University Southern California Trojans
Friday, November 10
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 PM
USC
vs
Cal State Fullerton
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard/Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: John McGillen
No. 10/No. 11 USC Opens Season Hosting CS Fullerton Friday
November 08, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Features
TONIGHT'S GAME -- The No. 10/No. 11 USC Trojans (0-0) will host the CS Fullerton Titans (0-0) in the season opener at the Galen Center on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. The game will be part of a doubleheader, as the USC women's team opens its season hosting Montana State in a 4 p.m. game. The men's game will be televised on the Pac-12 Network with Ted Robinson and Don MacLean calling the action.
THE 2017-18 USC TROJANS -- The USC men's basketball program enters the 2017-18 season with high expectations coming off consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, a school-record 26 wins and returning virtually its entire roster. USC's top eight scorers from last year's team are back and are joined by Duke transfer guard Derryck Thornton and three highly-touted freshman in guard Charles O'Bannon Jr., wing Jordan Usher and forward Victor Uyaelunmo. The Trojans picked up their record-setting 26th win with their 66-65 victory over No. 11 SMU in the NCAA Tournament. USC won two games in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2007 season and its 47 total wins over the past two seasons are also the most by the Trojans in consecutive seasons. USC also set school records with most points scored (2,816), three-point baskets made (283), blocked shots (190) and assists (550).
ROSTER BREAKDOWN -- There are a total of 15 players on the 2017-18 USC men's basketball roster. The Trojan team by class are: Seniors (3): Kurt Karis (G), Jordan McLaughlin (G), Elijah Stewart (G); Juniors (4): Shaqquan Aaron (G), Bennie Boatwright (F), Devin Fleming (G), Chimezie Metu (F); Sophomores (5): Harrison Henderson (F), Jonah Mathews (G), De'Anthony Melton (G), Nick Rakocevic (F), Derryck Thornton (G); Freshmen (3): Charles O'Bannon Jr. (G), Jordan Usher (G/F), Victor Uyaelunmo (F).
BREAKING DOWN THE TITANS -- CS Fullerton went 17-15 last season and finished third in the Big West. The Titans return three starters and eight letterman from the 2016-17 team. Junior guard Khalil Ahmad is CS Fullerton's top returing scorer at 11.2 points per game. He and sophomore forward Jackson Rowe (10.4 ppg) are the last two Big West Freshmen of the Year and rank first and fourth respectively on the Fullerton all-time freshman scoring list. CS Fullerton is picked to finish third in the conference in the Big West preseason poll. USC leads the all-time series with CSUF 5-0, last winning 53-49 on Nov. 25, 2014.
NDSU ON DECK -- North Dakota State went 19-11 and finished second in the Summit League during the 2016-17 season. The Bison return three starters and seven lettermen from that team. Senior guard Paul Miller led NDSU with 16.7 points per game last season. USC defeated NDSU 61-57 on Dec. 20, 2008 in the only other meeting between the two schools.
USC IN HOME OPENERS - USC is 18-4 in its last 22 home openers, defeating Montana 75-61 to start the 2016-17 season. USC has won seven of its last eight home openers. USC is 76-35 all-time in season openers, but is just 8-6 in the last 14 first games of the season.
USC's ROSTER FEATURES RARE PAIR OF 4-YEAR SENIORS - In senior guards Jordan McLaughlin and Elijah Stewart, USC has its first pair of four-year scholarship seniors since the 2004-05 season when it had five. The seniors on the 2004-05 roster were guards Derrick and Errick Craven, forward Nick Curtis, center Rory O'Neil and forward Gregg Guenther, who was at USC on a football scholarship.
TROJANS TO PLAY AT THE DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC - USC will be playing in the Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i from Dec. 22-25. USC's first-round opponent will by Akron on Dec. 22. Akron went 27-9 and won the 2016-17 Mid-American regular season title, but return just one starter and five lettermen from that team. The second-round game will be against either Middle Tennessee or Princeton on Dec. 23. USC's final game of the tournament will be against an opponent from the group of Davidson, Hawai'i, Miami and New Mexico State on Christmas day. USC won the inaugural Diamond Head Classic in 2009, defeating Western Michigan, Saint Mary's and UNLV.
TROJANS HIGHEST PRESEASON RANKING SINCE 1974 -- The USC men's basketball team was ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press (AP) preseason poll on Nov. 1. It marks the highest preseason ranking for the Trojan men's basketball team since the 1974-75 season. It is also the highest ranking at any point for the Trojans since finishing the 1991-92 season at No. 8. The Trojans also were ranked No. 11 in the USA/TODAY Coaches preseason poll and are listed as No. 6 in the ESPN Power Index. USC was ranked five weeks in the 2016-17 AP poll, with a highest ranking of No. 22 on Dec. 26.
