USC Hoops Picked 4th in Pac-12 Preseason Poll
The USC Trojans were picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12 media preseason poll, released Wednesday at the conference media day.
The Trojans received 300 points, finishing behind conference favorites UCLA, Arizona, and Oregon.
USC was picked to finish third last season and that’s where the Trojans finished. This marks the first time since the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons that USC has been picked as a preseason top-four team in back-to-back years, according to the school.
The Trojans will be led this season by Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson, who scored 12.5 and 12.4 points per game last season, respectively.
Guard Reese Dixon-Waters had a strong finish to last season and hopes to be a reliable scorer and playmaker for USC this year. He finished last season with 4.8 points per game and shot 46% from three-point range. He averaged 10 points per game over his final six outings.
Several returning players will be asked to step up into bigger roles. That could start with big-man Joshua Morgan. The Trojans lost forwards Isaiah Mobley and Chevez Goodwin from last year’s team and USC needs a strong interior presence this year. Harrison Hornery, Kobe Johnson and Malik Thomas will be expected to contribute as well.
And the Trojans welcome a very talented group of freshmen this fall. Guard Oziyah Sellers is a big-time outside shooter and Tre White has flashed one-and-done potential at times. Kijani Wright can be another big body inside. Though, health questions linger around 7-footer Vince Iwuchukwu, who said he suffered a cardiac arrest during a workout in July but is hoping to get back on the court this season.
Top 10
- 1Hot
SEC lacks elite talent depth
Marcus Spears explains why
- 2New
Drew Mestemaker
QB making first start since HS freshman year
- 3
CFP's 'ultimate flaw'
Paul Finebaum takes aim at CFP
- 4
Bevo will attend Cotton Bowl
Texas mascot set to return
- 5
Lane Kiffin
Parting shot at CFP committee
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
Pac-12 Preseason Poll
1. UCLA (26 first-place votes, 386 points)
2. Arizona (3 first-place votes, 352)
3. Oregon (3 first-place votes, 336)
4. USC (300)
5. Stanford (1 first-place vote, 239)
6. Colorado (207)
7. Arizona State (193)
8. Washington State (158)
9. Washington (158)
10. Utah (102)
11. California (69)
12. Oregon State (47)
USC 2022-23 Schedule
USC’s season tips off on November 7 against Florida Gulf Coast at the Galen Center. The Trojans stay home for the first four games of the season. They’ll play Alabama State on Nov. 10, Vermont on Nov. 15 and Mount St. Mary’s on Nov. 18.
USC will take part in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis after that. The first game is against BYU. But there are some big-name programs in that tournament. Butler, Dayton, Kansas, North Carolina State, Tennessee and Wisconsin are all potential opponents for the following two games.
Rivalry games against UCLA are scheduled for Jan. 5 at Pauley Pavilion and Jan. 26 at the Galen Center.
