USC basketball doesn’t have a large margin for error

USC basketball has a tough schedule this season. The team is playing without freshman big man Vince Iwuchukwu. USC needs to win 14 games to be considered a serious contender for the NCAA Tournament. The Pac-12 has separated itself into an upper tier and a lower tier. To be a contender, USC has to beat Colorado and Oregon head to head and minimize losses to the lower-tier teams. It also needs a road sweep of Washington schools in their upcoming trip. They need to feel better about their NCAA tournament odds. A 12-8 record in the 20-game Pac -12 schedule would damage the portfolio beyond the extent the Trojans can withstand.