USC Basketball Back on Track With Bruin Sweep

USC basketball got back on track following a tough Oregon trip by downing the Washington schools and sweeping UCLA in the season series.

It’s safe to say that USCbasketball, barring a horrific meltdown, is en route to its first tournament appearance since 2011.

The Trojans came home from a tough road trip up north where they lost at both Oregon and Oregon State. Luckily, this men’s team loves playing at home and soundly beat Washington State then got sweet revenge against Washington after blowing a 22-point lead in their first meeting..

USC would head into their second and final regular season match up against cross-town rival UCLA with a 13-0 record at Galen Center. When the night was over, the Trojans advanced to a 14-0 mark.

A sold out Galen Center crowd watched on as the Trojans dominated their second match up with the Bruins, much like their first in Westwood. Julian Jacobs lead the way with 17 points, with Elijah Stewart adding 16 and Katin Reinhardt 13 respectively.

USC jumped out immediately to a 9-0 lead and led UCLA 39-28 at the half. UCLA cut the deficit to six, before the Trojans pulled away to an 80-61 victory over their arch nemesis. It’s the first time USC has swept the series since the 2009-2010 season.

The blacked-out Trojan student body was loud in their chant of “just like football.”

With the win, USC leads in the battle for the SoCal BMW Crosstown Cup 40-35.

Downplaying the sweep, Coach Enfield said, “It’s nice to beat anybody twice in our league.”

More from Reign of Troy

• Markese Stepp enters transfer portal intending to leave USC football
• USC football’s Alijah Vera-Tucker declares for NFL Draft
• USC football adds Xavion Alford as transfer from Texas
• USC Podcast: RoT Radio Ep. 396 on the Football Season’s Fallout
• Talanoa Hufanga named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, USC football with five first-teamers

USC now looks ahead to their trip to Arizona, to finish out their regular season series with Arizona and Arizona State. If USC were to sweep that trip, and make it to twenty wins, the NCAA would be hard pressed not to invite the Trojans to March Madness.

At 18-5 on the season, the Trojans are currently projected as a No. 6 seed by ESPN. With many prognosticators sleeping on the rebuilt men’s team during the preseason, the Trojans will have to continue to win to make an impression.

A rematch against both Oregon schools and in-state battles against Stanford and Cal are still on the horizon, so USC will get its opportunity.