The USC men’s basketball team overcame off-court distractions, early season struggles and injuries to have a decent season. The Trojans finished 23-11 overall and in second place in the Pac-12 conference during the regular season. When it came time for the Pac-12 conference tournament, USC impressed again. The team made a run in Las Vegas that led them to the championship game, before falling short and losing to Arizona.

Apparently, that wasn’t enough for the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee to consider USC as a team worthy of competing for a national title. On Sunday, the NCAA tournament teams were announced and the Trojans were left out of the field of 68.

The announcement came as a bit of a surprise given USC’s high standing in the Pac-12. In fact, the Trojans were an expected pick to compete in March Madness. Moments before anything was announced, the USC Athletics twitter account sent out a reminder for fans to watch out, anticipating big news and apparently feeling confident it would come.

Instead, it was heartbreak for the USC men’s basketball program and fans of the Men of Troy. Head coach Andy Enfield offered his take moments after it was announced his team didn’t make the NCAA Tournament field.

“We were in shock,” Enfield said during press conference held at USC. “I don’t think anyone saw this coming. We thought because of our numbers and the season we had, we deserved to be in.”

Enfield said he expected his team was a safe pick after their performance against Arizona in the Pac-12 championship game. He woke up this morning expecting to find out where the Trojans would be seeded, not worried about whether or not they would make it in at all.

“I just don’t understand how the seventh, eighth, ninth placed teams in these leagues around the country, who are good teams, have losing records, who are two or three games under .500 in their league, can get invited over us,” Enfield said. “Their RPIs are in the fifties, sixties, seventies, their strength of schedule is not as strong, I just don’t understand it.”

The USC head coach points out his team has a resume that towers over a few teams picked for the NCAA Tournament in regards to those certain areas.

“Our RPI is 34 with a strength of schedule of 37 and we’re second in the Pac-12,” Enfield said. “Not only that, we went to the championship game. So we had a great regular season and we went to the championship game and beat a couple of teams. We don’t understand it.”

He was also surprised that USC got left out when teams behind the Trojans in the Pac-12 standings got selected to participate.

“We beat some very good teams in our league,” Enfield said. “Our league is very deep this year. In fact, the ninth place team in our league got in. Arizona State was ninth in our league, was 8-11 and they lost in the quarterfinals. Now I think Arizona State deserves to be in the tournament. But just to compare that, to say, how is the second place team not in, I’m not too sure.”

As for Enfield's feelings in regards to his players, especially those that missed their final opportunity for an NCAA Tournament appearance, the USC head coach says he’s saddened.

“We told them that they deserved to be in and that we’re very proud of them,” Enfield said.

USC will play in the NIT tournament and the first-round game is on Tuesday. The Trojans play host to UNC Asheville.