USC men's basketball backcourt has a chance to be special next season

In a conference that dominated March Madness last season and finished with one of its teams winning the national title, it will take something special for USC basketball to be successful and competitive next season. The Trojans know their backcourt has the potential to be special.

Rodney Rice will be a senior this next season. In five games prior to his injury, it looked like the Trojans hit it out of the park, acquiring him. The Trojans were off to a 5-0 start, and Rodney Rice looked every bit of a star. Rice averaged 20.0 points per game, 6.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. His best game came against Boise State, where he dropped 27 points, shot 57% from 3, and shot 52% from the field. The Trojans were in dire need of that kind of scoring during their 7-game losing skid to end the season.

The Trojans got to work early this offseason, adding junior guard KJ Lewis from Georgetown. KJ Lewis last season averaged 14.9 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. He and Rice both can get steals at a high level along with their offensive game. He played 28 games this past season, and prior to his stint at Georgetown, he was a part of 2 successful seasons with the Arizona Wildcats.

The Trojans will enter the season with a backcourt that has experience and two guards who are proven scorers. That is key when it comes to competing in the Big Ten. If the Trojans can keep guard Alijah Arenas, who is 50-50 on returning, this could be one of the best backcourts in the country.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Rodney Rice and KJ Lewis create exciting backcourt for USC basketball