LOS ANGELES — The words — songs of self-assurance that USC head coach Andy Enfield has composed repetitively of late — claiming his team, when starting their original starters, aren’t far from what he expected, gained more fire Saturday night.
More evidence than just saying they “have a 9-4 record” in those rare occasions. Strong, convincing, evidence, in the form of a 78-65 win over the Arizona Wildcats, the No. 5 team in the nation.
The Trojans shifted between defensive coverages, turning the Wildcats over 18 times, and holding guard Caleb Love — who had averaged 22 points per game over the last five — to just two points on 1 of 10 shooting. Meanwhile, negating Oumar Ballo’s imposing presence with purposeful drives into the paint that opened up the floor.
It created space for Kobe Johnson and DJ Rodman to have an impact, the two each scoring a team-high 19 points, their confidence burgeoning with each open look.
The Trojans began the game seemingly deterred from challenging Ballo. They short-armed two floaters and hoisted a needless mid-range jumper on three of their first four possessions, but that timidness was just an aberration of the opening minutes.
Though he shot 5-of-13 from the field, Isaiah Collier pressured the rim consistently and despite a minus-10 difference on the offensive boards, USC did enough to hold Arizona to two second chance points.
The Trojans held the Wildcats to 39% shooting from the field and the only facet that stamped a nasty watermark on an otherwise unblemished defensive performance was their decision-making in transition.
Time and again the Trojans intercepted Arizona’s entry passes, before mindlessly hoisting the ball upcourt and negating their own scoring opportunities.
When USC briefly switched into a 2-3 zone, its guards extended to press the ball. On the first possession, Johnson intercepted Pelle Larson’s pass and the Trojans turned it into a Kijani Wright layup.
Then the Trojans shifted…
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