The Bronny James effect is real. Yes, USC is a top-15-level team heading into November primarily because of No. 1 recruit Isaiah Collier. The combination of Collier, Boogie Ellis, Vince Iwuchukwu, and Bronny James as a quartet, with lots of great role players providing depth and balance, is why USC has a chance to be special. Bronny isn’t the number one reason the Trojans can contend for the Pac-12 title and the Final Four.
However: Bronny James is the main reason these big nonconference games are being scheduled. He is the reason USC — which has generally not scheduled a lot of aspirational nonconference games in the Andy Enfield era — is loading up its nonconference schedule for the 2023-2024 season.
USC had already scheduled Kansas State for its season opener on November 6. Now comes the news that the Trojans will play a nonconference game against Gonzaga. Holy smokes!
This is what it feels like to enter the top tier of major college basketball, at least in terms of television coverage and media visibility. The Trojans now have to enter the top tier in terms of achievements — they haven’t gotten there yet — but this date with Gonzaga underscores the point that TV networks will want to put USC on the air as much as possible with Bronny in the fold. USC will almost certainly add more high-end nonconference games before it’s all said and done.
There are other details about this Gonzaga matchup you need to know about. We’ll provide those details below:
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2
Mar 23, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few reacts during a time out against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
The game will be Saturday, December 2, 2023, in Las Vegas. That much is clear. The specific arena has not yet been finalized, so keep tabs on that. We’ll provide the information when it becomes available.
PAC-12 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1
Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; A general overall view of the Pac-12 Conference logo at midield at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
If USC makes the Pac-12 Championship Game on Friday, Trojan fans can stick around in Vegas for Saturday’s big hoops game. This could be an epic weekend for USC athletics.
GONZAGA OVERVIEW
Gonzaga made the Elite Eight last season. The Zags have reached the Sweet 16 or better in each of the last eight seasons, not counting the 2020 season in which the NCAA Tournament was canceled. The Zags haven’t won the national championship, but they have done everything else under Mark Few.
2021 ELITE EIGHT
Mar 30, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; USC Trojans guard Isaiah White (5) shoots the ball against Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Julian Strawther (0) during the first half in the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
USC made its second Elite Eight since 1954 two years ago, when the Trojans faced Gonzaga in the 2021 regional final in Indianapolis. Gonzaga was a juggernaut that year, falling one win short of a perfect season. Gonzaga was unbeaten heading into the national title game. It lost to Baylor, barely failing to become college basketball’s first unbeaten national champion since Indiana in 1976.
USC SCHEDULING UNDER ANDY ENFIELD
Andy Enfield has been very cautious about nonconference scheduling in his tenure at USC. Last season, the one really big swing he took in nonconference play was the home game versus Auburn. Other than that, USC was very reluctant to play high-end games. Now that the Trojans have a big-time roster, easily the best in the Enfield era by a large margin, you’re seeing USC’s coach go for the brass ring. USC might not win all of these nonconference games, but as long as it wins some of them, the Trojans will be in position to get a very high NCAA Tournament seed.
BRONNY JAMES AND TV COVERAGE
Mar 27, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald’s All American West guard Bronny James (6) dunks the ball over his brother Bryce Maximus James during the Powerade Jam Fest at Delmar Athletic Complex. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
This is the new reality of USC basketball — maybe not on a long-term basis, but certainly for this next season: Television networks want Bronny James. USC is going to be a highly-televised program after living in relative obscurity for a very long time. It’s all going to change this next season.
CROATIA-GREECE TRIP
A reminder: USC is playing in Greece and Croatia this August. We cannot tell you how important this trip is — not in terms of actual game results, but in terms of giving all these players a chance to play live ball with each other. This trip will give Enfield an awareness of which combinations work best, which players have the best rapport, and which players need more time to develop. This trip will accelerate the developmental process of this team. If it goes well, the Trojans will be able to hit the ground running against elite teams in their nonconference schedule.
Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire
