USC got its basketball season going on Monday with a game against Florida Gulf Coast, the program that Andy Enfield led to a stunning Sweet 16 appearance in 2013 before taking the job with the Trojans after the season. This was the third matchup between USC and FGCU since Enfield’s departure. While the first two matchups went the way of the Trojans, the Eagles got some revenge on Monday.
While the game was closer than expected, everything seemed to be going to form at halftime, with USC leading FCCU 30-29 at halftime. The Eagles, though, roared back in the second half, dominating it 45-31 to come away with a decisive 74-61 victory over Enfield and the Trojans.
🚨FLORIDA GULF COAST UPSETS USC
An emphatic second half from the Eagles leads them to victory in Los Angeles! pic.twitter.com/hfR19niegQ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 8, 2022
The first game of a season is always tricky. That said, the Trojans are coming off of back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament and are only one year removed from going to the Elite Eight. Florida Gulf Coast, on the other hand, hasn’t won an NCAA Tournament Game since Enfield left and hasn’t even made the tournament since 2017.
So, this was not an upset that many people saw coming. Plenty of people, though, reacted strongly to it.
An absolutely disastrous defeat for USC hoops in its season debut, as the Trojans fall to Florida Gulf Coast, 74-61.
Yikes.
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) November 8, 2022
USC loses a buy game to Florida Gulf Coast.
The epitome of brutality.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 8, 2022
FGCU gets revenge on former Dunk City coach Andy Enfield and USC 👀 pic.twitter.com/eHEmRU6Owj
— Action Network Colleges (@ActionColleges) November 8, 2022
Yikes Andy Enfield getting demolished at home by his old gulf coast team in usc opener
— Stuckey (@Stuckey2) November 8, 2022
Andy Enfield loses to the program he put on the map, #DunkCity. Wow. https://t.co/cHWj1VmNXa
— Nick Camino (@NickCaminoWKYC) November 8, 2022
Monday also marked the Florida Gulf Coast coaching debut for Pat Chambers. One game in, the Eagles are pleased with the results.
.@Coach_Chambers is HIM!#Attitude | #DunkCity 🤙🦅🏀
📷John McGillen/USC Athletics pic.twitter.com/ucPjWxJIyD
— FGCU Men's Hoops (@FGCU_MBB) November 8, 2022
Balance was a serious issue for USC on Monday. Boogie Ellis led the Trojans with 19 points. None of his teammates had more than six. Conversely, Florida Gulf Coast had six players with more than six points. Chase Johnston, meanwhile, led both teams with 20 points. Teammates Isaiah Thompson and Dahmir Bishop were also both in double figures, scoring 16 and 10, respectively.
Upsets were abound in college basketball on Monday. If that’s a preview of the season that lies ahead, the coming months will be anything but boring.