STRONG IN THE CLASSROOM - During the first four seasons of the Enfield Era at USC, the men's basketball team has set program's record for grade-point average in the fall, spring and both summer school sessions.
USC'S FOUR NEWCOMERS - USC has four new players on its roster this season in freshmen Charles O'Bannon Jr, Jordan Usher and Victor Uyaelunmo and sophomore Derryck Thornton. O'Bannon is a 6-6, 210-pound guard from Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Nev. where he was a McDonald's All-American. As a senior, he averaged 21.4 points and 8.1 rebounds and led Bishop Gorman to its sixth consecutive state title. Usher is a 6-7, 225-pound wing from Wheeler High in Marietta, Ga. As a senior, he averaged 17.0 points, eight rebounds and three steals per game. Uyaelunmo is a 6-11, 220-pound forward from Calvary Christian Academy in Miami, Fla. who last season averaged 13.5 points, 15.0 rebounds and five blocks in leading his team to the state 5-A title. Thornton is a 6-2, 195-pound guard who is eligible this season after transferring to USC from Duke before last season. He averaged 7.1 points and 2.6 assists as a freshman at Duke, starting 20 games.
METU AND McLAUGHLIN NAMED TO PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LISTS -- Junior forward Chimezie Metu was one of 32 players named to the preseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy which recognizes college's top men's basketball player. In addition, Metu and senior guard Jordan McLaughlin were named to the preseason watch list for the Lute Olson Award, given to the top college player which has played at least two seasons.
MORE PRESEASON PROPS - USC head coach Andy Enfield was named the preseason National Coach of the Year by College Sports Madness. Also, four Trojans were named to preseason watch lists: Jordan McLaughlin (Cousy Award - Top Point Guard), De'Anthony Melton (Jerry West Award - Top Shooting Guard), Bennie Boatwright (Karl Malone Award - Top Power Forward) and Chimezie Metu (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award - Top Center).
TROJANS BUILTING STEP-BY-STEP -- The Trojans have made steady progress since Andy Enfield became the head coach for the 2013-14 season. The 2016-17 continued the upward trajectory which produced a school-record 26 wins. Also, USC was 10-8 in Pac-12 play last season after being 9-9 in 2016, 3-15 in 2015 and 2-16 in 2014.
FG% FG Def. 3PT% 3PT Def. 3PM FT% Reb/G Assists Blocks Points PPG Record
2013-14 -- .439 .430 .291 .323 146 .670 37.0 404 141 2258 70.6 11-21
2014-15 -- .422 .422 .329 .330 170 .634 35.9 397 133 2143 67.0 12-20
2015-16 -- .460 .417 .387 .325 266 .676 39.3 504 182 2737 80.5 21-13
2016-17 -- .456 .434 .362 .368 283 .741 35.7 550 190 2816 78.2 26-10
USC TO THE NBA -- USC has five former players that have played in NBA games this season: All-Star DeMar DeRozan (Toronto), Taj Gibson (Minnesota), Nikola Vucevic (Orlando), Nick Young (Golden State) and Dewayne Dedmon (Atlanta). Four of the players are starting and the other, Nick Young, comes off the bench for the defending NBA Champion Warriors. Since the 2007 NBA Draft, USC has had five players selected in the first round. Here are the 2017-18 stats for the Trojans playing in the NBA (through games of Nov. 7):
Player Team Minutes/G Reb./G Points/G
Dewayne Dedmon San Antonio 24.9 7.9 9.5
DeMar DeRozan Toronto 34.3 3.7 23.9
Taj Gibson Chicago 29.5 7.1 8.7
Nikola Vucevic Orlando 30.7 7.9 17.9
Nick Young Los Angeles Lakers 11.4 0.7 5.0
TO THE NBA TO STAY -- Of USC's five current NBA players, four are starting and all are playing significant minutes. There are only four schools that can claim more NBA starters on opening day this season:
2017 Opening Day
NBA Starters School
11 Kentucky
8 UCLA
5 Duke
5 Arizona
4 USC
Texas
Marquette
North Carolina
I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW...CLEAR BAG POLICY FOR GALEN -- To provide a safer environment for the public and significantly expedite guest entry into the venue, the Galen Center will be implementing a "clear bag policy" that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into the arena for all events (one clear bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12" per person) starting January 1st, 2018. The policy does not affect other items that fans normally bring to a game, which still can be carried in their pockets or openly in their arms. Also, for increased security, all guests entering the Galen Center walk through metal detector screening with arms raised (guests should remove metal items from pockets)."
