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We're now into December, and USC is seeing computer rankings that I believe it's never had at this point in the season (maybe since the 2001-02 season??).
When SC has had a lot of preseason hype in the past (2001-02, 2006-07, 2017-18), the team was befallen by some tough losses by the time early December rolled around; conversely, in other years, like 2016-17 and 2020-21, where SC started off the season hot, they started too low in the rankings to elevate to a high position this early.
So, right now, is a unique time, with SC basically in the Top 12 or so this early in the season in KenPom, Sagarin and Bart Torvik.
That being said, probably the toughest test of the season is coming on Saturday with an afternoon game up on the Palouse against the Cougs. The game will be competing with competing with the Bama v Georgia SEC Championship Game; so not too many sports fans will be watching.
Nick and I will do a pod on that game before Saturday, but one quick observation is that, when SC brings full defensive intensity, it becomes very, very hard to score on us. However, SC is prone to lapses in defensive intensity, as we saw last night with Both Gach exploding for 24 second-half points for a extremely depleted roster.
When SC has had a lot of preseason hype in the past (2001-02, 2006-07, 2017-18), the team was befallen by some tough losses by the time early December rolled around; conversely, in other years, like 2016-17 and 2020-21, where SC started off the season hot, they started too low in the rankings to elevate to a high position this early.
So, right now, is a unique time, with SC basically in the Top 12 or so this early in the season in KenPom, Sagarin and Bart Torvik.
That being said, probably the toughest test of the season is coming on Saturday with an afternoon game up on the Palouse against the Cougs. The game will be competing with competing with the Bama v Georgia SEC Championship Game; so not too many sports fans will be watching.
Nick and I will do a pod on that game before Saturday, but one quick observation is that, when SC brings full defensive intensity, it becomes very, very hard to score on us. However, SC is prone to lapses in defensive intensity, as we saw last night with Both Gach exploding for 24 second-half points for a extremely depleted roster.