Usc Men's Basketball Left To Wonder What Could Have Been After Humbling Loss At Ucla

As his USC squad slid further disconnected nan NCAA tourney bubble, falling level against its fiercest rival, disappointment coach Eric Musselman couldn’t thief but lament what mightiness person been.

If nan Trojans had Rodney Rice, possibly things would person gone otherwise successful his 2nd season.

“I haven’t really talked astir it successful a agelong time,” Musselman said. “But we’ve sewage 3 games left, truthful I’m gonna bring it up now. To tally our discourtesy and worldly without a feline for illustration him is problematic for sure.”

Of course, aft losing 81-62 to crosstown rival UCLA,, location wasn’t overmuch other for USC to find solace successful Tuesday night. Maybe Rice, who has been retired since precocious November, would person elevated nan Trojans’ ailing offense. Maybe freshman Alijah Arenas, who didn’t debut until precocious January, could person recovered his stride faster pinch a afloat offseason.

No magnitude of what-ifs, however, will hole what ails USC during its last 3 games. The nonaccomplishment to UCLA was its 4th straight. As of Tuesday night, nan Trojans were firmly retired of nan tourney field, a truth that Musselman was good alert of.

That’s not group successful chromatic yet. But nan mobility now is whether nan Trojans moreover person nan capacity to climb backmost into nan March mix.

That way backmost for USC would surely beryllium smoother pinch a much potent offense. Sixth-year elder Chad Baker-Mazara led nan squad pinch 25 points against UCLA successful spite of playing done a sore knee.

But nan remainder of nan Trojans discourtesy changeable nether 30% — different rumor that Musselman traced backmost to Rice’s absence.

“The deficiency of shooting is really hurting us,” Musselman said. “I haven’t really talked astir it successful a agelong time. But not having Rodney Rice’s shooting is sidesplitting us. It kills our spacing. It kills our thief to nan ball.”

The presence of Arenas, nan Trojans highly touted freshman, was expected to lick that. Instead, 10 games into his assemblage career, Arenas is struggling mightily pinch his violative efficiency.

USC coach Eric Musselman reacts to nan Trojans’ nonaccomplishment to UCLA astatine Pauley Pavilion connected Tuesday.

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

Arenas had 4 first-half turnovers successful 9 minutes and didn’t deed a changeable from nan section until midway done nan 2nd half. The freshman has changeable conscionable 8 of 29 complete his past 3 games. He vanished Tuesday pinch 10 points, 4 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

“It’s a learning curve for him,” Musselman said. “He’s an unthinkable talent who has an awesome ceiling, and he’s sewage an unthinkable future. But successful a crippled for illustration coming — he’s learning. You tin spot it retired there. He’s learning connected nan fly.”

There’s not overmuch clip near to learn. The Trojans will look No. 12 Nebraska connected Saturday, earlier walking to Washington, which hit them earlier successful nan season, a fewer days later. A rematch pinch UCLA awaits astatine Galen Center nan pursuing Saturday.

USC won’t guidelines overmuch of a chance against that slate if it can’t find immoderate consistency connected either end, but nan Trojans had their moments Tuesday. They fired retired to an early lead acknowledgment to Baker-Mazara, who followed up a 13-point outburst Saturday by knocking down 3 consecutive 3’s successful a three-minute stretch.

Later, adjacent nan midway people of nan 2nd half, Baker-Mazara deed different 3 to trim nan UCLA lead to conscionable 5 points. And for a little moment, it seemed USC mightiness find a way.

But then, successful nan waning seconds of nan changeable clock, UCLA prima defender Donovan Dent fto a heavy 3 pointer alert pinch 10 minutes remaining. It swished. A sold-out crowd astatine Pauley Pavilion roared.

Dent vanished pinch 30 points, while nan Trojans ne'er recovered. Musselman, meanwhile, was near reasoning of thing his wife, Danyelle, had said to him.

“Take a 20-pointer scorer disconnected of immoderate squad and spot what they do,” Musselman recalled his woman saying. “Take Dent disconnected of them and let’s spot what they do. That’s a fact.”

But nan facts, for USC, are beautiful grim astatine this point. And pinch conscionable 3 games remaining, clip is moving retired for nan Trojans to alteration that.