USC basketball: Trojans release 2010-11 schedule

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

USC released its 2010-11 men’s basketball schedule Wednesday.

Or, should we say, the school released the hard-knocks gantlet that this year’s young Trojans squad will happily navigate. Remember: This is a team that’s coming off a 16-14 season and has to replace three starters and four of its top six scorers.

On an upside, USC’s touted recruiting class, featuring uber-talented/athletic guards Maurice Jones and Bryce Jones (no relation), will get a lot of floor time against quality opponents.

On the downside, those opponents will feast on the Trojans’ young perimeter, meaning that even in Coach Kevin O’Neill‘s first season of postseason eligibility (a self-imposed ban relating to allegations of scandal surrounding former star O.J.Mayo dashed last season’s chances) it’s unlikely that the Trojans will be dancing in March.

That said, the season will kick off Nov. 13 against UC Irvine. After home games against Santa Clara and Rider, the Trojans head to Springfield, Mass., for the Hall of Fame Classic where Bradley and then either Massachusetts or New Mexico await.

After that, USC faces Cal State Fullerton, Nebraska and Texas (as part of the Big 12-Pac-10 Hardwood Series), Northern Arizona, Kansas and Tennessee before the Pacific 10 Conference season begins.

USC’s games against UCLA this year will be played at home on Jan. 9 and in Westwood on Feb. 2.

In all, 21 of USC’s scheduled 31 games are against teams that were .500 or better last season, including four teams that are defending conference champions. Also, 11 of USC’s games are against teams that played in the 2009-10 postseason.

Here’s the schedule:

Date, Opponent, Site, Time

Oct. 23 Saturday, Cardinal and Gold (exhibition), Galen Center, TBA

Nov. 6 Saturday, Point Loma Nazarene (exhibition), Galen Center, TBA

Nov. 13 Saturday, UC Irvine, Galen Center, TBA

Nov. 15 Monday, Santa Clara, Galen Center, TBA

Nov. 17 Wednesday, ^Rider (Hall of Fame Classic), Galen Center, TBA

Nov. 20 Saturday, ^vs. Bradley (Hall of Fame Classic), Springfield, Mass., TBA

Nov. 21 Sunday, ^vs. UMass/New Mexico St. (HOFC), Springfield, Mass., TBA

Nov. 24 Wednesday, Cal State Fullerton, Galen Center, TBA

Nov. 27 Saturday, #at Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb., TBA

Dec. 1 Wednesday, ^TBA (Hall of Fame Classic), Galen Center, TBA

Dec. 5 Sunday, #Texas, Galen Center, TBA

Dec. 11 Saturday, Northern Arizona, Galen Center, TBA

Dec. 18 Saturday, at Kansas, Lawrence, Kan., TBA

Dec. 21 Tuesday, at Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., TBA

Dec. 23 Thursday, Lehigh, Galen Center, TBA

Dec. 29 Wednesday, *Washington, Galen Center, TBA

Dec. 31 Friday, *Washington State, Galen Center, TBA

Jan. 9 Sunday, *UCLA, Galen Center, 7 PM

Jan. 13 Thursday, *at Oregon, Eugene, Ore. (Matthew Knight Arena), TBA

Jan. 15 Saturday, *at Oregon State, Corvallis, Ore. (Gill Coliseum), TBA

Jan. 20 Thursday, *Stanford, Galen Center, TBA

Jan. 22 Saturday, California, Galen Center, TBA

Jan. 27 Thursday, *at Arizona State, Tempe, Ariz. (Wells Fargo Arena), TBA

Jan. 29 Saturday, *at Arizona, Tucson (McKale Center), TBA

Feb. 2 Wednesday, *at UCLA, Los Angeles. (Pauley Pavilion), TBA

Feb. 10 Thursday, *Oregon State, Galen Center, TBA

Feb. 12 Saturday, *Oregon, Galen Center, TBA

Feb. 17 Thursday, *at California, Berkeley, Calif. (Haas Pavilion), TBA

Feb. 19 Saturday, *at Stanford, Palo Alto, Calif. (Maples Pavilion), TBA

Feb. 24 Thursday, *Arizona, Galen Center, TBA

Feb. 26 Saturday, *Arizona State, Galen Center, TBA

March 3 Thursday, *at Washington State, Pullman, Wash. (Friel Court), TBA

March 5 Saturday, *at Washington, Seattle (Bank of America Arena), TBA

March 9-12 Wed.-Sat., Pacific 10 Conference tournament, Los Angeles (Staples Center), TBA

March 17-20 Thur.-Sun., NCAA tournament first and second rounds, TBA, TBA

March 24-27 Thur.-Sun., NCAA tournament regional semifinals and finals, TBA, TBA

April 2 & 4 Sat. & Mon., NCAA Final Four, Houston (Reliant Stadium), TBA

* Pacific 10 Conference game

^ Hall of Fame Classic (USC, Rider, Massachusetts, Bradley, New Mexico State, Loyola Marymount, TCU, TBD)

# Big12-Pac-10 Hardwood Series

All game times are local to site

-- Baxter Holmes