USC Basketball Bracketology: ESPN Projects Trojans as No. 6 Seed

ESPN and Sports Illustrated’s bracketology experts project USC basketball in the NCAA tournament this March in their latest predictions.

ESPN’s Bracketology expert Joe Lunardi had the Trojans on the outside looking in for last week’s projections, but after USC’s upset victory over Arizona, 103-101, in quadruple overtime Saturday they made the cut. Now Andy Enfield’s men are a No. 6 seed in the Midwest bracket.

Funnily enough that would have USC as the second-highest seeded team in the Pac-12, with Arizona as a No. 4 seed and Oregon a No. 6 in the West. UCLA, who the Trojans will face on Wednesday at Pauley Pavilion, is projected as an No. 11 seed in Lunardi’s bracket.

Michael Beller’s first bracket projections of the year for Sports Illustrated place the men of Troy as a No. 8 seed in the West bracket. With Arizona as a No. 5 seed and UCLA, Oregon and Utah as No. 7 seeds, USC is the fifth highest seed for the conference.

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The Trojans are 11-0 at home for the first time since 1974 and 14-3 overall this season, their best record since 2001. The victory over the Wildcats was the first major test of USC’s resolve in the Pac-12 and they survived the marathon game to prove they may in fact be the real deal.

With a 3-1 record in conference, the Trojans are currently second in the Pac-12 behind Washington, who they fell to after giving up a 22-point lead last weekend.

A successful trip to Westwood on Wednesday would likely propel USC to their first appearance in the AP Top 25 since 2008. The Trojans were ranked No. 26 this week.