USC can't get Vucevic untracked

DAYTON, Ohio – The one problem USC couldn't solve in the postseason was how to unleash top scorer Nikola Vucevic.

It started against Cal in the Pac-10 Tournament quarterfinals, continued against Arizona in the semis and proved ruinous in the Trojans' NCAA Tournament loss to Virginia Commonwealth on Wednesday.

Vucevic entered Wednesday averaging 17.3 points. He finished with 11, attempting only five shots from the field. He averaged just 11.3 points and nine field-goal attempts in three postseason games.

"They did a good job on defense," Vucevic said of the Rams. "They took me out of the game. They had a guy on me the whole time. And they didn't let me get in my comfort zone."

Like most recent opponents, VCU double-teamed Vucevic whenever he caught the ball in the post, forcing him to pass. But he failed to record an assist on a night his teammates shot 12 of 33 (36.4 percent) from the floor.

Despite the rough ending, Vucevic rose up NBA draft boards with a breakout junior year. The 6-foot-10 forward said he would decide sometime after the season whether he would enter the draft.

The deadline for early entries is April 24. Vucevic can withdraw his name as late as June 13 if he doesn't sign with an agent.

K.O. LOVES L.A.

O'Neill shot down rumors that he's a candidate for the opening at Oklahoma.

"I've got a great job," he said. "I'm happy where I'm at. I want to be at USC for a long time."

The rumors sprouted in part because Brandon Martin, who oversaw USC's basketball operations in O'Neill's first season, is now a member of Oklahoma's athletic department.

SENIORS STRUGGLE

Seniors Alex Stepheson and Donte Smith did not end their college careers the way they had hoped. The two combined to make only 1 of 11 field-goal attempts and 3 of 8 foul shots for five points. They also totaled seven turnovers. Stepheson did have 10 rebounds and four blocked shots.

Stepheson and Smith were not made available to the media after the game.

NOTES

USC finished 1 of 9 from 3-point range. VCU was 9 of 24. ... USC lost in the opening round for the second time in its past three NCAA Tournament appearances. ... The inaugural "First Four" was expected to have a $3.5 million economic impact on the city of Dayton.