USC announces 2012-13 men’s basketball schedule

The USC men’s basketball team released its 2012-13 schedule Thursday.

Here it is:

DATE DAY OPPONENT TV INFO SITE TIME

Nov. 9 Friday Coppin State (^Maui Invitational) Galen Center TBD
Nov. 13 Tuesday Long Beach State Galen Center TBD
Nov. 19 Monday vs. Illinois (^Maui Invitational) (Lahaina Civic Center) TBD
Nov. 20 Tuesday vs. Texas/Chaminade (^Maui Invitational) (Lahaina Civic Center) TBD
Nov. 21 Wednesday vs. UNC/MSU/Marquette/Butler (^Maui Invitational) (Lahaina Civic Center) TBD
Nov. 25 Sunday San Diego State Galen Center TBD
Dec. 3 Monday at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. (Bob Devaney Sports Center) TBD
Dec. 5 Wednesday at New Mexico Albuquerque (Bob King Court) TBD
Dec. 8 Saturday Minnesota Galen Center TBD
Dec. 15 Saturday UC Riverside Galen Center TBD
Dec. 20 Thursday UC Irvine Galen Center TBD
Dec. 22 Saturday at Georgia Athens, Ga. (Stegeman Coliseum) TBD
Dec. 30 Sunday Dayton Galen Center TBD
Jan. 3* Thursday Stanford Galen Center TBD
Jan. 5* Saturday California Galen Center TBD
Jan. 10* Thursday at Colorado Boulder, Colo. (Coors Events Center) TBD
Jan. 12* Saturday at Utah Salt Lake City (Jon M. Huntsman Center) TBD
Jan. 17* Thursday Oregon Galen Center TBD
Jan. 19* Saturday Oregon State Galen Center TBD
Jan. 24* Thursday at Arizona State Tempe, Ariz. (Wells Fargo Arena) TBD
Jan. 26* Saturday at Arizona Tucson (McKale Center) TBD
Feb. 2* Saturday at UCLA Los Angeles (Pauley Pavilion) TBD
Feb. 7* Thursday Washington State Galen Center TBD
Feb. 9* Saturday Washington Galen Center TBD
Feb. 14* Thursday at California Berkeley (Haas Pavilion) TBD
Feb. 16* Saturday at Stanford Palo Alto (Maples Pavilion) TBD
Feb. 23* Saturday UCLA Galen Center TBD
Feb. 28* Thursday Arizona Galen Center TBD
March 2* Saturday Arizona State Galen Center TBD
March 7* Thursday at Washington Seattle (Alaska Airlines Arena) TBD
March 9* Saturday at Washington State Pullman, Wash. (Friel Court) TBD
March 13-16 Wed.-Sat. Pac-12 Conference Tournament Las Vegas (MGM Grand Garden Arena) TBD
March 19-20 Tue-Wed. NCAA Tournament 1st Round Dayton, Ohio (Dayton Arena) TBD
March 21-24 Thur.-Sun. NCAA Tournament 2nd and 3rd Rounds TBD TBD
March 28-31 Thur.-Sun. NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals and Finals TBD TBD
April 6 & 8 Sat. & Mon. NCAA Final Four Atlanta (Georgia Dome) TBD

* Pac-12 Conference game (dates subject to change due to selection by television)
^ Maui Invitational (USC, North Carolina, Texas, Marquette, Butler, Mississippi State, Illinois, Chaminade)

Games are still subject to change, but USC, which is coming off a 6-26 season marred by injuries, is set to play 23 of 31 games against teams who posted a .500 or better record last season — and 18 games against teams that won 20 more games last season.

Further, 16 of USC’s potential opponents reached the postseason last season and the Trojans have eight games scheduled against teams that are ranked in the ESPN preseason top 25 poll.

So, this should be a pretty tough slate of games for the Trojans.

But this is easily USC’s most talented and deep roster since Coach Kevin O’Neill took over. Entering his fourth season, O’Neill, who has has a 41-55 record at the school, has said he’ll be able to play perhaps 13 different players, nearly double what he played in seasons past.

USC returns five starters in guards Jio Fontan and Maurice Jones, guard/forward Byron Wesley, forward Aaron Fuller and center Dewayne Dedmon. Injuries kept Fontan sidelined all of last season and Fuller sidelined late in the season. Dedmon also suffered multiple injuries.

Look for transfers Ari Stewart (Wake Forest), J.T. Terrell (Peninsula College, Wake Forest), Eric Wise (UC Irvine) and Renaldo Woolridge (Tennessee) — all of whom will be eligible this season — to be impact players and contend for starter positions. And especially keep an eye on Terrell, whom O’Neill has said may be the most talented player he has ever landed.

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