Trojans Are Building on Coach’s Promise

MINNEAPOLIS —  So much is different this season for the USC women’s basketball team, which was transformed from a youthful squad into a winning team that ended its NCAA tournament dry spell after eight years.

Now add Coach Mark Trakh, who showed up to Friday’s news conference in a new ‘do -- his hair blond instead of its normal jet black.

“I made a promise to the team at the beginning of the year that if they made the tournament I’d dye my hair,” Trakh said. “I thought it might be a safe promise at the beginning of the year; I didn’t know if we’d make it. I’d make the promise every year if it helps us get to the tournament.”

Brad Pitt impersonations aside, the eighth-seeded Trojans (19-10) are playing ninth-seeded Louisville (22-8) because of their readiness to accept Trakh -- in his first season at USC after replacing Chris Gobrecht -- and a willingness to work through their shooting limitations (38.4%) by rebounding and playing defense.

“We’ve seen the program go through ups and downs the past three years,” said Kim Gipson, one of two USC seniors.

“Since the first day of practice every one of us worked hard. We bought into the system of teamwork, and it has gotten us here, so we feel very blessed about that.”

The reward? Getting a first-round opponent USC can match up against, at least on paper.

The Cardinals, who are leaving Conference USA after this season to join the Big East, are similar to the Trojans in that they don’t blow away opponents. Louisville averages 65.8 points a game to USC’s 68.9.

Where they differ is the approach. The Cardinals depend heavily on the sophomore forward tandem of Jazz Covington (17.9 points, 8.2 rebounds) and Missy Taylor (13.2 points, seven rebounds). The starters log most of the minutes, with four averaging 30 minutes or more.

USC is led by freshman guard Brynn Cameron (10.2 points), but there are seven players who average at least 6.9 points and 20 minutes.

Taylor, who has been recovering from a cartilage tear in her knee suffered Jan. 23, is almost back to full strength. But the Cardinals suffered another blow when leading reserve Yuliya Tokova injured her knee in the C-USA tournament final game against Texas Christian.

All the more reason that Louisville Coach Tom Collen calls USC’s depth “dangerous.”

“Different players step up at different times,” Collen said. “We have to respect that.”