Mar 6, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; USC Trojans guard J.T. Terrell (20) dribbles the ball while being guarded by Washington Huskies guard Abdul Gaddy (0) during the 2nd half at Alaska Airlines Arena. Washington defeated Southern California 65-57. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

While the men’s basketball schedule looks like a mirage with USC football dominating the headlines over summer, the Trojans have announced a marquee tournament for their 2013-2014 non-conference schedule.

The Trojans made one big splash this offseason, signing Andy Enfield fresh off a trip to the Sweet 16 with the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. Now, the men’s basketball squad has secured a bid to participate in the “Battle for Atlantis” non-conference tournament, which awards schools $2 million for their participation in the event.

Apr 13, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans basketball coach Andy Enfield attends the spring game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The tournament will take place from November 27th-December 1st on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. The field will feature Kansas, who is coming off huge news after signing the nation’s top recruit Andrew Wiggins. Tennessee, Villanova, Xavier, Iowa, Wake Forest are among the other participants in this years bracket.

The most intriguing matchup however, would square the Enfield’s-led Trojans against a former coach of USC, and head man who expressed interest in running the program this spring, in Tim Floyd and his UTEP Minors.

The Trojans took part in the Maui Invitational as their marquee tournament last season, under the direction of former head coach Kevin O’Neill. They finished the Hawaiian getaway 1-2, punctuated with a humiliating 30-point loss in the opening game versus Illinois.

Following the thumping loss at the hands of the Illini, the Trojans responded by defeating Texas in OT, fueled by key points late from Dewayne Dedmon. In the final game of the tournament, the Trojans battled the eventual Elite-Eight participant Marquette, losing by eight points. JT Terrell led all scorers in that contest with 21 points, in what is considered his best game under Kevin O’Neill.

This year’s club returns three starters in Byron Wesley, JT Terrell and Omar Oraby with role players Ari Stewart and Chass Bryan looking to increase their role this season. Rest assured that the diligent Andy Enfield is already preparing game plans for the Bahama Tournament.

Battle for Atlantis has traditionally featured a fair share of power house teams with top-ten rankings. Last season, Duke defeated eventual national champion Louisville 76-71 in the final. USC foes Stanford and Minnesota also participated in the tournament, finishing 5th and 6th respectively. The Atlantis ties to Enfield are also quite intriguing, as the Florida Gulf Eagles won the “Mainland Bracket” defeating Toledo 72-66 in the November 22nd National Championship Game.

The Be7ieve offense will be on full display this summer, with national tournaments like the Battle For Atlantis as barometers for the Trojans hopes as an NIT or NCAA contender. The biggest question this offeseason is whether the Trojans committed recruits, Julian Jacobs, Roschon Prince, Nikola Jovanovic and Kahlil Dukes can provide some intangibles for a basketball team looking to build an identity for next season.

Starting Lineup:

Jio Fontan vs. Brandon Taylor

Mar 6, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; USC Trojans guard Jio Fontan (1) dribbles past Washington Huskies guard Andrew Andrews (12) towards the basket during the 2nd half at Alaska Airlines Arena. Washington defeated Southern California 65-57. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Fontan: 9.5 PPG 1.7 RPG, 5.2 APG Fontan has shown an ability to make plays down the stretch with leadership intangibles that allow him to carry the team late in games, a place USC has ventured over 80-percent of the time under Bob Cantu. The Trojans look sluggish on offense without Fontan, a player that epitomizes the toughness of the program.

Taylor: 6.5 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 2.0 APG A freshman who has come on strong after starting his first game 2/6 against Oregon State. Taylor provides a nice boost of speed and quickness for a relatively slow Utes lineup, with tenacity on both ends of the court. The Utes have increased their scoring to over 68 PPG in their last four, games Taylor has dominated.

Advantage: Jio Fontan

JT Terrell vs. Jared DuBoisTerrell: Terrell is the lights-out scorer for USC that can put up 25 in one contest and then chuck up five the following game. Despite the mind-numbing inconsistencies from the field, the Trojans heavily rely on the shooting touch of JT Terrell to make furious second-half comebacks.

DuBois: A fifth-year senior who is pursuing his graduate degree, he has made a nice transition to the Pac-12 after spending four years at LMU. DuBois is in the midst of a career shooting year, making over 42-percent of his shots while scoring a steady 12 PPG. The best part about DuBois game is the balance he provides on the court, he can lead the team in steals, and still put up 15 points as an all-around contributor.

Advantage: Jared DuBois

Byron Wesley vs. Cedric Martin

Wesley: 10.3 PPG, 4.2 RPB, 1.9 APG The super sophomore has shown moments of brilliance this season, as the next superstar to hit the hardwood for USC. Wesley is only averaging 10 PPG, but has posted strong scoring efforts with at least 17 against Arizona, Oregon State and Copping State. Wesley is naturally a timid shooter, but the man can make plays when he asserts himself by driving to the basket.

Martin: 4.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.1 APG The senior has been in and out of the starting lineup this season for the Utes. Martin is a relatively quiet presence on the team, but don’t let that fool the passive fan, he understands how to play smart basketball. Martin sets screens, grabs defensive rebounds and takes the necessary charge to save possessions. Not to mention he has quite the personal story, as the foxhole player for coach Krystkowiak.

Advantage: Byron Wesley

Eric Wise vs. Jordan Loveridge

Wise: 11.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.7 APG The senior transfer has firmly established himself as the leading post scorer for the Trojans, effectively using his 6’6″ frame against larger defenders. Wise leads the team in scoring on quite the efficient 45-percent clip, a career-high for the Trojans leading scorer.

