Pac 12 Preview: USC Trojans

Last Season:
USC was 11-20 and 7-11 in Pac 12 play. It was a very disappointing season which caused Head Coach Michael Cooper to resign.

The Coaching Staff:
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke starts her first season for the Trojans as Head Coach. Cooper-Dyke, no relation to the former Head Coach, was an outstanding USC player and played in Europe until age 34 when she played in the WNBA. She has coached 8 years at lower D 1 schools with a record of 150-106. The past 7 years her teams have played post season, 2 NCAAs and 5 WNITs.

Former Stanford staffer Evan Unrau is the lone holdover coach or staffer, returning for her 2nd season at USC.

Brandy Manning was the Associate Head Coach at Arizona and begins his first season at USC. He was at Arizona for 5 seasons.

Jualeah Woods joins the staff from San Diego State. Woods was a 4 year starter at USC and spent 6 seasons at San Diego State. Woods has also coached at Cal and Oregon State.

Losses:
Christina Marinacci is the only loss. In an injury riddled season in which she missed 8 games Marinacci averaged 7 points and 7 rebounds per game. She is now in the Bay Area working for the Pac 12.

Additions:
This past weekend Kaneisha Horn transferred from Alabama to USC. She is a 6-2 forward who just graduated from Alabama, in 3 plus years, so is able to play right away. Horn averaged 8 points and 5 rebounds per game last season. She missed a season with an ACL so will have two years at USC. Horn was a top 5 player out of High School but has had two knee injuries. If healthy she is a huge addition.

Drew Edelman is a 6-4 Post from Menlo High School. She was ranked # 218. However she has played for John Paye. Drew is a big strong post and some of you saw her play in the Kezar ProAm.

Courtney Jaco is a 5-8 guard from Southern California. She was ranked # 210. Jaco is a good three point shooter. The addition of Horn turns this lackluster class into far more.

Alexis Lloyd is a transfer from Virginia Tech. Lloyd is a 5-9 guard averaged 3 points in 13 minutes per game. She was ranked as the # 81 player out of High School. She will sit out this year as a transfer.

The Schedule:
In a change from the past season when Mr. Cooper had tough schedules, this one isn’t with just 3 of last’s years top 45 in RPI. The Trojans play Oklahoma State (14), South Carolina (21) and Iowa (33). They also play Fresno State and Boston College. Average RPI of their opponents is 107. Thanks to a UCLA fan for this information. USC plays the Arizona and Washington schools once each.




The Team:
Cassie Harberts is back for her final year and once again will be one of the top players in the Pac 12. Harberts is a 6-2 4/5 who averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds per game, leading the Trojans in both categories. She is tough inside and a great shooter from 15’

Back after her knee injury is 6-1 Point Guard Jordan Adams. Adams averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds per game in her shortened season. Adams is a 6-1 Soph and was a top 10 player out of High School. She is listed as a Soph on the roster and seems to have missed a redshirt by one game.

Kate Oliver is a 6-4 Sr 4/5 who started 15 games last season averaging 6 points and 6 rebounds per game. Oliver transferred from Marist where she averaged 8 points as a Soph. Oliver is from Australia.

Ariya Crook is a 5-7 Jr guard who averaged 13 points last season hitting 55 threes at 33%. Her 55 threes were more than twice anyone else on the team. Her goal post college is to become a detective.

These three will challenge for a lot of playing time and one or two will start:
Kiki Alofaituli is a 6-1 Jr wing who averaged 5 points and 3 rebounds in 20 minutes last season. Kiki was ranked # 26 out of High School.

Alexyz Vaioletama is a 6-1 Jr wing who could play the 4. Alexyz averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds in 21 minutes last season. She was a McDonalds All American in High School.

Kaneisha Horn is a 6-1 Jr transfer from Alabama was both a McD All American and a top 5 player out of High School. She already graduated from Alabama but has 2 years to play and will play immediately.

To back up the guards is 5-7 soph Brianna Barrett averaging 4 points and 3 assists while starting 21 games last season.

Deanna Calhoun is a 6-3 redshirt soph post who missed her frosh season with a knee injury and played just 11 games last season. But she’s a big strong presence in the post.

Desiree Bradley is a 6-1 Sr forward who averaged 3points per game last season but did hit 25 threes.

Destinie Gibbs is a 5-11 soph guard who started the first 9 games of the season last year.

Thaddesia Southhall is in her 4th season at USC. She is a 6-4 post who has played only 6 games due to knee injuries.

The two frosh, 6-4 post Drew Edelman and 5-8 guard Courtney Jaco appear to be backups at this point.

Predictions:
This is a very deep team with very good starters. They could well start the season with only 2 losses or less and be ranked. I see USC as a top three team with Stanford and Cal, just ahead of Washington and UCLA.

2014 Recruiting:
Chyanne Butler is a 5-4 or so guard ranked # 56. But The Trojans are in play for a number of top recruits.