USC Hoops: 3 Takeaways From USC vs UConn
With a shot to tie it at the buzzer, USC basketball falls just short in their 61-58 loss to the UConn Huskies.
The Trojans offense looked a little tight as they played on ESPN for the first time this season. Of the nine USC players that checked in, Evan Mobley was the only one to score in double figures. And let’s give UConn’s defense some credit. USC only made 19 of their 53 shots from the floor because of how fast the Huskies were swarming to the ball.
But in watching this game, there were three big takeaways…
1. USC can’t shoot themselves back in games
The offense as a whole hasn’t been a problem for the Trojans. Their fifth in points per game in the Pac-12 (77.0) and second in field-goal percentage (.493). But their biggest offensive weakness is their inability to win a shootout.
USC is like a run-first football team. They want to slow the pace and play-ball control offense. Giving it to their bigs and trying to work it inside. But UConn had a great defensive game plan to slow the Trojans interior presence.
The Huskies would repeatedly double Evan Mobley in the post, leaving shooters wide open. But it didn’t matter how many correct reads Evan Mobley would make, the Trojans couldn’t hit any outside shots. USC was only 3-for-19 on three-point attempts during the game.
Even the Trojans know they're not a good three-point shooting team. They are currently deadlast in three-point attempts per game (17) in the Pac-12 . We know they want to play inside-out, but if an opposing team’s game plan is to eliminate shots at the basket, what will USC’s counterpunch be?
The Trojans have all the size in the world, but basketball has turned into a shooters league. They will need to make a higher volume of threes going forward if they want to win at a consistently high level.
2. USC’s zone defense has elite potential
With the Trojans down arguably their best backcourt defender, USC experimented with more zone looks in this game. The first half still saw a good mixture of both man and zone defense. But after seeing UConn hit 6-of-11 shots from behind the arc, Coach Andy Enfield went with a 2-3 zone for the entire second half.
This defensive change is what kept the Trojans in the game. Over the last 14:23 of game play, the Huskies had as many turnovers as points - eight. Evan Mobely was sending everything back that came into paint. Finishing the night with four total blocks.
When you can run defensive line-ups that include four athletic players at least 6-foot-7, it’s just not fair. USC being able to add length on the floor without losing athleticism is an advantage not many teams have. The Trojans might have stumbled into a new defensive identity with the zone defense. If they are able to improve it, while adding Ethan Anderson into the mix, their defense could be the biggest key to their success.
[READ: Top QB Prospect Jake Garcia De-Commits From USC]
3. Evan Mobley is a Monster
According to an old cliche, the only two things guaranteed in life are - death and taxes. We might have to amend that and add a third guarantee - Evan Mobley going for double figures.
In a game where the offense struggled to score consistently, Mobley is the one player that can’t be stopped regardless of the defense. Even with the constant double-teams and traps, Mobley always made the right pass to the open shooter. Even though he only made four shots from the field, he was splashing it from the free-throw line. For a seven-footer to go 9-of-11 from the charity stripe is rare.
This team will go through stretches where they can’t make any outside shots, just like tonight. Mobley is going to have to be the savior during those stretches and bail out this offense. You can throw him the ball when he’s in the post and let him go to work, or give it to him at the top of the key and let him break down his defender.
Mobley is uber skilled and way more poised than most freshman bigs. If he continues to produce, even when defenses are locked in on him, it will definitely help his draft stock come spring.
[READ: Evan Mobley named MVP of Roman Legends Classic]
For more USC news visit www.alltrojans.com. Follow us on Twitter.
