Grit, and that's it

Identity has been one of the biggest concerns for USC hoops this year. Despite getting shelled at home by Arizona, 80-69, the Trojans may have come out of the game with a better sense of who they are and what they're about -- grit.

Unfortunately, every other aspect of the game left Trojan fans gritting their teeth.

It started on a sour note when, less than two minutes in, Daniel Hackett was knocked out of the game. Perhaps he showed a little too much grit in diving for a loose ball. Coach Tim Floyd said the worst case scenario is a chipped bone in his hip and maybe a broken rib. Ouch.

Without Hackett, who was coming off a monster game in Oregon, USC's depth suffered a fatal blow. The team had been playing with a short bench all year, and that was compounded when Marcus Simmons reinjured his ankle this week. Suddenly, the Trojans were left with just five guys who could put in significant minutes. While they led frequently, things fell apart at the end as the fatigued Trojans failed to hit jump shots and struggled to elevate (with the exception of one frustration-induced highlight reel slam by Davon Jefferson).

The most remarkable performance was by Angelo Johnson, who stepped in for Hackett and had 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. Those numbers weren't impressive, but here's one that was: 37. That's how many minutes he played a day after missing practice with the flu. That's grit.

Grit's a good word for a defensive team, especially considering the hard-nosed play in the opening minutes when USC made some steals and blocks. At one point, O.J. Mayo stuffed Jerryd Bayless' shot, recovered the ball, dribbled down court, and drained a tray in Bayless' face. All that was missing was an announcer shouting "boo-ya!"

Instead, the game featured shouts of frustration from USC's bench, where Tim Floyd obviously wasn't happy about all the second chances the Trojans gave the Wildcats. Afterward, he acknowledged, "The rebounding differential was probably the biggest number in the game for us."

The problems didn't end there.

O.J. Mayo had another big night, but was unable to carry the team on his shoulders like that guy he played with this summer (hint: his first name is Kobe). You can't fault a freshman for an ironman 39-minute performance, 23 points, and strong defensive effort against fellow fab-freshman Bayless ... can you? Probably not, but it's tempting. Mayo was just 9-of-23, including 3-of-10 from beyond the arc. Those numbers are fine for most freshmen, but Mayo is the freshman. When things got rough down the stretch, he took some wild shots and failed to take control. It would have been the perfect night for him to scorch the Wildcats for 40 points (that would be a USC freshman record) and make a bold statement. In the end, he's played like he acts -- understated.

Minutes before the game, ESPN posted this article that summed up that ambivalence about Mayo's stardom.

Davon Jefferson had more of a workmanlike performance. He was 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-5 from the line for 19 points in 37 minutes. It would have been nice to see him handle the ball more in the closing minutes, but he was probably tired like everybody else. Earlier this week, Taj Gibson told reporters after practice that Jefferson seems to be taking on more of a leadership role. He certainly seems like the right man for the job if "grit" becomes the team's identity. While he may not like to take a charge, he plays hard and aggressive and his demeanor on the court often exudes a seething rage.

But as the clock wound down, Jefferson had joined USC's other top players on the bench. Mayo, Jefferson, and Gibson had all fouled out. Hackett was watching through eyes that were clearly red and watery, fighting through the pain so that he could support his teammates.

When the final buzzer sounded, the team on the court looked suspiciously like the group that couldn't beat Fresno Pacific a few weeks ago.

Comments

[Bonnie]

Any word yet on if Hackett is OK? Will he recover by the next game?? I have no idea what a broken rib would entail, but it doesn't really sound like a day recovery period...