As the NCAA Tournament comes to a close, GMS likes to review some of the power conference or power program teams that made it to the Big Dance and ask whether or not they’ve got a shot to return to the show next season. We kick things off with teams eliminated in the first round.
Recruit and Reload: USC Trojans
Key Losses: Julian Jacobs (declared for NBA),
Key Returners: Joran McLaughlin, Bennie Boatwright, Nikola Jovanovic, Elijah Stewart, Chimezie Metu
Key Newcomers: Jonah Mathews (four-star)
Breakdown: If Jacobs gets a favorable grade from NBA GMs, USC will miss their most exciting but perhaps their most enigmatic piece for next season. Jacobs’ athleticism and energy take USC to another level, but perhaps clearing space for someone like Stewart to move into a more prominent role will benefit this team in the long run.
This is a big year for Andy Enfield, as his best recruiting classes are now veterans to the Pac-12 and the pressure to not just repeat last season’s NCAA Tournament berth but better upon it will be present. The Trojans should start the year in the AP Top 25 and the expectation will be for them to compete for a Pac-12 title and make a real run in March.
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