Recently hired USC football coach Lincoln Riley is scheduled to be introduced and speak very briefly during a timeout at the Trojans' men's basketball game today against Long Beach State at the Galen Center.
Riley's hiring after coaching Oklahoma to berths in the College Football Playoff in each of his first three seasons has created great excitement among USC fans and aided in recruiting, including having three players who previously committed to Oklahoma flipping to the Trojans -- quarterback Malachi Nelson and Makai Lemon, both of Los Alamitos High, and Mater Dei High running back Raleek Brown.
The 9-0 Trojans are among seven undefeated NCAA Division I men's basketball teams and are off to their best start since the 2016-17 season when they won their first 14 games. USC was 11th through Saturday's play in the NET rankings, the rankings most considered by the NCAA Selection Committee for berths and seedings in, the NCAA tournament.