Andy Enfield explains USC's scheduling decisions for 2023-24

Andy Enfield is going to have one of the more interesting rosters in the nation in the upcoming basketball season. That roster will also be playing a big-time schedule and will be doing so for a reason according to their head coach.

Enfield addressed USC’s difficult slate during his appearance at Pac-12 Media Day on Wednesday. He said scheduling a tough path full of quality opponents is the best way he knew how to prepare the Trojans for what they’re going to have to overcome during the conference season.

“We have a very challenging league schedule because the Pac-12 is probably as good as it has been in many years. We knew our league schedule would be tough but we decided to go out and get some national games,” said Enfield. “Open the season here in Las Vegas against Kansas State who went to the Elite Eight last year. Come back to Vegas and play Gonzaga on December 2nd in MGM. Then we have a tough tournament with Oklahoma, Seton Hall, and Iowa. And then we’re playing at Auburn in December.”

“We have a lot of challenging games that could help our team prepare for the grueling Pac-12 schedule,” Enfield said.

As Enfield pointed out, USC will open the season against K-State, a program that’s fresh off a great first year under Jerome Tang, inside T-Mobile Arena. Then, after three smaller contests, they’ll travel to La Jolla to play in the Rady Children’s Invitational. They’ll face the Pirates first before potentially getting the winner between the Hawkeyes and Sooners.

Two weeks later, the Trojans will return to Sin City to play Gonzaga in the Legends of Basketball Invitational. Then, two weeks after that, they will close their non-conference schedule with two matchups in the state of Alabama. One will be the second of a home and home with Auburn while the other is Alabama State in Montgomery.

Enfield wanted to challenge his team appropriately before tipping things off in the Pac-12. They’ll get exactly what he was hoping for too based on the teams that they’ll be coming across over their first 11 contests.

Enfield shares the latest on Bronny James’ health

Bronny James is planning to get back on the court at some point this season after suffering a cardiac arrest at a USC offseason practice.

A congenital heart defect is the “probable cause” of the cardiac arrest. It is entirely treatable, though, which breeds hope of a return sooner rather than later. While his recovery timetable is unknown, Andy Enfield gave a slight update on his McDonald’s All-American during Pac-12 Media Day.

“He’s doing well. At the appropriate time, the James family will give further updates,” Enfield said. “I think, as LeBron (James) stated last week at media day, things were progressing. But, under any medical condition, we respect the privacy of the young man.”

“I think everybody has been very supportive and hoping he gets back quickly,” said Enfield.