- USC averages just 12 turnovers per game, which ranks among the best teams in the nation at protecting the basketball, but a jittery first half led to 13 giveaways. "The stage was just a little bit too big for our young guys," head coach Kevin O'Neill said. "The turnovers were what really killed us." Kansas struggled to score in the half court all game, but the Jayhawks loosened up the rims with 18 points off turnovers.
- Junior forward Aaron Fuller was the obvious bright spot with an aggressive and efficient 19 points on 7/10 shooting in only 25 minutes. O'Neill credited Fuller's improved timing with his recent return to form. The Iowa transfer had not been practicing consistently while nursing a shoulder injury, but he's back to full strength. "It feels good going into Pac-12 play," Fuller said about his big game. "I just want to try to take the pressure off [Maurice Jones]."
- Kansas big man Thomas Robinson is a leading candidate for the Naismith Player of the Year award, but the Trojans stout inside defense limited him to 10 points on 5/12 shooting and 5 turnovers. "We just tried to make him play in a crowd," O'Neill said. "We're going to defend well enough to have a chance to win." But, the head coach admitted that it's hard to maintain defensive intensity when the offense is sputtering so badly.
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- Next week: USC begins Pac-12 play with a trip to the Bay Area to face Cal (December 29) and Stanford (December 31), which O'Neill believes are the toughest two teams in the conference.
Here is Fuller rocking a Batman sweatshirt trying to mask his frustration...
