**Jesse Newell:** Welcome back to the GameDay Cram Session, as Kansas is taking on USC on Thursday at Galen Center in Los Angeles.
Tom, what is one thing you learned about KU following its 80-74 loss to Davidson on Monday?
**Tom Keegan:** It needs to play sound defense and force turnovers for two halves or it risks losing to the underdog.
**JN:** I’m trying to remember the last time I saw a KU game where the opponent had no turnovers in a half, and I can’t think of an instance.
KU coach Bill Self even said after the game that part of the Jayhawks’ focus in practice during the week had been on playing more disruptive defense, which meant trying to get more hands in passing lanes to create more steals.
http://www2.kusports.com/videos/2011/dec/19/35277/
It worked for a half. The Jayhawks had nine first-half steals before forcing no turnovers in the second half.
Part of the credit has to go to Davidson, which executed its motion offense to near perfection in the final 20 minutes. Still, if you’re Self, you’d like to think that in 35 possessions with a home crowd behind you, you could at least force a couple of opponent miscues.
Looking at this game, Tom, what should KU expect from a Kevin O’Neill-coached team at USC?
**TK:** Kevin O’Neill’s teams always play tough defense, but this team lacks depth and offensive firepower.
**JN:** The offensive numbers have been pretty rough so far for the Trojans.
Not only have they only made 31 percent of their threes, they’ve also struggled from the free throw line, making just 62 percent of their attempts there.
As far as the bench goes … O’Neill uses his subs even less than Self uses his. USC only gets 24.9 percent of its minutes from the bench (308th nationally); KU gets 25.5 percent of its minutes from the bench.
Also, USC guard Maurice Jones leads the nation, playing in 96.3 percent of the Trojans’ minutes. The 5-foot-7 sophomore has only sat 18 minutes during USC’s 490 minutes this year.
OK, Tom, what’s your prediction for this game?
**TK:** KU by 8.
Technically, it’s a road game, but with the USC fan base bummed-out about the self-imposed sanctions that stripped scholarships and is a factor in the team’s poor depth of talent, it won’t seem so much like a home game. Kansas fans will be heard loudly and clearly.
**JN:** Agree with you on that point. I’ll go KU by 15.
It will be tough to push out the lead that far with the Trojans playing as slowly as they do. USC plays the sixth-slowest tempo in the nation according to KenPom, which should limit the possessions and also the final score.
Still, I see the Jayhawks pulling away with a strong defensive effort. Don’t be surprised if USC struggles to get to 50 points on Thursday night.
All right, Tom, who’s your Hawk to Rock?
**TK:** Jeff Withey.
Every USC player will be instructed to bring his kitchen sink and throw it at Thomas Robinson, who will spend much of the night feeding Withey for easy buckets.
**JN:** I’m going with Elijah Johnson.
Opponents have scored about one-third of their points against USC from the three-point line, which is a high number.
Johnson, who quietly had a nice game against Davidson, should be the Jayhawk that hoists up the most threes. Give me at least four three-pointers from him.
**Predictions tally (through 10 games)**
Tom: 7-3 record, 99 points off (9.9 points off/game)
Jesse: 9-1 record, 86 points off (8.6 points off/game)
Hawk to Rock
————
**Tom Keegan**
Towson: Tyshawn Taylor (4th in Keegan ratings)
Kentucky: Tyshawn Taylor (1st in Keegan ratings)
Georgetown: Elijah Johnson (4th in Keegan ratings)
UCLA: Tyshawn Taylor (2nd in Keegan ratings)
Duke: Elijah Johnson (4th in Keegan ratings)
FAU: Jeff Withey (4th in Keegan ratings)
South Florida: Tyshawn Taylor (1st in Keegan ratings)
Long Beach State: Elijah Johnson (7th in Keegan ratings)
Ohio State: Thomas Robinson (2nd in Keegan ratings)
Davidson: Thomas Robinson (1st in Keegan ratings)
**Average: 3rd in Keegan ratings**
**Jesse Newell**
Towson: Conner Teahan (6th in Keegan ratings)
Kentucky: Elijah Johnson (4th in Keegan ratings)
Georgetown: Kevin Young (9th in Keegan ratings)
UCLA: Elijah Johnson (1st in Keegan ratings)
Duke: Thomas Robinson (1st in Keegan ratings)
FAU: Tyshawn Taylor (7th in Keegan ratings)
South Florida: Elijah Johnson (6th in Keegan ratings)
Long Beach State: Thomas Robinson (1st in Keegan ratings)
Ohio State: Travis Releford (5th in Keegan ratings)
Davidson: Jeff Withey (5th in Keegan ratings)
**Average: 4.5th in Keegan ratings**