THE 2017-18 USC TROJANS -- The USC men's basketball program enters the 2017-18 season with high expectations coming off consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, a school-record 26 wins and returning virtually its entire roster. USC's top eight scorers from last year's team are back and are joined by Duke transfer guard Derryck Thornton and three highly-touted freshman in guard Charles O'Bannon Jr., wing Jordan Usher and forward Victor Uyaelunmo. The Trojans picked up their record-setting 26th win with their 66-65 victory over No. 11 SMU in the NCAA Tournament. USC won two games in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2007 season and its 47 total wins over the past two seasons are also the most by the Trojans in consecutive seasons. USC also set school records with most points scored (2,816), three-point baskets made (283), blocked shots (190) and assists (550).
ROSTER BREAKDOWN -- There are a total of 15 players on the 2017-18 USC men's basketball roster. The Trojan team by class are: Seniors (3): Kurt Karis (G), Jordan McLaughlin (G), Elijah Stewart (G); Juniors (4): Shaqquan Aaron (G), Bennie Boatwright (F), Devin Fleming (G), Chimezie Metu (F); Sophomores (5): Harrison Henderson (F), Jonah Mathews (G), De'Anthony Melton (G), Nick Rakocevic (F), Derryck Thornton (G); Freshmen (3): Charles O'Bannon Jr. (G), Jordan Usher (G/F), Victor Uyaelunmo (F).
BREAKING DOWN THE TITANS -- CS Fullerton went 17-15 last season and finished third in the Big West. The Titans return three starters and eight letterman from the 2016-17 team. Junior guard Khalil Ahmad is CS Fullerton's top returing scorer at 11.2 points per game. He and sophomore forward Jackson Rowe (10.4 ppg) are the last two Big West Freshmen of the Year and rank first and fourth respectively on the Fullerton all-time freshman scoring list. CS Fullerton is picked to finish third in the conference in the Big West preseason poll. USC leads the all-time series with CSUF 5-0, last winning 53-49 on Nov. 25, 2014.
NDSU ON DECK -- North Dakota State went 19-11 and finished second in the Summit League during the 2016-17 season. The Bison return three starters and seven lettermen from that team. Senior guard Paul Miller led NDSU with 16.7 points per game last season. USC defeated NDSU 61-57 on Dec. 20, 2008 in the only other meeting between the two schools.
USC IN HOME OPENERS - USC is 18-4 in its last 22 home openers, defeating Montana 75-61 to start the 2016-17 season. USC has won seven of its last eight home openers. USC is 76-35 all-time in season openers, but is just 8-6 in the last 14 first games of the season.
USC's ROSTER FEATURES RARE PAIR OF 4-YEAR SENIORS - In senior guards Jordan McLaughlin and Elijah Stewart, USC has its first pair of four-year scholarship seniors since the 2004-05 season when it had five. The seniors on the 2004-05 roster were guards Derrick and Errick Craven, forward Nick Curtis, center Rory O'Neil and forward Gregg Guenther, who was at USC on a football scholarship.
TROJANS TO PLAY AT THE DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC - USC will be playing in the Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i from Dec. 22-25. USC's first-round opponent will by Akron on Dec. 22. Akron went 27-9 and won the 2016-17 Mid-American regular season title, but return just one starter and five lettermen from that team. The second-round game will be against either Middle Tennessee or Princeton on Dec. 23. USC's final game of the tournament will be against an opponent from the group of Davidson, Hawai'i, Miami and New Mexico State on Christmas day. USC won the inaugural Diamond Head Classic in 2009, defeating Western Michigan, Saint Mary's and UNLV.
TROJANS HIGHEST PRESEASON RANKING SINCE 1974 -- The USC men's basketball team was ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press (AP) preseason poll on Nov. 1. It marks the highest preseason ranking for the Trojan men's basketball team since the 1974-75 season. It is also the highest ranking at any point for the Trojans since finishing the 1991-92 season at No. 8. The Trojans also were ranked No. 11 in the USA/TODAY Coaches preseason poll and are listed as No. 6 in the ESPN Power Index. USC was ranked five weeks in the 2016-17 AP poll, with a highest ranking of No. 22 on Dec. 26.
