Sophomore point guard Julian Jacobs is embracing the well known saying, "success occurs when opportunity meets preparation" as he leads the Trojans into their final week of regular season play.
When freshman Jordan McLaughlin went down with a shoulder injury midway through the Utah game on February 1, Jacobs confidently stepped in at point. Averaging 8.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game over the whole season, the captain turned up the heat in February when his team needed him most. In the last month, Jacobs averaged 10 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game, becoming one of just two players from a major conference to average at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists per game in that stretch (D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State).
But while the latter half of conference play has been his opportunity to shine, Jacobs' performance on both sides of the court has been impressive all season. He boasts a .503 field goal percentage (top 10 in the Pac-12) and is second on the team with 32 steals. His superb court vision allows him to distribute efficiently from the point, placing him at second on the team in assists with 95. But it's his athleticism that enables him to lead the team with 18 dunks, an emphatic signature he's stamped onto the end of many of USC's top plays this season.
Jacobs is looking to leave his mark on the Trojans' final regular season game on Wednesday night. USC travels to Westwood to face the Bruins at 6 p.m. PT (ESPN2) where it hopes the momentum from Saturday's win over Washington will propel them to another victory.
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