Pac-12 Preview: Will 7 teams make the NCAA tournament again?
By Ben Dull
USC Trojans
Mark Trakh is back on the sidelines for USC as its head coach for a second stint with the program. He previously served as head coach of the Trojans from 2005-2009, making two NCAA tournament appearances. Trakh takes over for Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, who resigned following the ’16-’17 season. The Trojans finished in a tie at the bottom of the Pac-12 standings last season. USC will look to turn things around with six of their seven leading scorers back from last season.
More on the Trojans:
Numbers & notes
14-16 overall in ’16-’17, 5-13 (T-Last) in Pac-12
Trakh returns to USC after spending the previous six seasons as the head coach of the New Mexico State Aggies.
The Aggies won 22 or more games in each of the last three seasons under Trakh, also winning their conference and making the NCAA tournament.
Since the start of the ’15-’16 season, Trakh and the Aggies lost just two regular season conference games.
The Trojans finished .500 or better in Pac-12 play in all five seasons of Trakh’s first tenure.
Signature wins from last season include home victories over Washington State and Arizona State along with a victory at Oregon State.
Jason Glover (associate head coach), Aarika Hughes (assistant coach/recruiting coordinator) and Blanche Alverson (assistant coach) are also new to USC. All three worked on Trakh’s staff at New Mexico State.
Hughes played for Trakh from 2005-2009 at USC. She was named to of the WBCA’s Top 30 Coaches under 30 while working on Trakh’s staff at New Mexico.
USC was picked to finish 8th in the preseason Pac-12 media and coaches polls.
Departures
Courtney Jaco — 10.6 PPG, 40.2 3PT% (68-169)
Valerie Higgins — 4.4 PPG, 35.1 3PT% (13-37), 19.8 MPG (15 starts)
Ivana Jakubcova — 12.4 MPG (8 starts), played in 29 games
Alexis Lloyd — 9.7 MPG, played in 29 games
Returners
Kristen Simon, F (Sr) — 14.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 28 MPG, ’16-’17 All-Pac-12
Minyon Moore, G (So) — 11.7 PPG, 4 APG, 26.7 MPG (4 starts), ’16-’17 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
Jordan Adams, G (Sr) — 10.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, suffered torn ACL in ’16-’17 (just 6 games played)
Sadie Edwards, G (Sr) — 9.2 PPG, 36.4 3PT% (24-66), 24.2 MPG (22 starts)
Aliyah Mazyck (G, Jr, 17.5 MPG, 14 starts) and Ja’Tavia Tapley (F, So, 17 MPG, 15 starts), Asiah Jones (F, So, 12.3 MPG, 7 starts), Marguerite Effa (F, Jr, 5.9 MPG) and Dani Milisic (F, RS So, 6.4 MPG), Candela Abejon (G, Jr) also return for the Trojans.
Kristen Simon is a very, very talented post player,” Trakh said at Pac-12 media day. “She’s great. We’re back to the basket. She can face the basket. She’s a great rebounder. She’s really evolving into an excellent leader that’s being consistent every day in practice.
“And Sadie Edwards, I can’t say enough about her work ethic. She plays hard all the time. She’s very receptive. She’s like a sponge as far as her learning. She’s always asking questions. She’s one of those players that needs to know why she’s doing things. I love her questions. They’re always very, very intelligent, very well-placed. So I’m looking forward to coaching her. Great athlete, can shoot the ball, can get to the rim, and she can really, really defend.”
Fresh faces
Shalexxus Aaron, G (First Team All-CIF Southern Section, Riverside Press-Enterprise 2017 Athlete of the Year)
Mariya Moore, G (played three seasons at Louisville before transferring, 2nd Team All-ACC in ’16-’17, will sit out the ’17-’18 season, younger sister Minyon is a sophomore guard for the Trojans)
5 games to watch
December 15 v. Texas A&M, 7:00 PST (Pac-12 Networks)
January 5 v. Oregon, 8:00 PM PST (Pac-12 Networks)
January 7 v. Oregon State, 1:00 PM PST (Pac-12 Networks)
February 2 @ UCLA, 8:00 PM PST (Pac-12 Networks)
February 5 v. UCLA, 6:00 PM PST (Pac-12 Networks)
The Trojans host a Texas A&M team ranked 21st in the preseason AP Top 25 poll just days before the start of Pac-12 play. After the calendar turns, USC will host Oregon and Oregon State across a three-day stretch. A month later, the Trojans will face UCLA, the preseason Pac-12 favorite, twice in four days — no easy task. Thankfully for USC, little travel will be involved then, save for the maddening Los Angeles traffic.