Since the last time No. 6 USC went to the Sweet 16 in 2007, the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks have been eight times, winning a national championship and playing in three Final Fours. These programs live in different stratospheres, but that doesn’t mean that these teams will Monday night.
In the last game of the NCAA men’s tournament first weekend, the Trojans (23-7) will be trying to take their first big step toward national relevance in almost 15 years. Having a projected top-3 NBA draft pick in Evan Mobley drew eyes to the Galen Center, but a win over Kansas (21-8) in the round of 32 will keep them focused on what Andy Enfield is building in Los Angeles.