Bracketology

With the Pac-12 Tournament coming up, Pac-12 teams that are currently sitting on the bubble will look towards a deep tournament run to give them that push into the Big Dance. The USC currently find themselves on the bubble following a loss to UCLA. A run in the Pac-12 Tournament could lock the Trojans in the NCAA Tournament, however a disappointing showing could leave them on the outside looking in.

ESPN: West Region Play-In Game- Joe Lunardi of ESPN has the Trojans as his Last 4 In. He has USC projected to be in the play in game in the West region against the Texas Longhorns. Winner of that game would advance to face Kentucky, who is projected as a 6 seed in Lunardi’s bracket, in Nashville, Tennessee as an 11 seed. At this rate the Trojans fate could appear to be the First 4 games in Dayton, Ohio.

CBS Sports: South Region Play-In Game- CBS Sports Jerry Palm also has USC in the First 4 Play-In game. In Palm’s projected bracket the Trojans would face Marquette for the 12 seed in the South region. Winner of that game would also face Kentucky (5 seed in Palm’s bracket) in San Diego, California. USC is also one of the Last 4 In on the CBS Sports projected bracket with an RPI of 35.The highest in that group.

Fox Sports: 10 Seed in the West Region- USC fans will love Fox Sports Howie Schwab’s bracket projections. He current has the Trojans out of the Play-In games and into the field as a 10 seed in the West region where they would face 7 seeded Miami Hurricanes. This is the first bracket we’ve seen where USC is in the actual tournament field opposed to a play in game and listed as the last four in.

USA Today: East Region Play-In Game- USA Today’s projected bracket has the Trojans in the East regional play in game against Butler for the 12 seed. Winner would face West Virginia (5 seed in the USA Today bracket) in Boise, Idaho. Selby Mast of USA Today stated that she believes the Trojans are safely in despite being listed as the Last 4 In on USA Today.