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USC basketball heads into another big non-conference matchup shorthanded…once again.
On Saturday, the Trojans (5-4) will be in Tulsa, Okla. to take on Oklahoma (8-1). This could be USC's most important game of the season, but it is expected to still be without high-profile wings Kevin Porter Jr. (thigh) and Chuck O'Bannon (hand). Both players did some shooting after Thursday’s practice, but don’t expect them to be shooting in Saturday’s game.
When USC head coach Andy Enfield was asked about the possibility of either playing, he said “I don't see it.” He called them both serious injuries and said both players are fighting to get back on the court, “but they're just not ready yet.”
Porter’s thigh contusion continues to linger much to the dismay of everyone around the program. An injury that once was considered minor has hampered him for more than three weeks now. A thigh bruise may seem like a minor injury, but severe bruises can sometimes take six weeks or longer to heal. There can sometimes be bleeding into the thigh muscle. It can cause calcium deposits that leave knots in the muscle that can slow recovery.
“With the amount of injuries that we've had in the last year, nothing surprises me any more," Enfield said when asked about the amount of time Porter has missed. "Hopefully, they'll be back sooner than later, but I don't even ask when any more.”
USC hasn’t had its full roster for a game yet this season, but no one cares if you have injuries. Enfield knows this. He admits the breadth of USC’s injuries has been challenging this season, but he’s not willing to blame any loss, even last week's 35-point blowout at the hands of TCU, on being shorthanded.
“It's been challenging, challenging, but it's not an excuse for why we played poorly. We had upperclassmen on the court last week,” Enfield said. “It has affected our preseason preparation and our ability to practice five on five. But once the lights turn on in the game and you play, you have to go compete whoever you have healthy and whoever is on the floor. You still have enough players to go win games or at least compete to win games and that's what we have to do.”
Instead of focusing on when his injured players may or may not return, Enfield is intent on getting the healthy players prepared. He’s been happy with the practices this week and the intensity on the practice courts. “Hopefully that will translate into better offense and better defense in our game on Saturday.”
The Trojans face an Oklahoma team that is just outside the Associated Press top 25 after an 8-1 start that features neutral court wins over Florida, Dayton, Notre Dame and Wichita State.
