Is it too late for University of Hawai'i men's basketball coach Bob Nash to lobby for Southern California as the Rainbow Warriors' opening-round opponent in the Diamond Head Classic?

Is there still time to beseech?

The eight-team tournament debuts Dec. 22 at the Stan Sheriff Center and with the matchups expected to be announced this month, the Trojans, as each headline-making development reminds, have become a team of interest for the 'Bows.

That's a far cry from March, when much of the DH Classic field was announced and the Trojans were not only the marquee team, but the early favorite. And, why not? USC was the Pac-10 Tournament champion and coming off a school-record third consecutive NCAA Tournament with most of its firepower able to return and an impressive list of recruits committing.

But a lot has changed in three dizzying months. Now, with the NCAA breathing down Tommy Trojan's neck, head coach Tim Floyd having flown the coop Tuesday and players bailing left and right in the wake of allegations that former star O.J. Mayo received thousands of dollars in gifts and cash from the representative of a sports agent, could there be a better foe for the 'Bows?

Four USC starters — and six of the nine top scorers — have made themselves available in the NBA draft or are gone from the team that went 22-13. At least three top recruits have sought or gotten releases and some others are said to be wavering.

To be sure, there is still a notable field for an inaugural event, including St. Mary's and Nevada-Las Vegas. If this were the Rainbow Classic, a 44-year staple of the holiday season which the DH replaces in the scheduling slot, the host 'Bows could hand-pick their opponent like so many Louisiana-Lafayettes, Lamars, etc. before them. But, alas, this is ESPN Regional Television's event and ERT gets to make the matchups.

Since the ticket sales are also ERT's to keep, it behooves the network to make things interesting for the home team — and its crowd.

This is where the Trojans come in, or should. USC will still be a considerable "name" brand in December. In fact, with the wherewithal to hire a prominent coach to succeed Floyd and the likelihood of an NCAA announcement on its investigation by then, USC will be very much in the news, if no longer a Top 25 candidate.

USC will be no gimme, however. The returnees will keep the Trojans competitive. But the Trojans' Pac-10 schedule will translate into a Ratings Percentage Index boost for any non-Bowl Championship Series conference opponent that gets them.

In short, the Trojans would bring with them the kind of opportunity to portend quite a Christmas present for the 'Bows.