Boogie Ellis, Drew Peterson, Vince Iwuchukwu have USC on track

The USC Trojans aren’t a complete team just yet, but they’re certainly a more well-rounded team now than they were one month ago.

It doesn’t seem like an accident or idle coincidence that the Trojans are making a push toward the NCAA Tournament with Vince Iwuchukwu having more of a role on this team (or frankly, any role at all).

Without Iwuchukwu, it was clear USC was missing a key piece to the puzzle. The Trojans lacked Vince’s defense, rebounding, length, and size. A constant theme connected to Iwuchukwu since he began playing for this team on January 12 is that he isn’t adding to USC’s numbers or its statistical totals. Iwuchukwu contributes by limiting the statistical output and numerical advantages of opponents.

When Vince the Prince comes into a game, the opponent stops collecting offensive rebounds and second-chance points. Opponents don’t get easy baskets. They don’t get lots of free throws. The game becomes harder for opponents when Iwuchukwu is on the floor for USC.

Iwuchukwu made the defining plays of this game, even though Boogie Ellis (23 points) and Drew Peterson (20 points) made the game’s most important baskets for the Trojans. Boogie and Drew scored in crunch time, but Iwuchukwu prevented Washington State from scoring down the stretch.

With 1:50 left, Washington State trailed USC by three, 71-68. Iwuchukwu blocked one shot at the rim, but then recovered to block another shot on the perimeter, forcing a shot-clock violation with 1:20 left. Peterson then hit the dagger 3-pointer to give USC a 74-68 cushion with 52 seconds to go.

Iwuchukwu doesn’t have to score; his backcourt teammates can do that. As long as Iwuchukwu can defend and rebound, USC is getting what it absolutely needs from him. Stuffing an opponent’s jump shot is as good as making a basket at the other end of the court.

Boogie and Peterson get it done on offense, Iwuchukwu on defense. Now that USC has a fuller roster, it is much more like the team Andy Enfield hoped to have all season.