USC Basketball: Trojans Star Point Guard Still Game-Time Decision

Will he suit up vs Bruins?

Ahead of Saturday night's rivalry game against the UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans head coach Andy Enfield shed some light on the fate of ailing fifth-year point guard Boogie Ellis, per Luca Evans of The Orange County Register.

Ellis, who has missed the last three contests with a hamstring injury, remains a game-time decision.

When informed that Bruins head coach Mick Cronin considers Ellis a "Bruin killer," Enfield apparently grinned, per Evans.

The 6'3" product of Mission Bay High School in San Diego was named to the 2023 All-Pac-12 team, and assuming he recovers soon it appears he has a good shot to be USC's representative on that team again this season. During his sophomore season, while still on the Memphis Tigers, he was named to the All-AAC Tourney team and honored as the AAC Sixth Man of the Year. He transferred to the Trojans as a junior, and subsequently made the All-Pac-12 Tourney team in 2022.

Across 15 healthy games this season, Ellis is averaging 18.7 points on .461/.455/.741 shooting splits, 4.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He's USC's leading scorer.

Without Ellis or his starting backcourt mate Isaiah Collier, the Trojans have dropped three straight contests, and have now fallen to an 8-11 record. Even against a similarly struggling UCLA club (one that's also 8-11 this year), it would behoove USC to have its best player available.