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USC dismisses Arizona upset and instead focuses on sparking a Pac-12 tournament run

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USC dismisses Arizona upset and instead focuses on sparking a Pac-12 tournament run

Andy Enfield wasn’t greatly moved by a great win. The USC coach shrugged off the Trojans’ first victory over a top-five team since 2008.

“We’ve won a lot of games against good teams over the years,” Enfield told reporters after the Trojans shocked then-No. 5 Arizona at Galen Center on Saturday.

The win ended USC’s six-game losing streak in the series and signaled the start of a bigger mission. Needing a miraculous conference championship run to earn their fourth consecutive NCAA bid, the Trojans hope to carry the momentum into the Pac-12 tournament beginning Wednesday at 12 p.m. against eighth-seeded Washington at T-Mobile Arena.

The No. 9 seed Trojans (14-17, 8-12 Pac-12) are on a season-long three-game winning streak but face a daunting task in Las Vegas. Since the conference expanded in 2012, only two teams — Colorado in 2012 and Oregon in 2019 — have managed to win four games in four days to steal the Pac-12 title.

“I don’t think we can take our foot off the pedal,” junior guard Kobe Johnson told reporters Saturday, “because we still got four more games to win.”

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Here are three things to watch for USC in the tournament:

Peaking at the right time

USC guard Isaiah Collier (1) celebrates after scoring on a breakaway dunk against Arizona on Saturday.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

With the healthy roster they always imagined, the Trojans are averaging 75.9 points during their last 10 games with a 6-4 record. Three of the losses went to overtime or came down to a single possession.

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Freshman guard Isaiah Collier’s return from a broken hand has largely fueled the resurgence. The 19-year-old who was named to the conference’s all-freshman team Tuesday is averaging almost 18 points since returning from a six-game absence. Just as important is his improving assist-to-turnover ratio: 1.8 assists to every turnover in the last six games compared to 1.1 before the injury.

Injuries to Collier and Boogie Ellis (hamstring) helped players such as Johnson and forward DJ Rodman build confidence while filling larger roles, and with the star guards back, “it’s all just putting the pieces together,” Johnson said.

The plan came together perfectly last weekend. Ellis powered the Trojans to a win against the Arizona State by scoring 20 of his 28 points in the second half. Then when the fifth-year guard struggled on offense against the Wildcats, Johnson and Rodman stepped in, scoring 19 points each to show the depth USC needs to make a long run in Las Vegas.

“It shows,” Johnson said, “that we can compete with anybody.”

Rodman quickly jumped in: “We can beat anyone.”

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X-factor

USC guard Bronny James (6) and forward Harrison Hornery (30) celebrate with fans after the team’s win over Arizona Saturday at the Galen Center.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

Bronny James has made one three-pointer in the last six games, and he made it count. The freshman’s step-back three at the end of the first half against Arizona gave the Trojans an emotional boost and four-point lead over the Wildcats. James has faded in and out on offense while adjusting to the college game and recovering from a sudden cardiac arrest suffered last summer but enters the postseason with momentum from a five-point, six-rebound performance against Arizona.

“This,” Enfield told reporters, “is the best he’s played in a while.”

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Enfield praised the off-the-bench play from James, who also had a career-high six rebounds, and sophomore Vincent Iwuchukwu as a reason for USC’s upset win. It’s the type of lift the Trojans have been waiting for on a roster of mostly young players and veterans expected to step into larger roles.

Iwuchukwu, who had four points and two rebounds while battling Arizona center Oumar Ballo, is averaging 5.7 points and 3.9 rebounds. The former five-star prospect’s USC career has been marred by medical scares and injuries from a cardiac arrest two summers ago to offseason back surgery this season. The 7-foot-1 forward has yet to have an offseason dedicated purely to improving his game.

“He’s still a developing big man,” Enfield said last month. “He has a lot of upside in his game still. And we think he’s going to be a terrific player.”

The road ahead

USC guard Boogie Ellis drives to the basket as he is guarded by Arizona’s Kylan Boswell on Saturday at Galen Center. The Trojans won and could face the Wildcats again during the Pac-12 tournament.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

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USC’s confidence-boosting win on senior night set up a potential rematch with top-seeded Arizona in the quarterfinals Thursday. The Trojans needed the victory to force a multiteam tiebreaker for ninth place in the conference standings with Arizona State and Stanford. USC’s 3-1 record against California, Utah and Washington — who were all tied for sixth place — boosted the Trojans to the No. 9 seed.

