Can USC Trojans Tame the Wildcats at McKale Center?

As the USC Trojans prepare to face off against the Arizona Wildcats at the McKale Center, fans are eager to see if their team can carry forward their momentum from a recent victory. The Trojans have shown they can dominate on court, as evidenced by their impressive 93-point game against Stanford on January 6th. That night, they shot an astounding 48 percent from the field and an impressive 56 percent from beyond the arc.

However, consistency has been a challenge for USC. In their last outing on January 14th against Colorado Buffaloes, they struggled with turnovers and shooting efficiency. Scoring only 58 points with a field goal percentage of just 36 percent and turning over the ball fourteen times does not bode well for any team's confidence.

The upcoming game against ARIZ is crucial for USC to establish themselves as contenders in this season's conference play. They will need to leverage their strengths effectively; this includes capitalizing on points in paint where they scored a solid 32 points in both games against Stanford and Colorado. Additionally, improving free throw accuracy could be pivotal – hitting at an impressive rate of 82 percent versus Colorado was one of few highlights.

On defense, USC must tighten up; despite grabbing more rebounds than opponents in two out of three recent games, they allowed too many fast break points (21) against Colorado which contributed significantly to that loss.

ARIZ presents its own set of challenges; known for aggressive play that can disrupt even the most disciplined teams. The Wildcats' home advantage at McKale Center will also be something that USC needs to overcome through composure and strategic gameplay.

The Trojan faithful should expect nothing less than full commitment from every player stepping onto that court come game day. With strategic adjustments and focus on maintaining shooting efficiency while reducing turnovers, there is no reason why USC cannot emerge victorious once again.

Mark your calendars for January 17th at 7:00 PM MST when these two teams clash in Tucson – it promises to be an exciting encounter broadcasted nationally on ESPN channel 206. Fans won't want to miss what could potentially be one of the defining games for USC this season.