Loveridge: 11.9 PPG, 6.9 PPG, 1.9 APG The freshman athletic big man plays much larger than his size on the Utah front court. Loveridge has the ability to not only score in the paint, but also make perimeter jump shots to open up the defense. The freshmen has scored in double figures in four out of the past five games, plus he scored 12 points in their first matchup against the Trojans.

Advantage: Eric Wise

March 9, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes center Jason Washburn (42) acknowledges the fans after the game against the Oregon Ducks at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Douglas C. Pizac-USA Today Sports

Omar Oraby vs. Jason Washburn

Oraby: 5.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.3 APG Oraby saw his mintes drastically decrease from earlier in the season as the starting center, but will now be heavily relied upon in the Pac-12 tournament. The transfer has capitalized on his recent playing time, recording ten blocks in his past four games. The only remaining seven-footer on the roster must stay out of foul trouble and defend the rim for the Trojans.

Washburn: 11.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 0.7 APG Washburn was voted Pac-12 Honorable Mention earlier this week, earning the title after having quite the efficient season. Washburn dominated the glass this season posting five games of double-digit rebounds in Pac-12 play. The senior has shown an innate ability to dominate the post against smaller defenders, bullying them out with his size while also controlling the field with a strong shooting presence.

Advantage: Jason Washburn

Coaching:

Bob Cantu-USC 1st Season

Larry Krystkowiak-Utah 2nd Season

Intangibles:

The Utah Utes are coming to the Pac-12 tournament on a two-game winning streak, playing some of the best basketball of the year. The Trojans have lost two straight coming into the tournament, scoring less than 60 points in each contest. The loss of Dewayne Dedmon and James Blasczyk will hurt more than just the simple minutes these men play.

The Trojans love to push the tempo while the Utes want to keep the game in the low sixties. Under Interim Head Coach Bob Cantu the Trojans have played 10 of their 14 games within an eight point span, with USC winning six of those contests. The Utes meanwhile are 2-4 in close contests during conference play, but struggle enough points to keep their games within striking distance.

This matchup could come down to a final possession, a place that USC has been much more adapted to and can craft their late-game execution. If Jio Fontan fouls out however, the Trojans have looked rather sluggish in crunch time, whereas Utah has numerous leaders to finish a close contest.

Offensively the Trojans have come alive after posting two 90-point totals this season, playing with a profound sense of purpose on the offensive end. In the first half of the Arizona State game USC looked well on their way to eclipsing the 70-point mark, shooting an impressive 47-percent from the field.

The second half, and especially the final five minutes, were extremely worrisome as echoing boos encompassed the Galen Center crowd. Doubts over games like UCLA, Cal and even Oregon were residual, as the Trojan faithful understands how this brand of basketball lends itself to close finishes.

Regardless, losing a 19-point lead only to watch it only slip away at the end is inexcusable. Arizona State’s leading scorer Jahii Carson only scored five points in the first half and looked out of sync as the Trojan defense was collapsing the paint beautifully.

The biggest knock on the new-look Trojans has been their lack of tenacity on defense. Yet, the Trojans looked like the more physical team on Saturday holding ASU to a season-low 20 first-half points. Bodies were flying, charges were being taken as the entire team was buying in to what the coaches were preaching.

In a tale of two halves, the Trojans once stout defense was exposed in the second frame. Many teams fall victim to these lulls that affect a basketball game and USC is following the mold as it continues to step off the gas pedal and allow inferior teams to fight their way back.

The Trojans held Cal by the throat until turnovers and sloppy offensive possessions gave Allen Crabbe too many opportunities to find his shooting touch. Against UCLA, the Trojans played a perfect 35 minutes but did not have the wing defender to shut down Shabazz Muhammad late. Versus Washington State, the Trojans needed a near perfect game from Byron Wesley, who finished with 20 points on 7-10 shooting, to dispose of the worst team in the Pac-12.

Against Oregon, the Trojans scampered back themselves after trailing by 10 with less than three minutes to play. Despite the curious comeback, the team failed to covert on their final possession capping a painful two-point loss that looms large especially with the Trojans recent rise in the rankings.

Back to Saturday’s matchup, the Trojans were once again crippled the moment Jio Fontan left the game with a five-point lead and 4:49 to play. The ensuing possession Dewayne Dedmon took a contested fade-away jumper from the right elbow that had no chance of hitting.

The offense was quite stagnant with Bryan on the court, and that soley rests in Bob Cantu’s hands to prepare his freshmen guard for this big moment. Bryan played in this type of moment before scoring 10 points in the second half against Stanford, a game the Trojans won by two points.

With exactly one minute remaining the Trojans were leading by five when Bryan decided to drive to the rack with at least 10 seconds on the shot clock and flail an up-and-under shot that was brutally rejected, fueling an Arizona State layup on the fastbreak.

Feb 10, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans coach Bob Cantu (right) and forward Eric Wise (34) react in the second half against the Washington Huskies at the Galen Center. USC defeated Washington 71-60. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The most annoying moment of the game was with 19 seconds left, when Cantu did not call an effective play that left JT Terrell on an island of two ASU defenders. Terrell resultantly air balled the shot, before Eric Wise luckily grabbed the board and flailed up an attempt drawing a personal foul.

Then on the final possession, an inbounds pass from Byron Wesley sailed past Chass Bryan for a turnover. The Trojans had a timeout in their pocket and Head Coach Bob Cantu should have known better than to allow a difficult pass towards the sideline.

Luckily for the Trojans, Jahii Carson could not convert on the deep three-point shot to win the game and USC escaped with a one-point victory. The late-game play calling was close to horrendous, leaving doubt about a future without Jio Fontan to carry the offense in the final minutes.

The action may not be pretty, mind-numbing down the stretch for that matter, but the Trojans are finding ways to win ball games.