Rankings: AP: 18; Coaches: 18; BlogPoll: 12.
Predicted Pac-10 finish: Media: 6; FanHouse: 5
Last year: 25-12 overall, 11-7 in the Pac-10; lost in regional semifinals of NCAA tournament.
Key returners/newcomers: Taj Gibson/O.J. Mayo, Davon Jefferson
Key losses: Nick Young, Gabe Pruitt, Lodrick Stewart
Why they might be good: Carmelo Anthony Effect. If Mayo is everything the Trojans -- and the rest of the country -- think he can, USC could go deep in to March.
Why they might suck: Losing its top three players from last season will be tough. No matter how good Mayo is, how solid a player Gibson can become and how good a college coach Tim Floyd is, replacing Young, Pruitt and Stewart won't be easy.
