NCAA Previews: Recognize the USC Trojans

Conference: Pac-10
Record: 21-11, 12-8 Pac-10
RPI: 29
How They Got In: At-Large Bid
Seed/Bracket: #6 in the East

Mascot: Trojan. In 1912, sportswriter Los Angeles Times sportswriter Owen Bird often compared USC's athletes to Trojan warriors for the great spirit and honor they showed in defeat. It bears mentioning that most opponents' fans now use the name to make jokes about contraceptives, which probably isn't what Bird had in mind.

Big Wins: at UCLA, Stanford, Oregon (home/away), Arizona State (home/away), Oklahoma.

Notable Loss: A shocking home loss to Mercer in the season opener. The Trojans were also swept by Washington State.

Player You Should Know: If you don't already know OJ Mayo, then you probably haven't read many articles about college basketball this season. He entered school as one of the most hyped players in recent memory, and, unfortunately, he disappointed a bit during the first half of the year. In the last few weeks, though, Mayo has curtailed his annoying tendency to settle for jumpers and and become the dynamic scorer everyone expected him to be.

Outlook: Despite the Pac-10 semifinal loss to UCLA, the Trojans have been playing very well lately. Their overall athleticism can cause problems for lots of teams and they're an underrated defensive team. Their youth occasionally gets the better of them, but expect USC to win a game and have an outside shot at their second trip to the Sweet 16 in a row.