LOS ANGELES _ After falling to Arizona in the Pac-12 Conference tournament title game, USC coach Andy Enfield and Trojans players spoke with conviction that they would make a third-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.
But when the 68-team field was announced Sunday, the Trojans were left out.
Arizona earned the Pac-12's automatic bid after winning the conference tournament championship game.
UCLA, which finished fourth in the season standings but defeated USC twice, and Arizona State, which finished ninth in the standings but had early-season victories over Kansas and Xavier, earned at-large berths and were among the last-four in.
USC (23-11) finished second in conference standings and was among the first-four out.
