Stakes are High as No. 2 Arizona Basketball faces No. 16 USC

Fresh off a loss to Colorado, No. 2 Arizona Basketball (25-3, 15-2) returns to action in a high stakes showdown with No. 16 USC (25-4, 14-4). 

Well, the stakes are high for No. 2 Arizona Basketball, as the Wildcats enter Tuesday evening’s conference matchup against the No. 16 USC Trojans in Los Angeles.

Arizona comes into this game, fresh off a 16-point loss to Colorado, where the Wildcats looked mostly lackluster and disinterested.

Now holding a slimmer lead in the conference standings, this game is more of a must-win for the Wildcats, especially if they want to come away with the Pac-12 Championship.

The Wildcats are considered the slight favorite here; however, Arizona is going to have to avoid the hangover from Saturday night’s loss, as they should still expect a battle against a talented USC team.

The Trojans are a Top 25 team for a reason, and even more challenging is that the Trojans are within striking distance of the Wildcats in the conference standings, and they will also provide a challenging environment as the Galen Center will be sold out on Tuesday evening.

Hopefully, Arizona can get back on track on Tuesday evening when they take on USC. With the stakes being high, they will need to bring the energy and intensity, unlike they did on Saturday.

Getting to Know the details of Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the USC Trojans.

Team: USC Trojans

Conference: Pac-12 Conference

2020-21 Record: Finishing the year with a 25-8 (15-5) record in 2020-21, the Trojans finished in 2nd place in the conference, ending the year with a semifinals loss to Colorado in the Conference Tournament, before getting bounced by No. 1 Gonzaga in the Elite Eight.

Head Coach: Andy Enfield enters his 9th season with the Trojans, having compiled a 182–113 (84–80) record so far. Andy is currently coaching his 11th season in the NCAA, making a previous stint with Florida Gulf Coast where he has compiled a 223–141 record overall as a head coach.

Keys to the Game:

Bring the Urgency – After a big loss to Colorado in which the Wildcats looked largely disinterested and lackadaisical, Arizona is going to need to bring the effort and energy if they are going to win.

USC is a talented team and we know they are going to give one hell of an effort in front of a sold-out crowd and a chance at climbing in the Pac-12 standings at stake here.

The Wildcats cannot have a repeat performance as they did on Saturday, otherwise, they are going to get beat.

Defend the Three – As a team, the Trojans are a good shooting team, shooting 35.6 percent from three on an average of 19.0 attempts per game. They are also shooting 45.6 percent from the field.

The Trojans like to shoot the three-ball, and as a team, they’ve shown that they can get hot from outside. If they get going, they are a tough group to beat, especially if those shots are falling.

For this one, Arizona is going to have to be focused and engaged on defense if they are going to win. A repeat of Saturday’s defensive effort will get the Wildcats beat.

Win the Battle of the Boards – Like Arizona, USC has great length and athleticism, and as a team, they are averaging 40.7 rebounds per game. By comparison, the Wildcats are averaging 42.9 per game, so these are the two best rebounding teams in the conference.

Coming in, we expect this one to be a battle on the glass, and if Arizona is going to win, this is an area that they are going to need to put a focus on. Should the Wildcats win the battle of the boards, I like their chances of winning.

Arizona Basketball versus the USC Trojans game information and details:

Date: Thursday, March 1, 2022

Time: 9:00 P.M. MST / 8:00 P.M. PST

Location: Galen Center, Los Angeles, Calif. (10,258)

Spread: -4.5 Arizona (Also, don’t forget to use WynnBet to enhance your overall betting experience)

Television: ESPN

Radio: 107.5 FM (Tucson) / 1290AM (Tucson) | Arizona IMG Sports Network

Team Records:

No. 2 Arizona Wildcats (25-3, 15-3): Arizona is fresh off a loss to Colorado and now the stakes are high for the Wildcats as a Pac-12 Championship is on the line when they take on No. 19 USC on Tuesday evening.

No. 16 USC Trojans (25-4, 14-4): USC is in a great position. The Trojans are rolling, they beat Oregon in a marquee showdown on Saturday evening, and now they return to a sold-out Galen Center, where they will welcome No. 2 Arizona as they go for the upset.

Head-to-Head Record (since 1949-50): Since 1949-50, Arizona has had the upper hand in this matchup, holding a 64-31 lead over the Trojans, despite USC winning four of the last seven meetings.

Last Meeting vs. Arizona: The last time the Wildcats played the Trojans was in Tucson earlier this season, where Arizona came away with the victory, defeating No. 19 USC by a 72-63 final.

My Prediction: Arizona 74 USC 80 – Arizona hurt themselves by losing to Colorado on Saturday, and now they enter a must-win situation if they want to win the conference outright. USC is going to come out with everything they got and with it being a sold-out crowd, I see this one being a battle. Unfortunately, the Wildcats will come up short here.