The Big Ten jumped headfirst into college football realignment when it raided the Pac-12 to add USC and UCLA. The USC Big Ten move was talked about primarily with how adding the Trojans would influence the balance of power in football. However, both teams from out west have also been playing strong basketball in recent years.
Looking at the college basketball schedule will show that trips out west won’t be ones traditional Big Ten powers will have an easy time with moving forward. This will be an adjustment for everyone. In the days of NIL and the transfer portal, however, this is an opportunity for coaches from USC and UCLA to head into some markets they may not have previously recruited.
Coach Hollywood turns around USC
Andy Enfield made his name by taking Florida Gulf Coast to the Sweet 16 at a No. 15 seed, while also having a supermodel for a wife. When he moved out to USC, people making NCAAB picks weren’t sure how he would build the program. While Enfield’s first two years were a struggle, he has made USC a consistent contender for the NCAA Tournament.
The USC Trojans are 183-118 with Enfield as a coach, including an 84-82 mark in Pac-12 play. Enfield led USC to one appearance in the Elite 8. As Enfield has shown he can recruit in the fertile grounds of California, the Trojans appear to be ready to make a transition to playing Midwestern basketball.
Cronin tries to right the ship
Looking at college basketball odds will show you UCLA is usually among the favorites to contend for conference and national titles every year. Falling short of expectations can be a rough ride for whoever is in charge of the program. Mick Cronin, who is in his third year as coach, has put the Bruins back among the nation’s top teams.
UCLA is 68-30 since Cronin took over, including a 40-17 mark in conference play. The Bruins have made the Final Four and brought in top recruiting classes. With Cronin’s background with rough-and-tumble play in the Big East at Cincinnati, he can provide his kid with a blueprint for winning Big 10-style games.
Big Ten could use some fresh blood
When it comes to the USC Big Ten move, coupled with rival UCLA, it will provide programs in the Big Ten with more regular exposure to West Coast audiences. While the Big Ten often has plenty of ranked programs, the style of basketball hasn’t resulted in national championships. Michigan State was the last team to win the national title as Big Ten member in 2000.
Maryland won a national championship in 2002, defeated Big Ten member Indiana, and later moved to the Big Ten during an earlier round of realignment. This move also will require a lot more travel for Big Ten schools, including those located close to the east coast.
In 2022, however, the NCAA Tournament turned out to be a big letdown for the Big Ten. No conference school advanced to the Final Four for the second straight tournament. As a whole, the Big Ten’s nine teams went 9-9 in the tournament last season. The Big Ten had two teams reach the Sweet 16 last season.
This will be interesting
When it comes to USC Big Ten strategy, the Trojans are a good fit for football. USC has long been one of the nation’s premier programs and despite some dips over the past 20 years, but seems to be on the rise thanks to bringing in Lincoln Reilly. What will be interesting is how both programs will make an impact in basketball.
UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans have been big fish in a relatively small pond over the past several seasons. By joining the Big Ten, both programs will need to hit the ground running in order to compete in a conference that boasts a lot of depth. What will make the transitioning interesting is how the players adjust to the long road trips and the pressure of playing in new environments far from home.
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