USC men’s basketball team looks to end drought
Coach Andy Enfield and his USC basketball team are still looking for their first Pac-12 Conference victory this season.
The Trojans are 9-9 overall but have lost their first five Pac-12 games, a streak they hope to snap Wednesday night when they play host to California.
It won’t be easy. Cal is 14-4 and is tied with top-ranked Arizona at 5-0 in Pac-12 play.
USC’s most recent loss was 83-62 at No. 21 Colorado on Saturday.
“We’ve played well in stretches,” Enfield said on a conference call Tuesday. “We haven’t been able to put 40 minutes together. I know our players are frustrated but they are working hard.”
A key culprit: USC has let opponents enjoy extended scoring binges .
“There have been crucial points in each Pac-12 game where the other team went on a big run and we were not able to stop the run at four or five or six points,” Enfield said. “It’s really hurt us.”
Byron Wesley stands out
One bright spot for USC is junior guard Byron Wesley.
Wesley leads the team in scoring at 16.5 points per game and in rebounds at 7.4 per game.
“He’s one of the elite drivers, of getting in the lane and finishing, in the country,” Enfield said.
Wesley also is “working on his playmaking abilities for his teammates,” Enfield said, adding that “I give Byron a lot of credit because he’s put the time in to improve.”
J.T. Terrell is contributing
Senior guard J.T. Terrell is second to Wesley in scoring at 10.4 points per game despite appearing in only 10 of the Trojans’ 18 games and starting in only two.
Terrell is “explosive offensively when he takes good shots” but he “needs to limit his turnovers and his bad shots,” Enfield said.
Twitter: @PeltzLATimes
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
