Beat L.A.?
More like beaten-down L.A.
Michael Lev
Arizona is about to face UCLA for the last time at McKale Center in a Pac-12 Conference game. The Bruins are 8-10.
The UA just played its Pac-12 home finale vs. USC. The Trojans are also 8-10.
The league’s Los Angeles representatives aren’t departing with a Mike Breen “Bang!”
More like a brick off the back rim.
No one around the rest of the Pac-12 feels an ounce of sympathy for USC and UCLA. Their leadership concluded that the “Conference of Champions” wasn’t good enough anymore — even though neither has won a postseason league title in football or men’s basketball since 2017. Their decision to leave in the summer of 2022 led to the Pac-12’s demise a year later.
USC guard Bronny James lingers on the court after the Trojans fell to Arizona 82-67 at McKale Center on Wednesday.
But it’s a shame on some level that they aren’t better — particularly the Bruins. When Arizona and UCLA are at their best, it’s college basketball nirvana. The Wildcats’ comeback win over the Bruins in the 2022 Pac-12 Tournament title game was an all-timer — a compelling, pulsating slugfest between two powerhouses packed with future NBA players.
Wednesday’s UA-USC matchup certainly wasn’t that. The Wildcats were favored by 20.5 points over the injury-ravaged Trojans, didn’t play that well yet still won by 15. The action off the court was more exciting than anything that happened on it.
Arizona is heavily favored heading into Saturday’s 2 p.m. matchup against UCLA. The Bruins have won two straight. I’d be floored if they made it three.
USC's Victor Iwuchukwu, left, and Bronny James suffered cardiac arrests in consecutive summers before they officially suited up for the Trojans.
When was the last time UCLA and USC were this middling? You have to go back to 2018-19 to find the last season in which one, the other or both finished lower than fourth in the regular-season standings. It’s been 20 years since both finished under .500 overall.
What’s ailing the Bruins and Trojans? In USC’s case, just about everything you can imagine.
Trojans have missed games because of hamstring injuries (leading scorer Boogie Ellis), hand injuries (top-ranked freshman Isaiah Collier) and respiratory infections (shot blocker Joshua Morgan). Dating to the summer of ’22, two USC players have suffered cardiac arrests — Victor Iwuchukwu and Bronny James. What are the odds?
The Trojans’ top seven players have missed a combined 20 games — with Collier set to sit out several more weeks. USC’s opening-night starting five has been intact seven times. The Trojans have utilized nine different lineup combinations.
USC coach Andy Enfield has some words with one of the game officials after his Trojans didn’t get a call in the first half against Arizona.
Some of that is Andy Enfield probing for something that works as his team struggles to meet expectations; USC was picked to finish second in the Pac-12 preseason media poll, sandwiched between Arizona and UCLA. Most of it is injuries, illnesses and other assorted ailments.
“I've never experienced a season like this in all my years as an assistant or a head coach,” Enfield said. “We're not making any excuses because the guys out there have to go compete and play. We're trying to win every game we play, and we’ve got to keep getting better.
“Injuries, unfortunately, are part of sports. ... You hope that you don't have too many key guys out at the same time like we do, but it is what it is. No one feels sorry for you.”
Enfield spoke to a handful of reporters in front of a plain white wall in a quiet hallway at McKale Center. It was a stark contrast to the crackling energy in the arena, where, earlier, fans roared for new UA football coach Brent Brennan; exploded for quarterback Noah Fifita and receiver Tetairoa McMillan, all but begging them not to transfer; and applauded Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant, who took in the game from a baseline seat near the Wildcats’ bench.
Former UA player and current Phoenix assistant coach Miles Simon, left, chats with Suns forward Kevin Durant during halftime of the Wildcats’ game against USC at McKale Center on Wednesday.
Durant presumably came to support the son of his longtime friend, LeBron James. At one point, Bronny James hit a fallaway jumper right in front of KD.
With Ellis and Collier out of the lineup, James played a season-high 30 minutes. And he played well, totaling 11 points, six assists and five rebounds. He also had five turnovers. He would have had more assists if he had more teammates who could finish.
Considering that he’d missed all 14 field goal attempts in his previous three games, this was a clear step forward for King James’ kid. Did he look like a one-and-done first-round pick? No. But his court vision and instincts stood out. The way he crisply fires a chest pass is LeBron-esque.
Bronny’s performance, in his 10th game since recovering from the heart issue, gave Enfield something to beam about. It gave USC a glimmer of hope amid a lost season.
“The young man went through a situation this summer medically that was very difficult and challenging,” Enfield said. “Bronny James, he has no ego. He's just a terrific teammate. He's so easy to coach because he just wants to get better. And I think you see it. He played well (Wednesday), and he is getting better.
USC's Bronny James warms up before the Trojans game at McKale Center.
“The expectations are one thing, and then you go through a medical emergency like that. I'm just happy he's out there competing. I'm thrilled. I'm thrilled with him. He's everything you want in a basketball player and a young man.
“We've had a lot of adversity that we’ve had to try to fight through, and Bronny’s had the most adversity. So we're just extremely proud of him and happy that he's improving. And we think he has a big upside.”
The ZonaZoo booed Bronny every time he touched the ball Wednesday. Given everything he’s been through, that felt like a misfire.
Saturday brings a truly villainous character to McKale. If you want to boo Bruins coach Mick Cronin, kids, you have my endorsement.
UCLA’s struggles — the nadir being a 46-point loss at Utah — have brought out the worst in the cantankerous Cronin, who’s made it his mission to blame everyone but himself for the state of Bruins basketball.
No statement was more galling than the one Cronin made after UCLA’s home loss to Stanford.
“The most important thing for a teacher is for his students to have aptitude or they can’t learn, they can’t apply, so your rate of progress and development is way too slow,” he said. “So if a team makes adjustments, we struggle to adjust to instruction on the fly.”
I can’t imagine Tommy Lloyd ever stooping so low. You know why? Because he never would.
UCLA has managed to win its past two games, over Washington and ASU, although the latter was fueled by Pac-12 refs Pac-12 reffing. The Bruins are still last in the conference in points per game, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and rebounding differential. Not even Bill Walton himself could make that into lemonade.
UCLA is also one of the youngest teams in the nation, with underclassmen comprising more than half the roster.
Maybe the curmudgeonly Cronin can turn this thing around. Maybe Saturday’s game will be another instant classic.
Color me skeptical. And a little bit bummed.
USC coach Andy Enfield discusses the state of the Trojans and the progress of Bronny James following Wednesday's loss to No. 12 Arizona at McKale Center (video by Michael Lev / Arizona Daily Star)
