March Madness: USC’s three keys to winning the Pac-12 Tournament

The USC Trojans are looking to do something during March Madness that they have not done since 2009: win the Pac-12 Tournament.

The USC Trojans are enjoying a fairly successful March Madness thus far. Despite losing to the UCLA Bruins in the last game of the season in early March, the Trojans have marched their way to the Pac-12 Tournament finals.

There, the Trojans will face off against the number one-seeded, Arizona Wildcats. Not only are the Wildcats the best team in the Pac-12, they now have an agenda to prove the NCAA wrong after the Sean Miller incident. A very talented team, with an agenda? That is tough.

However, Arizona did look human against the UCLA Bruins. After a back and forth affair the Bruins and Wildcats went into overtime to determine who would go into the Pac-12 Tournament finals. That is when Arizona stepped on the gas and scored 11 unanswered overtime points.

Which leads to Saturday. USC and Arizona are set to tip-off at 7 p.m. pacific time. The winner is guaranteed a spot in the NCAA Tournament. However, there is a 99 percent chance that both teams make the tournament with an at-large bid if they lose.

For the Trojans, this win can finally cement them as a serious team to watch during the tournament. They have had their doubters (including myself) and this is a great chance to prove them all wrong.

Here are USC’s three keys to victory.

1. Utilizing the Chimezie Metu and Deandre Ayton matchup

Deandre Ayton is the heart and soul of the Arizona Wildcats and is likely going to be the first overall pick selected in the 2018 NBA Draft. The seven-foot-one freshman can dominant in the paint, is a solid rim protector and has seamless shot mechanics.

It was Ayton that carried the Wildcats over the Bruins in the semifinals. Ayton scored 32 points on 13-16 shooting with 14 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Ayton successful outperformed UCLA guard Aaron Holiday, which got Arizona the win.

However, the USC Trojans should not be as helpless in stopping Ayton. At the Trojans disposal is the six-foot-eleven junior, Chimezie Metu. USC must make the most the Metu-Ayton matchup and force the Wildcats to look for open looks elsewhere. Although Ayton has the size advantage, Metu must use his added experience to make the big man uncomfortable.

Which leads to the next point.

2. Play the same level of defense as the first two games of the Pac-12 Tournament

Not only did the USC Trojans make it to the Pac-12 Tournament Finals, they essentially outclassed the two teams they faced on their way to the big game. Granted, they did play a tenth and sixth seed, but the Trojans were never in a spot of any worry, at all, in those games.

USC defeated Oregon State and Oregon by a combined 33 points. It was the Trojans’ defense that led to such success. Oregon State scored just 48 points on 30.5 percent shooting. Oregon scored just 54 points on 33.3 percent shooting. That is pure domination.

While it is going to be much tougher to get the same results out of Arizona, USC needs to keep up the rough, suffocating defense that will force Arizona to work for every single basket. Defense wins championships, after all.

3. Continue the patient style of offense

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Great defense is pointless without the ability to capitalize on the other end. The USC Trojans have done a great job at capitalizing on the offensive side of the court and must continue the same patient approach that has helped them thus far.

The Trojans 45.3 percent against Oregon State and 50 percent against Oregon. This was the result of a patient offense that did not settle for bad looks and made the most of their efforts. Key turnovers and fast break opportunities were big for the Trojans; they capitalized on every single one.

Compare that to Arizona’s competition thus far. UCLA shot 39.7 percent from the field and still took the Wildcats to overtime. Colorado did shoot 42.3 percent from the field, but 25 percent from beyond the arc mixed with 15 turnovers hurt the Buffaloes.

USC’s ability to at least contain Ayton with Metu will force the rest of the Wildcats to take action. From there, the Trojans need to suffocate Arizona, play physical, do whatever it takes to make them uncomfortable. With that, USC should be able to get open looks down the court, when they don’t, they must be patient and use all of the shot clock.

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Limit the time that Arizona can have the ball in their own possession. It may be an uphill battle for USC, but there is no reason why the Trojans cannot become Pac-12 Champions.