USC Should Be In The Tournament

When the NCAA Selection Committee made its selections, there were a lot of picks they got from. But just like every year we've had, they've always made one mistake. In this particular case, it was a terrible mistake and it was not picking USC to be in it.

Let's face it: USC and their alums and fans definitely have some beef now with the NCAA Tournament now that they've become one of the big programs not to make it to the dance this year. That's with good reason as well.

USC this season had an RPI of 34, which makes them the highest major conference team not to make it into the field of 68. It's completely depressing and inexcusable for this committee.

So why? Why exactly did the committee not send USC into the big dance? Well, for one, the Trojans lacked a difficult out-of-conference schedule and they weren't able to beat tournament teams within their own conference, like UCLA and Arizona. Don't forget the game against Stanford where Daejon Davis destroyed them on the last shot. Yes, Stanford's not in either, but they still did enough to kick USC's butts that game. Either way, the committee looked at both of those things and decided they couldn't afford to give USC a pass and get into the tournament. It still makes it wrong, though, especially since weaker teams and much easier schedules got in over them.

Let's take a closer look at the teams they beat and didn't beat out of conference. USC beat New Mexico State and Cal State Fullerton. They lost to Texas A&M and Oklahoma out of conference. Those teams got into the dance. In-conference, they lost to Arizona twice, rival UCLA twice, and Arizona State. It was very harsh, but the committee felt not beating any of those teams was warrant enough to keep them out of the tournament. Still, though, they way they finished and how they went through the Pac-12 tournament, should've allowed them to get in. Arizona didn't need to win the Pac-12 tournament to get in anyway. They were in, no matter what.

I definitely feel the frustration and anger of USC fans. In fact, I was just texting one over Twitter on Sunday night, saying that USC should be in, because despite the schedule, the way they played throughout most of the season and the teams they needed to beat to get there, should've gotten them in. However, I'm not the committee. I know they had a hard job, but I think with the lack of Pac-12 teams I've seen in this tournament, USC should've been given a chance to prove themselves in the big dance.

It's definitely understandable what the committee did. Yes, I agree that USC did not have a hard out-of-conference schedule and wins against teams that weren't all that great, but in the end, USC should have at least been given a chance. Now, they'll have to prove themselves in the NIT and you can bet they'll be playing that tournament with anger, since they know they should've been in.