Trojans doomed by offensive struggles in loss to Cougars
Elsewhere in Los Angeles on this Wednesday night, tucked right over the Santa Monica Mountains at Crespi High in Encino, a vital part of this USC basketball program's future ducked and darted and hooped in a humble high school gym.
For years, HarvardWestlake's Trent Perry has molded himself into one of the best guards in Southern California, gradually rounding out an all-around game as the leader of one of the best high school programs in the nation. And the USC commit continued to showcase it against Crespi on Wednesday, scoring 21 points.
It was more energy, frankly, than anyone in a USC jersey showcased across town in the first half of a dreary 72-64 loss to Washington State on Wednesday. And amid drooping body language and exasperated barks from head coach Andy Enfield, it sure seemed like Perry could've played his way onto the floor right now for USC, as two games of offensive synergy was erased in a brutal funk against Washington State.
Center Joshua Morgan, far and away USC's best interior defender, was ruled out with a upper respiratory infection pregame; point guard Isaiah Collier, one of USC's two consistent sources of shot-creation, exited early in the second half with a right hand contusion. It robbed the Trojans of paint presence and offensive juice against the Cougars, and it showed in a brutal loss to drop their record to 8-8 overall and 2-3 in the Pac-12.
With just a few minutes to play in the first half a grueling display of basketball, USC had shot 6-of-26 from the field, completely unable to capitalize off of turnovers or open halfcourt looks. Shots caromed hopelessly off iron. Dribbles slipped off palms and fingertips. And USC's offensive system attacking Washington State's 2-3 zone seemed unfocused, players scurrying around the perimeter for dribble handoffs like ants with no hive and no purpose.
USC ended the first half down just 29-28, as Washington State (11-5, 2-3) was also not able to control the ball, but the Trojans players' shoulders drooped and Enfield looked visibly tense on the way to the locker room. And in the second half, the Trojans' lack of consistently-playable big man depth betrayed them.
Morgan's absence forced Vincent Iwuchukwu into a starting role, a sophomore big who's giving USC a lift at various stretches throughout his two seasons with sheer energy. But he struggled to finish on Wednesday, going 0 for 4 from the floor and scoring one point, and he was repeatedly targeted by Washington State on defense.