College basketball expert notes the contrast between UCLA and USC

In a recent interview with Kevin Sweeney, a college basketball expert at Sports Illustrated, we gained insights into the upcoming Pac-12 basketball season.

Sweeney highlighted the contrasting rosters and playing styles of UCLA and USC.

“What’s exciting about it is UCLA’s emphasis on size. They have towering players like Adem Bona and (Aday) Mara, who stands at a remarkable seven feet three inches, at the five and four spots respectively. Berke (Buyuktuncel) at the three is also a notable 6-foot-9, 6-foot-10 player. They possess a significant advantage in height,” Sweeney explained. “On the other hand, USC has the opportunity to play with a smaller lineup and focus on exploiting mismatches. If USC manages to match up Kobe Johnson against a 6-foot-10 Turkish freshman, they will likely feel confident about that matchup. However, UCLA can exploit post-up opportunities against smaller opponents, with Mick (Cronin) emphasizing a gritty and physical style of play. Overall, these teams are closely ranked at the national level. In my preseason poll, I believe they will be within three to four spots of each other. I hold a more positive view of UCLA compared to the national consensus.”

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Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire