March Madness: USC vs. Drake Game Preview
No. 6 USC has their first tournament matchup against No. 11 Drake on Saturday, March 20, 2021. The Bulldogs are expected to come in with plenty of energy after a wild finish to their game against Wichita State [53-52].
Seven of Drake’s top eight leading scorers are upperclassmen which means they are going to be experienced, and unafraid of the moment.
If the Trojans want to secure a victory and advance to the next round, these are the three things they need to do.
No. 1 Force Turnovers
The Bulldogs are one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to not turning the ball over. Their 10.4 turnovers committed per game is the 11th fewest in all of Division I basketball. That’s one of the benefits of having so many upperclassmen.
The game is slower for them. They’ve been in college basketball for three to four years, so they understand how to attack a college defense, and how critical every possession is. They are not giving other teams extra opportunities to beat them.
Evan Mobley, of course is the main man wreaking havoc in the middle of the Trojans defense, but someone like Isaiah White could be huge in a matchup like this. His scoring is considered a luxury because of how good he is defensively. He averages nearly a steal a game, despite playing less than 21 minutes.
Guys like Ethan Anderson, Chevez Goodwin, and Drew Peterson are all strong defensive players as well. In a single-elimination tournament you want to get as many extra scoring opportunities as possible.
No. 2 Hit Their Scoring Average
USC's defense is one of the best in college basketball. They give up the fewest points per game, and hold the lowest opponent field goal percentage in the Pac-12, while finishing 7th in the nation in blocks per game.
Their offense is what comes-and-goes.
The Trojans average 74.8 points, which is 88th in Division I basketball. When they hit their scoring average and put at least 75 points on the board, they are undefeated. In their seven losses this season, they only cracked more than 70 points once.
We know the Trojans are going to play lights out interior defense, swatting anything that comes into the paint. But if they can’t knock down outside shots and get easy buckets in transition, then the game is going to be closer than expected.
Hitting their scoring average would almost guarantee a victory based on this year’s track record.
No.3 Spread The Ball Around
Just like their scoring average, USC is unbeatable when they are spreading the rock.
Their average of 13.7 assists is only good enough to rank them 136th in college basketball. But when they get at least 14 assists in a game, they are 22-0. Making sure everyone touches the ball is the easiest way for them to hit their scoring average.
Evan Mobley is going to see a lot of double-teams, which will lead to great looks for his teammates. When the Trojans have at least three of their players score 10 or more points they're 20-0.
Even though Mobley is a dominant player, he is not a selfish one. He will pass up a good look if it means his teammates get a better one. His shoulders are big enough to carry the load, but the Trojans are a better team when everyone is involved.
Just look at the Trojans recent loss to Colorado. Mobley went off for 26 points, but the team only had 12 assists with two players scoring in double-figures.
Playing through Evan Mobley is the smart strategy to win the game. But when he swings it to an open man in the corner, those are going to be the shot attempts that determine the outcome.
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