STRONG IN THE CLASSROOM - During the first four seasons of the Enfield Era at USC, the men's basketball team has set program's record for grade-point average in the fall, spring and both summer school sessions.
USC'S FOUR NEWCOMERS - USC has four new players on its roster this season in freshmen Charles O'Bannon Jr, Jordan Usher and Victor Uyaelunmo and sophomore Derryck Thornton. O'Bannon is a 6-6, 210-pound guard from Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Nev. where he was a McDonald's All-American. As a senior, he averaged 21.4 points and 8.1 rebounds and led Bishop Gorman to its sixth consecutive state title. Usher is a 6-7, 225-pound wing from Wheeler High in Marietta, Ga. As a senior, he averaged 17.0 points, eight rebounds and three steals per game. Uyaelunmo is a 6-11, 220-pound forward from Calvary Christian Academy in Miami, Fla. who last season averaged 13.5 points, 15.0 rebounds and five blocks in leading his team to the state 5-A title. Thornton is a 6-2, 195-pound guard who is eligible this season after transferring to USC from Duke before last season. He averaged 7.1 points and 2.6 assists as a freshman at Duke, starting 20 games.
METU AND McLAUGHLIN NAMED TO PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LISTS -- Junior forward Chimezie Metu was one of 32 players named to the preseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy which recognizes college's top men's basketball player. In addition, Metu and senior guard Jordan McLaughlin were named to the preseason watch list for the Lute Olson Award, given to the top college player which has played at least two seasons.
MORE PRESEASON PROPS - USC head coach Andy Enfield was named the preseason National Coach of the Year by College Sports Madness. Also, four Trojans were named to preseason watch lists: Jordan McLaughlin (Cousy Award - Top Point Guard), De'Anthony Melton (Jerry West Award - Top Shooting Guard), Bennie Boatwright (Karl Malone Award - Top Power Forward) and Chimezie Metu (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award - Top Center).
TROJANS BUILTING STEP-BY-STEP -- The Trojans have made steady progress since Andy Enfield became the head coach for the 2013-14 season. The 2016-17 continued the upward trajectory which produced a school-record 26 wins. Also, USC was 10-8 in Pac-12 play last season after being 9-9 in 2016, 3-15 in 2015 and 2-16 in 2014.
FG% FG Def. 3PT% 3PT Def. 3PM FT% Reb/G Assists Blocks Points PPG Record
2013-14 -- .439 .430 .291 .323 146 .670 37.0 404 141 2258 70.6 11-21
2014-15 -- .422 .422 .329 .330 170 .634 35.9 397 133 2143 67.0 12-20
2015-16 -- .460 .417 .387 .325 266 .676 39.3 504 182 2737 80.5 21-13
2016-17 -- .456 .434 .362 .368 283 .741 35.7 550 190 2816 78.2 26-10
USC TO THE NBA -- USC has five former players that have played in NBA games this season: All-Star DeMar DeRozan (Toronto), Taj Gibson (Minnesota), Nikola Vucevic (Orlando), Nick Young (Golden State) and Dewayne Dedmon (Atlanta). Four of the players are starting and the other, Nick Young, comes off the bench for the defending NBA Champion Warriors. Since the 2007 NBA Draft, USC has had five players selected in the first round. Here are the 2017-18 stats for the Trojans playing in the NBA (through games of Nov. 7):
Player Team Minutes/G Reb./G Points/G
Dewayne Dedmon San Antonio 24.9 7.9 9.5
DeMar DeRozan Toronto 34.3 3.7 23.9
Taj Gibson Chicago 29.5 7.1 8.7
Nikola Vucevic Orlando 30.7 7.9 17.9
Nick Young Los Angeles Lakers 11.4 0.7 5.0
TO THE NBA TO STAY -- Of USC's five current NBA players, four are starting and all are playing significant minutes. There are only four schools that can claim more NBA starters on opening day this season:
2017 Opening Day
NBA Starters School
11 Kentucky
8 UCLA
5 Duke
5 Arizona
4 USC
Texas
Marquette
North Carolina
I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW...CLEAR BAG POLICY FOR GALEN -- To provide a safer environment for the public and significantly expedite guest entry into the venue, the Galen Center will be implementing a "clear bag policy" that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into the arena for all events (one clear bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12" per person) starting January 1st, 2018. The policy does not affect other items that fans normally bring to a game, which still can be carried in their pockets or openly in their arms. Also, for increased security, all guests entering the Galen Center walk through metal detector screening with arms raised (guests should remove metal items from pockets)."
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