By PAUL GOTHAM
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. — He’s traded coasts, but Andy Enfield didn’t trade systems.
Enfield, the architect of Dunk City which put FGCU on the map, has the University of Southern California Trojans on the brink of relevance. And the style of play is the same that took a school less than a decade removed from Division II play to the Sweet Sixteen.
“We have tremendous guard play right now, our bigs are running the floor, rebounding,” Enfield said after USC defeated No. 20 Wichita State, 72-69 in the opening round of the 2015 Advocare Invitational. “We’re playing up-tempo.”
With Jordan McLaughlin and Julian Jacobs orchestrating the flow, the Trojans are off to a 5-0 start for the first time in more than a decade.
“Jordan and Julian Jacobs are catalysts for our transition game,” Enfield said. “They’re just great at finding people.”
McLaughlin netted 15 and handed out four assists. Jacobs dished out a game-high nine dimes – part of an effort which saw the Trojans hand out 15 helpers on 25 makes.
“They just shot it so well – which we knew they would,” Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall said. “They’ve got a lot of weapons.”
USC finished 12-20 (3-15 Pac 12) last season Enfield’s second at the helm.
“We’re maturing as a basketball team,” Enfield added. “Last year we were the youngest team in the country in the Power 5 conferences, and we played like it. Those runs last year would result in a 10-point loss. This year, we’re a better basketball team, we’re more experienced and we understand it’s a game of runs, and we’re figuring out how to win close games.
“We competed on both ends of the floor. Our defense was outstanding … we rebounded when we had to. I was just very, very proud of the competitive spirit. To withstand a run from a top-20 team in the country.”
In 2013, Enfield’s FGCU Eagles captured the imagination of basketball fans around the country when they defeated Georgetown and San Diego State to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
USC will take on Xavier in round two of the Advocare Invitational. A 2:30 pm tip time is scheduled, Friday.
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