Andy Enfield calls Vincent Iwuchukwu 'day-to-day'

USC is just one of three Pac-12 teams in the NCAA Tournament, hoping to make the conference proud. A tough first-round matchup will be in their way, facing off against college basketball blue-blood Michigan State and Tom Izzo. Head coach Andy Enfield is hoping his entire team will be healthy before Friday’s tip, mainly Vincent Iwuchukwu.

Enfield provided an update on Iwuchukwu, saying there will not be official word until Friday. The back has been bothering him, as the Trojans’ headman is hopeful Iwuchukwu is available. If they are going to beat Michigan State and advance, he will be an important piece.

“Vincent is day to day,” Enfield said. “He had a back issue. We’re hopeful. He may or may not play. We’ll probably know tomorrow morning when he wakes up.”

Injuries have been a problem for Iwuchukwu all season, only appearing in 14 games this season. He has not played since March 2 against Arizona, missing the final game of the regular season and then all of the Pac-12 Tournament. USC has gone 1-1 since then, losing to Arizona State in Las Vegas.

Iwuchukwu is averaging just over five points and hauling in 2.5 rebounds per game. If he is able to take the court on Friday, it will be his first appearance against a non-Pac-12 program. All 14 games played have been in conference play, debuting on Jan. 12 against Colorado.

Iwuchukwu played high school basketball at Los Angeles (CA) Southern California Academy, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 31 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

USC, Vincent Iwuchukwu heading into NCAA Tournament off loss

Nobody wants to enter the NCAA Tournament off a loss. Winning your conference championship is always one of the first goals of the season but for USC, they were a one-and-done in Las Vegas in the Pac-12 Tournament.

Something is going to have to change against a quality program such as Michigan State. While they might be the seven-seed, the Spartans are considered a dangerous team at the bottom of the bracket. From a mindset alone, running into a name brand in March can be frightening.

If there is anybody who is willing to fight, it’s USC. If Iwuchukwu can get healthy and play, the Trojans will be looking to play spoiler.