Postseason Picture Becoming More Clear

Barring a collapse by the teams in front of them--and assuming it wins at least one more game this weekend--USC probably is looking at a first-round NIT road game.

“We would love to host a first-round game if that’s a possibility,” Daryl Gross, associate athletic director, said Monday. “The NIT certainly wants to maximize the dollars, but it also looks for great matchups.

“The important thing is for our young team to play a few more games and maybe get to New York.”

Potential opponents include Nevada Las Vegas and Brigham Young but those schools can still make the NCAA tournament by winning their conference tournaments.

In 1992, USC had a home victory against Pepperdine in the first round of the NIT, defeated Nevada Las Vegas, then lost to Minnesota.

Last year, the Trojans lost to Wyoming in the first round.

USC is scheduled to play in the preseason NIT in the 2001-02 season.

Gross added that USC will play in the Pearl Harbor Classic in Hawaii next Dec. 21-23, and that the Trojans will return to the John Wooden Classic as well.