Washington (17-14, 9-11 Pac-12) is coming off its own marquee victory, upsetting rival Washington State in Pullman for its first ranked road win since 2017. Pac-12 sixth man of the year Koren Johnson led the Huskies with 23 points, but it wasn’t enough to save head coach Mike Hopkins’ job. A day after the victory, the school announced it will not retain Hopkins after the end of the season.

If the Trojans knock off Washington for a second time this month — following USC’s 82-75 win in Seattle on March 2 — they’ll have a rematch with Arizona. The regular-season champion Wildcats, who earned a first-round bye, have never lost consecutive games under third-year coach Tommy Lloyd.

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ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd

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ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd

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Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.

While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.

Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

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Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.

The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”

Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.

WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME

Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

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Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”

Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.

“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”

Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.

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After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town

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After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town

It’s time to reveal memories, laughs and crazy times from Randy Rosenbloom’s 55 years as a TV/radio broadcaster in Los Angeles. He’s hopping in a car next Sunday with his wife, saying goodbye to a North Hollywood house that’s been in his family since 1952 and driving 3,300 miles to his new home in Greenville, S.C.

“When I walk out, I’ll probably break down,” he said.

He graduated from North Hollywood High in 1969. He got his first paid job in 1971 calling Hart basketball games for NBC Cable Newhall for $10 a game. It began an adventure of a lifetime.

“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he said.

Randy Rosenbloom (left) used to work with former UCLA coach John Wooden for TV games.

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(Randy Rosenbloom)

John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick were among his expert commentators when he did play by play for college basketball games. He called volleyball at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games for NBC and rowing in 2004. He’s worked more than 100 championship high school events. He did play by play for the first and only Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 won by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.

“There were about 5,000, 6,000 people there and I remember thinking nobody watched the game. We ended up with a 5.7 TV rating on Channel 13 in Los Angeles, which is higher than most Lakers games.”

He conducted interviews with NFL Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas and boxing greats Robert Duran, Thomas Hearn and Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s worked with baseball greats Steve Garvey and Doug DeCinces. He called games with former USC coach Rod Dedeaux. He was in the radio booth for Bret Saberhagen’s 1982 no-hitter in the City Section championship game at Dodger Stadium. He was a nightly sportscaster for KADY in Ventura.

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Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.

Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.

(Randy Rosenbloom)

He was the voice of Fresno State football and basketball. He also did Nevada Las Vegas football and basketball games. He called bowl games and Little League games. He was a public address announcer for basketball at the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.

Nothing was too small or too big for him.

“I loved everything,” he said.

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He called at least 10 East L.A. Classic football games between Garfield and Roosevelt. He was there when Narbonne and San Pedro tied 21-21 in the 2008 City championship game at the Coliseum on a San Pedro touchdown with one second left.

Probably his most notable tale came when he was doing radio play-by-play at a 1998 college bowl game in Montgomery, Ala.

“I look down and a giant tarantula is crawling up my pants,” he said. “My color man took all the press notes, wadded them up and hit the tarantula like swinging a bat.”

Did Rosenbloom tell the audience what was happening?

“I stayed calm,” he said.

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Then there was the time he was in the press box at Sam Boyd Stadium and a bat flew in and attached itself to the wooden press box right next to him before flying away after he said, “UNLV wins.”

Recently, he’s been putting together high school TV packages for LA36 and calling travel ball basketball games. He’ll still keep doing a radio gambling show from his new home, but he’s cutting ties to Los Angeles to move closer to grandchildren.

“I’m retiring from Los Angeles. I’m leaving the market,” he said.

Hopefully he’ll continue via Zoom to do a weekly podcast with me for The Times.

He’s a true professional who’s versatility and work ethic made him a reliable hire from the age of 18 through his current age of 74.

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He’s a member of the City Section Hall of Fame and the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He once threw the shot put 51 feet, 7 1/2 inches, which is his claim to fame at North Hollywood High.

One time an ESPN graphic before a show spelled his name “Rosenbloom” then changed it to “Rosenblum” for postgame. It was worth a good laugh.

He always adjusts, improvises and ad-libs. He expects to enjoy his time in South Carolina, but he better watch out for tarantulas. They seem to like him.

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Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42

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Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42

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Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.

Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.

Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.

Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.

Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.

WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’

AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.

Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.

Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.

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