Good morning! All of Trojan Nation is still riding the high from USC’s Pac-12 championship win over Stanford on Monday night. Check out Most Outstanding Player, McKenzie Forbes, interview as she described the victory as one of the best feelings in the world.

What else can you find in today's edition of The Three Torches?

🏀 Men’s basketball’s Pac-12 Tournament preview
🏖️ Beach volleyball is back on top
⚔️ And much, much more!

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🔼 Let The Madness Begin. USC men’s basketball will begin its run in the Pac-12 Tournament today at noon as the No. 9 seed against No. 8 Washington. The Trojans come into the postseason having won three games in a row and four of its last five, including their upset win over No. 5 Arizona in the final game of the regular season. USC has averaged 75.9 points in its last 10 games and will look to repeat its success from earlier this month when the Trojans knocked off the Huskies, 82-75.

🎥 Learn the meaning behind each pregame handshake ahead of today’s matchup

🔼 Back On Top. Following a couple of weeks outside the top spot, the reigning national champion Women of Troy returned to the No. 1 ranking in the latest AVCA Rankings. The Trojans have put together a streak of eight wins dating back to the beginning of the month that have included seven 5-0 victories. USC will be back this weekend at the FAU Beach Invitational for four more matches against three top 20 teams including No. 5-ranked TCU.

🔼 Top Honors. Women of Troy’s standout basketball player, JuJu Watkins, was announced as one of the final four finalists for the 2024 Dawn Staley Award. The award is given annually to a player who exemplifies the skills that Dawn possessed throughout her career — ball handling, scoring, her ability to distribute the basketball and her will to win. The No. 2 scorer in the nation with her 27.0 points per game, Watkins set another USC record with a 51-point outing in a USC road upset of Stanford, and that mark still stands as the most points scored by any player in the nation this season. The winner will be announced the weekend of the Final Four.

🔼 It’s The Climb. After going 3-0 last week, USC women’s tennis climbed up two spots as the No. 9 team in the ITA Rankings. The Women of Troy cracked the top ten thanks to decisive wins over UC Santa Barbara and Washington State, and an impressive 4-1 victory over No. 25-ranked Washington. The Trojans will stay home this weekend for four more matchups, including Arizona State on Alumni Day.

🔼 Resuming Play. Trojan men's volleyball will resume MPSF play with a visit to Malibu this week to take on ninth-ranked Pepperdine tomorrow at 6 p.m. After splitting last week’s Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge, USC will look to improve its No. 11 ranking as the Waves sit two spots ahead of them. The Trojans have out-hit their opponent in 12 matches, and USC's .310 hitting percentage ranks fourth in the MPSF and 12th in the NCAA.

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Tourney Champs. Today at noon, USC men’s basketball will look to copy the success the women’s team had during its run in the postseason. Do you know the last time USC men’s basketball won the Pac-12 Tournament?

Think you got it? Scroll down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

⚔️ ONE BIG THING

🏆️ Boogie Ellis was named to the All-Pac-12 Second Team after averaging 16.6 points in 27 games this season. He made 80 three-point baskets during the regular season which led all Pac-12 players. Ellis’ 1,443 points in his Trojan career currently rank 13th on USC's all-time scoring list.

🏆️ Isaiah Collier was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team and was selected as an honorable mention on the All-Pac-12 Team. The standout guard is fifth in scoring average among Division I true freshmen, fifth in field goal percentage (.488) and eight in assists per game (4.2). 

🏆️ Kobe Johnson became the first Trojan since 2009 to be named to back-to-back Pac-12 All-Defensive Teams. Johnson is second in the Pac-12 with 65 steals this season and had four consecutive games with four steals, only the ninth time a Pac-12 player has accomplished that feat since the 1996-97 season.

🏆️ Joshua Morgan was named honorable mention on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Morgan leads the Pac-12 with 65 blocks and set the USC record for blocks in a game with 10 blocks against Seton Hall.

🏈 GAME DAY HOSTING

Head for the end zone! Smart & Final’s the grocery store with all the drinks, snacks, and supplies you need for a Game Day party snack spread that scores!

#TrojanFamily, you could win exclusive prizes courtesy of the @myzozofit to Win Contest!

Don’t miss your chance to win memorabilia such as a signed USC football helmet by Coach Lincoln Riley and Zachariah Branch.

Early entrants have a chance to win tickets and a parking pass to the upcoming USC MBB v #6 Arizona game – Fight On!

🗣️ SPREAD THE WORD

Do you know a friend or family member who is a USC fan? Simply forward them this email and they can sign up to receive the brew by clicking the link below to subscribe. The Brew is sent every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and is completely free!

📅 LOOKING AHEAD

Wednesday, March 13

🏊️ Men’s Swim & Dive @ Pac-12 Men’s Diving Championships in Federal Way, WA

🏐 Men’s Volleyball vs. Penn State @ 7:00pm in Los Angeles, CA | Watch | Live Stats

⛳️ Men’s Golf @ Fight On! Challenge in Scottsdale, AZ

🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Washington @ Noon in Las Vegas, NV | Tickets | Watch | Listen | Live Stats

Thursday, March 14

🏀 Men’s Basketball @ Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, NV

🏐 Men’s Volleyball vs. Pepperdine @ 6:00pm in Malibu, CA | Tickets | Watch | Live Stats

⚔️ Click here to view the full USC Trojan Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 2009!

The 2008-09 team went 22-13 in the regular season but came out on top during the Pac-12 Tournament as a No. 6 seed against Arizona State, 66-63.

⚔️ Have a great Wednesday, everyone!