Column: Andy Enfield deserves to feel 'proud' following USC's 77-64 upset win over No. 8 UCLA
In Andy Enfield's tenth season at USC, new patterns are emerging.
After the Trojans took down No. 8 UCLA 77-64 on Thursday, Enfield put the Galen Center on par with some of the loudest arenas in the nation.
"I thought last year's game against UCLA and this year's game were the two best atmospheres we've played in in ten years," he said. "Last year and this year were as good as any place in the country...We would not have come back from 12 down at halftime without that energy that the fans provided."
Similarly to the Galen Center, the USC postgame press conference media room was packed too — packed with reporters eager to speak with Enfield following his team's "statement" win.
One reporter asked Enfield postgame: "This is the most media I've seen in here in the last 15 years, what does that say about USC basketball?"
Enfied responded with a soliloquy about his staff's stability in his ten year tenure and the players they've recruited who helped turn the program around before saying: "We're very proud of where our program is right now."
And he should be.
USC is currently in the best stretch of the Enfield era. The Trojans made the Elite 8 two years ago and they should qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season this year. That would be a first for USC under Enfield — the Trojans have only made three consecutive NCAA Tournaments once in their history from 2007-2009.
With the nation's tenth best recruiting class coming in next season, this ride should continue for another year and beyond. Enfield deserves to be proud. He's spearheaded this turnaround.
