Five things to watch for this USC men’s basketball season:
1. Less experience
The Trojans’ roster became younger than anticipated in the offseason when guard Julian Jacobs and center Nikola Jovanovic entered the NBA draft, bypassing their senior seasons. Both otherwise looked liked key veteran returners. Jovanovic was the team’s leading rebounder and Jacobs was the Pac-12 leader in assists. It left USC more inexperienced, with only two projected upperclassmen in its starting five and just one senior on the team – forward Charles Buggs, a graduate transfer from Minnesota. Jacobs in particular was an important vocal leader and locker room presence.