Initial Thoughts On Boston College

Here is some of what I have been hearing about Boston College so far this week:

-Tyrese Rice is clearly their best player. He averages about 17 points and 5 assists per game and the senior is a terrific floor general. He is the type of guard USC has had problems with this year (small and quick), but the emergence of Marcus Simmons on the defensive end should really help the Trojans contain him. Still, he is definitely a guy that could go off and he is a very good outside shooter.

-Boston College and USC are teams with contrasting styles. The Eagles play a match up zone (similar to Arizona State and Arizona), and they run a flex offense using a lot of screens and cuts. The Trojans have seen the match up zone before, but they haven't faced the flex offense yet. The Trojans usually play man-to-man defense, but you might see coach Tim Floyd try a box-and-1 at times during this game to try to give Rice trouble. Boston College is a very methodical team, so look for the Trojans to try to speed up the tempo and get easy buckets in transition.

-The Eagles aren't a very big team inside. Therefore, the Trojans should try to post up Taj Gibson early and often. USC's offense is at its best when it is run through Taj because he can exploit one on one matchups, and if he's doubled he can dish the ball out to open shooters. In addition, look for the Trojans to try to post up guard Daniel Hackett on the smaller Rice, just like they did against Jerome Randle a few times this season.

-Boston College isn't a great defensive team. They give up over 70 points per game (USC gives up just over 63 ppg). I'm not sure the Eagles will have an answer for stud freshman DeMar DeRozan, who is playing the best basketball of his life right now. DeRozan carried the Trojans in the Pac-10 Tournament; look for him to do the same in the NCAA.

-Boston College is capable of beating elite level teams, but they are extremely inconsistent. The Eagles beat North Carolina on the road this year and Duke at home. However, they followed up the Carolina victory with a loss to lowly Harvard at home. Which Boston College team shows up Friday in Minneapolis will go a long way to determining if they advance.

-BC isn't playing very well right now. They have lost 5 out of their last 9 games, including a one point loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament. In contrast, USC is extremely hot right now, winning 5 in a row including three in three days to capture the Pac-10 Tournament Championship. That could bode well for the Trojans come Friday.

More to come later in the week and leading up to game time Friday. Definitely feeling a Trojan victory. They are playing extremely well right now and don't want to repeat last year's first round exit.

Quick preview of my bracket:

Final Four teams: Louisville, Memphis, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina

Surprise Elite 8 teams: West Virginia, Washington, Arizona State

Surprise Sweet 16 teams: USC, Florida State

The best three weeks in college sports begins on Thursday. Enjoy the madness!