We’re just about five hours from the tip of Texas’ second-round NCAA tournament game in Spokane, Washington. And roughly fourteen months after Vincent Paul Young, Jr. and the Longhorns dethroned the Southern Cal Trojans in their own city, the two teams will meet again on the basketball court.

Last night was a pretty late one for those of us on the Longhorn Road Trip, meaning we overslept a tad this morning. And we’ve got to show these Spokies how to tailgate Texas-style, so we have to head to the arena shortly. Unfortunately, that means the pre-game report will be a little less detailed than usual.

The Trojans are not the best of scorers, checking in at 117th in the nation for offensive efficiency. But they still have their share of playmakers on the offensive end. Wayne Brady lookalike Lodrick Stewart is an absolute nightmare from three-point range, and could cause a major headache for a team like Texas that struggles in guarding the perimeter.

Freshman big man Taj Gibson is a hell of a player down low, and will be a tough assignment for Damion James and Connor Atchley. If the Atchley that showed up on Friday makes a return appearance today, it should be a good battle down low. James will also have to play a much better game this time out and avoid picking up early fouls.

Nick Young is a great guard for Coach Tim Floyd, and is leading the team in both scoring and minutes. Young can knock down the 17-footers with ease and is incredibly dangerous off the dribble. He can sink a floater on the run, or stop on a dime and arc one over a surprised defender. Young’s speed and ability to dribble penetrate could cause problems for the Texas guards.

Although he doesn’t play a ton of minutes, 6-foot, 11-inch freshman RouSean Cromwell can be a difference-maker in the paint. Against the Razorbacks on Friday night, Cromwell had an amazing defensive series where he blocked two consecutive shots without even leaving the floor. D.J. Augustin might want to be careful with his drives to the bucket against this guy.

On the defensive end, USC is one of the better teams that Texas has faced this season. Their defensive efficiency is 29th in the country, and they are especially stout in the paint. The Trojans limit opponents to 43.5% shooting from inside the arc, which is 18th out of the NCAA’s 336 D-1 basketball teams.

Texas is going to need a stellar game from D.J. Augustin and Kevin Durant, as usual. But as previously mentioned, Damion James and Connor Atchley must step up against a much better USC frontcourt. Quality minutes from Craig Winder will be needed to spell A.J. Abrams and Justin Mason, while even Dexter Pittman could be called on if the game settles into a half-court battle.

This is going to be another close game for the Longhorns, and USC definitely has the talent to knock them off. But I feel Texas can pull it out and advance to their fifth Sweet Sixteen appearance in the last six years. Post-game thoughts won’t be coming for a few days, as we are hitting the road back to Austin almost immediately after the game. In the meantime, crack open a few beers and settle in on the couch for a day full of basketball.