USC Basketball: The Trojans are undefeated...but can it last?

Andy Enfield has USC basketball out to a 6-0 start to begin the 2016-17 campaign.

The USC Trojans have started this 2016-17 college basketball season undefeated. They are 6-0 with wins over SMU and Texas A&M.

Before last season, the last time the Trojans made the NCAA Tournament was 2011. But head coach Andy Enfield seems to finally have the program headed in the correct direction. I’m not sure how long this hot streak can last, as we all know how quick things can change in college basketball.

So where does USC currently stand? Can they continue their success and 6-0 record moving forward?

Positives

This team has some young talent and they play their best when everyone works together. The Trojans keep the ball moving and they allow their offense to flow.

Sophomore Bennie Boatwright is averaging 13.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while junior Elijah Stewart is averaging 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per outing.

The best thing about the Trojans’ offense is their balanced scoring. There isn’t one solid superstar dominating the ball. Instead, five players are averaging double figures in points.

Negatives

What worries me is consistency. How will this team answer when adversity hits?

The Trojans basically have an eight-man rotation. With a bench that short, they don’t have any room for injuries or ineffective play.

Another area of concern is their defense around the rim. USC allows way too many lay-ups and easy buckets. When conference play begins, their defense in the paint could be exposed by teams like UCLA, Arizona and Oregon.

The Trojans beat a decent Texas A&M team and also closed out a close game against SMU. In the next few weeks their toughest opponent is BYU. That means the Trojans won’t have a true major conference test until late December when they visit Oregon. At that time, we could still see this team undefeated.