USC Returns Home To Host Stanford Wednesday

The USC Trojans (15-6, 6-2) will host the Stanford Cardinal (11-9, 5-2) at the Galen Center on Jan. 24 at 6:00 p.m. USC has won its last four games, tying its best winning streak of the season (started the season 4-0). USC's 6-2 start to conference play is its best since also beginning 6-2 at the start of the 2002 Pac-10 season.

BREAKING DOWN THE CARDINAL -- The Cardinal are coming off a 73-71 home loss to then No. 14 Arizona on Jan. 20, which snapped a five-game winning streak. Stanford has four players scoring in double figures, led by forward Reid Travis at 20.0 points per game. Stanford defeated USC at home 77-76 on a shot from past halfcourt at the buzzer on Jan. 7. Stanford leads the all-time series 126-123, which reflects one win vacated by USC due to NCAA penalty.

USC GETS COMEBACK WIN AT OREGON STATE -- USC used an 18-0 run midway through the second half to secure a 74-67 win at Oregon State on Jan. 20. With its win at Oregon on Jan. 18, USC completed a road sweep of the Oregon schools for the first time since 2008. USC led 35-33 at halftime, but after getting a layup by Elijah Stewart at 19:17 of the second half to go up 37-36, USC went scoreless for nearly 7 and a half minutes (going 0-for-10) and trailed 45-37, before a three-pointer by Stewart got the Trojans on the board again at 11:49 of the second half. Trailing 54-47 with 8:06 remaining, the Trojans went on an 18-0 run over the next four minutes to open up a 65-54 lead and secured the win by making 9 of 12 free throws down the stretch. Jordan Usher keyed the Trojans' rally hitting four 3-pointers during the run, including one to give USC the lead for good at 55-54 with six minutes left, and another 30 seconds later to push it to a 4-point lead. A layup by Jordan McLaughlin at the 5-minute mark pushed the lead to six and it got no closer the rest of the way. USC held OSU to 37.1 percent shooting in the second half and 40.7 percent for the game. Stewart led USC with 18 points, followed by Usher with 14 and McLaughlin and Chimezie Metu with 12 each. OSU's Tres Tinkle led all scorers with 21 points.

CALIFORNIA ON DECK - USC's next game will be vs. California (7-13, 1-6) on Jan. 28 at the Galen Center. California won 77-74 at Stanford on Dec. 30 to open conference play, but has lost its last six Pac-12 games and will play at UCLA on Jan. 25, before facing USC. Don Coleman leads four Bears scoring in double figures with a 16.9 average. USC won 80-62 at California on Jan. 4, but the Bears lead the all-time series 136-123, which reflects one USC win in 2008 vacated due to NCAA penalty.

DEFENSIVE CHARGE -- Since allowing Washington to shoot 67.3 percent in a loss on Dec. 29, the highest shooting percentage by a Trojan opponent since 2003, USC has combined to hold its last seven opponents to a 43.0 shooting percentage (168-for-391). In the seven games, USC has registered 55 steals and forced 115 turnovers. USC is 7-0 this season when holding the opposition to under 40 percent shooting and 8-6 when they shoot better than 40 percent. USC is also 8-1 when forcing the opposition into 15 or more turnovers.

LAUNCHING THE LONG BALL -- USC is shooting 39.2 percent from three-point range this season which ranks tied for first with WSU among Pac-12 teams and is third in the conference with a total of 183 three-pointers made this season. USC has had 10 games this season when it has shot over 40 percent from three-point range and has had 13 games with at least eight three-pointers made.

McLAUGHLIN IN EXCLUSIVE GROUP -- Jordan McLaughlin has 615 career assists and 1,461 career points scored, the 10th player in Pac-12 history to surpass 600 career assists and 1,400 career points scored. He joins the following Pac-12 players as having accomplished the feat: Tyus Edney (UCLA), Jason Gardner (Arizona), Brandon Granville (USC), Brevin Knight (Stanford), Gary Payton (OSU), Pooh Richardson (UCLA), Damon Stoudamire (Arizona), Earl Watson (UCLA) and Kenya Wilkins (Oregon). Also, Andre Miller of current Pac-12 school Utah accomplished the feat.

THE BENCH GANG -- As the Trojans have gotten healthier following early-season injuries, the bench has started to show the team's depth. Since Derryck Thornton returned to the lineup on Dec. 31 vs. Washington State, meaning the team was basically at full strength, USC's bench has outscored the opponent's bench 179-129. USC has averaged 25.6 points off the bench the past six games, after averging 13.0 bench points in the first 14 games. USC still trails its opponents on bench points for the season at 351-364.

PROTECTING THE ROCK -- USC ranks 15th in the country with a 1.46 assist to turnover ratio through games of Jan. 22. USC also ranks 22nd in fewest turnovers per game at 11.2 (11.19) per game. USC leads all Pac-12 teams in both categories.

FIREPOWER ABOUNDS -- USC has four players in Bennie Boatwright, Jordan McLaughlin, Chimezie Metu and Elijah Stewart that can boast at least one 30-point game in their career. Additionally, eight players have scored at least 19 points in a game as a Trojan. This season, nine different players have at least one game of scoring in double figures.

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Players Mentioned

Bennie Boatwright

Jordan McLaughlin

Chimezie Metu

Elijah Stewart

Derryck Thornton

Jordan Usher