By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
For some teams, the newly formed College Basketball Crown and the NIT are not good fits.
Whether because of coaching changes, heavy transfers, or injuries, these postseason tournaments are not beneficial to every program.
The Crown for Fox-partnered leagues offers the Big Ten two spots in the tournament.
USC finds themselves in Vegas this week (along with Nebraska) due in large part to Ohio State and Indiana turning down their invitations.
For the Trojans, unlike some of their Big Ten brethren, this seems like an opportunity rather than a burden and it might be just the launching point they need for the 2025-26 season.
The 2024-25 season began with a complete roster overhaul and some uncertainty in season one under Eric Musselman.
A strong showing this week could set USC up for future success. Even without success this week, USC is already playing with house money just by getting into the CBC.
USC vs Villanova
Thursday, April 3
6:30 pm PT, FS1
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
In their tournament opener against Tulane, USC played like they wanted to take something home from Vegas.
Their defense was stifling in the opening 20 minutes as they limited the Green Wave to just 24 points, the fewest points allowed in a half all season.
In the final 20 minutes, the offense took off as Southern Cal exploded for 50 points.
The Trojans shot a blistering 63.6% from the field and dominated inside against Tulane, outscoring the AAC squad 50-24 in paint points.
This was thanks to Reshaun Agee’s 27 points to lead the way. The grad student added nine rebounds and connected on 10 of his 12 FGs for the contest.
It was the first postseason win for USC in a non-conference tournament since 2021.
The next step for the Trojans is a date with Villanova and the program’s newly minted all-time leading scorer Eric Dixon who set the new record in the Wildcats’ 21-point win over Colorado on Tuesday night.
Staying hot from the floor will be key for the Trojans against Villanova tonight, and it could prove more difficult.
Nova limits opponents to 43% from the floor and is 91st in the nation in non-blocked two-point defense at 54.4%. In the opening round, they held the Buffs to just 39% from the field.
Villanova is not going to turn the ball over much. This season they are committing a miscue on just 15.1% of possessions to rank in the top 50 nationally.
And while the Wildcats will take care of the pill, USC has not been great at forcing errors this season. The Trojans will need to get the Cats out of sync.
The Cats do not move the ball very well on the offensive end of the floor, ranking 260th in America with an assist rate of 48.8%.
USC should have a significant advantage in paint point opportunities once again.
Nova’s blocked shot rate of 4.2% is 305th among 364 D1 programs.
Villanova will hit the glass and should have the advantage in that department. SC’s ability to get put-back opportunities could prove pivotal in this one.
The Trojans are 208th in the nation with an offensive rebound rate of 27.0%.
Nova is limiting opponents to an offensive rebound rate of 35.3% this season, 60th in the nation. Second-chance points could be tough for USC to come by.
Villanova is a good defensive team but has limitations on the offensive side of the ball.
If the Trojans can take advantage in the paint, deny the entry pass on the defensive side of the floor, and create a few turnovers, they will have a good chance to move on to the semifinals.
writes about various topics for SuperWest sports, including stats and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and runs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).
