Bronny James, USC begin Pac-12 play: Is this an NCAA

Dec 28, 2023, 09:00 AM ET EUGENE, Ore.– Bronny James will get his very first taste of Pac-12 Conference play as the USC Trojans take a trip to face the Oregon Ducks on Thursday (ESPN2, 6 p.m. ET) before playing at the Oregon State Beavers on Saturday.James continues

to play under a minutes limitation considering that making his collegiate launching (with his daddy LeBron James and family in participation) on Dec. 6 in an 84-79 overtime loss against Long Beach State– 5 months after suffering a cardiac arrest throughout practice.James played his

very first collegiate roadway game in a 91-75 defeat at Auburn on Dec. 17 in front of a packed crowd that included former Tigers excellent Charles Barkley. The Trojans managed to snap a three-game losing streak with a 79-59 win at Alabama State on Dec. 19, offering James his very first college win.James has actually not spoken to press reporters since the Long Beach State contest

, but fellow freshman guard Isaiah Collier stated the trip to Alabama”was a great knowing experience. We discovered a lot from that game, understanding how hard we got to play, we learned from a lot of our errors.”Collier stated the players held a meeting to figure out their identity after the loss to Auburn amidst early-season struggles. When asked what that is, Collier replied,”It’s about the program.” With the focus turning to USC’s final run in the Pac-12 before joining the Big 10 in 2024, here are the major questions dealing with James and the Trojans ahead of a huge conference week.– Ohm Youngmisuk How has James looked so far? What has he shown on the court?USC is attempting to be cautious with James, who is balancing 16 minutes per game in his 3 appearances. James averages five points, 2.7 rebounds and one help

but is playing in three-minute stints, which doesn’t enable him time to acquire any rhythm.James continues to carve out a role as another ball handler who will protect and remain in front of his guy, struck the open shot and rebound. While USC counts on starting guards Boogie Ellis and Collier

for scoring, James is a pass-first guard who looks to set the offense up and move the ball for head coach Andy Enfield. The more minutes he gets, the more favorable plays he can make.Collier likewise wishes to see James be more aggressive. “Knowing everything he’s been through, I seem like he [has handled the] experience terrific,”Collier stated about James and their very first real roadway games at Auburn and Alabama State.”[ James has]

been around practice, found out a lot. I feel like he’s just going to get much better. We told him he needs to shoot the ball more when he’s open. “– Youngmisuk How has James managed to fit on this USC squad?When James arrived at USC, Collier and Ellis were already anticipated to be the focal points. And that’s been the case this season, with Collier still atop NBA draft boards and Ellis leading the team in scoring at nearly 20 points per game.Editor’s Picks 2

Associated Starting wing Kobe Johnson has ended up being a consistent scorer in addition to his high-level defensive ability, while sixth guy Oziyah Sellers has actually shown some shooting skills off the bench. Include Enfield’s propensity to play two bigs for long stretches, and the variety of minutes readily available is more minimal than expected.Looking at it from James

‘ viewpoint

, though, there will be more playing time. He’s a trustworthy secondary ball handler, can make shots from the border and can likely play any one of the three boundary positions. Offered USC’s battles towards the end of nonconference play, Enfield might not be wedded to his existing rotation.– Jeff Borzello After its

nonconference struggles, can USC make a run for the Pac-12 title?At this phase of the season, the race in the Pac-12 appears to be for second location. Arizona (ranked third on KenPom) is the best group in the conference. USC is among five Pac-12 squads ranked in the top 60 on KenPom however the Trojans are likewise ranked 80th on the NET– a number that represents losses to UC Irvine and Long Beach State.Top stories of the week from Get unique access to countless premium short articles a year from top authors. – What’s next relocation for Morey, 76ers?”- NFL: Vibrant playoff race forecasts”- 19 games that defined CFP playoff age “More ESPN+ content” The Trojans have actually not shown they can compete with top-tier squads such as

Arizona. But that’s secondary

to the other issue: They have actually been vulnerable against teams with significantly less talent. That’s why it’s challenging to think of USC winning a Pac-12 title. At this phase, it’s simpler to forecast the Trojans as a team that will complete somewhere
in the middle of the league’s

standings.Collier is a fantastic NBA possibility, however turnover concerns continue to plague him. Ellis has actually connected on 44% of his 3-point efforts, however the team normally has actually been substandard offensively. They failed to reach 100 points per 100 belongings in the losses to UC Irvine and Long Beach State.While a turn-around in league play is possible, it’s clear USC has a lot of work to do before it can be considered as a title competitor.– Myron Medcalf Need to we anticipate

to see James and USC dancing in March?USC deals with an uphill climb to Selection Sunday. Its nonconference performance has been spotty– good neutral court wins over Kansas State and Seton Hall, however home losses to UC Irvine and Long Beach State– which leaves it with more of an NIT profile than an NCAA one

to this point.The Pac-12 schedule will present a lot of chances to alter the trajectory, but the Trojans need to be prepared. Five of their first 8 league games are on

the roadway, so their postseason hopes might go sideways in a hurry.In bracketology terms, USC is 83rd on the existing seed list (15 areas from the at-large cut line)with a 20-25% opportunity to reach the Big Dance.– Joe Lunardi