USC: Zena Edosomwan

Basketball: Where the recruiting class stands

March, 19, 2012
Mar 19
2:26
PM PT
Only one team USC played in 2011-2012 is still around in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament: second-seeded Kansas.

The Trojans played a few other eventual NCAA tourney teams this season, including No. 12-seeded Cal, No. 11-seeded Colorado, No. 5-seeded New Mexico and No. 6-seeded UNLV and San Diego State. They lost to all of them, with the closest thing to a win coming in the third game of the season against SDSU.

But enough about the tournament, which resumes Thursday. Let's take a look at where the Trojans could be next season and, more specifically, let's take a look at the makings of the next USC recruiting class.

Two players already signed in November, during the early signing period: guard J.T. Terrell and forward Strahinja Gavrilovic. Terrell is a junior-college transfer from Wake Forest who's expected to start right away next November. Gavrilovic, from the San Diego area, stands to be a non-factor in his first season with the Trojans.

The third spot is where things start to get interesting. USC had a commitment from Arizona prep point guard Dewayne Russell until a few weeks ago, when he de-committed shortly after the Trojans got another commitment from Woodland Hills Taft guard Brendyn Taylor.

(Read full post)

Basketball: USC to visit Muhammad

September, 7, 2011
9/07/11
8:14
AM PT
USC will visit the Las Vegas home of top Class of 2012 recruit Shabazz Muhammad on Friday, the first day of the next NCAA-allowed contact period, a source said Wednesday.

Head coach Kevin O'Neill and associate head coach Bob Cantu will make the in-home visit with Muhammad and his family Friday morning as the first set of coaches to make a visit. Expected to be present at the meeting are Muhammad's father, former USC basketball player Ron Holmes, and his mother, former Long Beach State basketball player Faye Muhammad.

USC was not thought to be particularly high on Muhammad's extensive list of potential suitors until the 6-6, 215-pound left-hander showed up on campus for a surprise visit last month. The Trojans are still not believed to be leading the race to sign him,, but it's clear they at least have somewhat of a shot.

Muhammad, the No. 1 overall player in the ESPNU 100, is well-built for a 17-year-old, capable of manhandling high-schoolers and many AAU opponents with a variety of moves within 15 feet of the basket. His defensive skills are also better than most top recruits at his age.

The contact period beginning Friday ends October 5, after which begins a so-called evaluation period, when in-home visits are not allowed. 2012 recruits can sign letters of intent with colleges between November 9-November 16 or wait until the other signing period in April.

The Trojans currently have one player committed in the Class of 2012: Phoenix, Az. guard Larry Lewis, a 6-3 slasher who verbally committed to USC in March 2010.

2012 recruits Zena Edosomwan (North Hollywood, Calif./Harvard Westlake) and Joe Rahon (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines) will also officially visit the school this weekend. Edosomwan, a 6-8, 220-pound forward, has been a top target of the Trojans for quite some time.
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2011 TEAM LEADERS

PASSINGATTCOMPYDSTD
M. Barkley446308352839
RUSHINGCARYDSAVGTD
C. McNeal14510056.96
M. Tyler1225684.74
RECEIVINGRECYDSAVGTD
R. Woods111129211.615
M. Lee73114315.711
TEAMRUSHPASSTOTAL
Offense162.6294.2456.8
TEAMPFPAMARGIN
Scoring35.823.612.2