University Southern California Trojans
Saturday, February 10
Tucson, AZ
7:15 PM
USC
at
Arizona
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Percy Anderson
USC To Play At No. 13 Arizona Saturday
February 09, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Features
The USC Trojans (17-8, 8-4) will play at the Arizona Wildcats (19-6, 9-3) at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 10 at 7:15 p.m. PT. USC has lost two straight games, after having a six-game winning streak, its longest in conference games since the 1992 season.
BREAKING DOWN No. 13 ARIZONA -- The No. 13 Wildcats are coming off an 82-74 home loss to UCLA on Feb. 8, their first home loss (12-1) of the season. Arizona has won 16 of its last 19 games, Allonzo Trier (19.8) and Deandre Ayton (19.5) lead the Wildcats in scoring. Arizona leads the all-time series with USC 65-41, which reflects a win vacated by USC due to NCAA penalty. Arizona defeated USC twice last season and has won three straight over the Trojans. USC has lost eight consecutive games at Arizona, last winning in the 2008 season, a win later vacated due to NCAA penalty. USC's previous last win in Arizona was an 80-75 win on Feb. 15, 2007, which snapped a 21-game losing streak at Arizona.
USC LETS ONE GET AWAY AT ASU -- Arizona State went on a 9-0 run over the final 2:23 to defeat USC 80-78 in Tempe, Ariz. on Feb. 8. USC led 78-71 after Shaqquan Aaron made a layup with 2:23 remaining, but that would be USC's last points. First Remy Martin made a jumper near the free throw line with 2:06 remaining to cut it to 78-73. After a USC turnover, ASU missed a pair of 3-pointers, but USC turned the ball over again and Kodi Justice hit a jumper to make it 78-75. USC then missed a 3-pointer and Shannon Evans hit a long 3-pointer with 50 seconds remaining to tie it at 78-all. Chimezie Metu missed a layup in traffic with 26 seconds remaining and Tra Holder hit the game-winning banker from the left side with 1.9 seconds remaining. USC could not get a shot off before the buzzer. The game was sluggish as 41 fouls were called, 23 on USC which led to 32 free throw attempts for ASU. USC had an uncharacteristic and season-high 18 turnovers and were outscored 14-0 on points off turnovers. Conversely, USC who had been thriving on steals and getting turnovers, had just 3 steals and forced just 6 turnovers. USC made 49.1 percent of its shots and held ASU to 42.2 percent shooting. Nick Rakocevic scored 19, Bennie Boatwright 18 and Metu 13 to lead USC.
OREGON ON DECK - USC's next game will be at vs. Oregon (16-8, 6-5) on at the Galen Center on Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. USC snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Ducks when it won 75-70 in Eugene, Ore. on Jan. 18. USC leads the all-time series with Oregon 61-56, which reflects two wins vacated by USC do to NCAA penalty. Oregon is led in scoring by guard Payton Pritchard at 14.3 points per game. Seven Ducks average at least 7.0 points per game. Oregon will host Washington State on Feb. 11 before traveling to Los Angeles.
McLAUGHLIN A COUSY AWARD FINALIST -- Jordan McLaughlin is one of 10 players remaining on the watch list for the Bob Cousy Award as the nation's top point guard. The award is named after the Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy and recognizes the top point guards in Division I men's college basketball. McLaughlin, a three-year team captain, is averaging 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists this season. McLaughlin leads all Pac-12 players this season in assists with 189, which is tied for third nationally. Last season he was the only player in the country with at least three assists in every game and he has accomplished that in all 25 games this season as well, running his nation's longest streak to 62 consecutive games with at least three assists (dating back to the 2015-16 season).
CLOSE SHAVES -- USC's last three losses, all on the road in conference, have been by a total of six points. In the three games, USC has led or been tied for 91.29 minutes (led for 78.36) and trailed only 28.31. USC fell 77-76 at Stanford on Jan. 7 when Deajon Davis hit a 55-foot heave at the buzzer. USC lost 82-79 at UCLA on Feb. 3 when it was outscored 22-10 in the final eight minutes. USC lost 80-78 at ASU on Feb. 8 when it was outscored 9-0 in the final 2:23.
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 285-183. USC has averaged 25.9 points off the bench the past 11 games, after averging 13.0 bench points in the first 14 games. USC now leads its opponents on bench points for the season at 457-418. Â
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 11 opponents to a 43.3 shooting percentage (268-for-619), despite allowing UCLA to make 50.9 percent of its shots on Feb. 3. USC has held the opposition to an average of 68.8 points in that span (757 total). In the 11 games, USC has registered 85 steals and forced 169 turnovers. USC is 8-0 this season when holding the opposition to under 40 percent shooting and 10-1 when forcing the opposition into 15 or more turnovers.
JONAH FROM THE ARC -- Jonah Mathews has made 51.2 percent (21-for-41) of his shots from beyond the arc over the past eight games. For the year, Mathews has made 43.3 percent of his three-pointers (39-for-90) which ranks sixth among conference players. Mathews has come off the bench the last eight games and has averaged 11.3 points per game (90 total points), while making 2.6 three-pointers per game in that stretch.
PROTECTING THE ROCK -- USC ranks 13th in the country with a 1.49 assist to turnover ratio through games of Feb. 8. USC also ranks tied for 25th in fewest turnovers per game at 11.1 per game. USC leads all Pac-12 teams in both categories.
BREAKING DOWN No. 13 ARIZONA -- The No. 13 Wildcats are coming off an 82-74 home loss to UCLA on Feb. 8, their first home loss (12-1) of the season. Arizona has won 16 of its last 19 games, Allonzo Trier (19.8) and Deandre Ayton (19.5) lead the Wildcats in scoring. Arizona leads the all-time series with USC 65-41, which reflects a win vacated by USC due to NCAA penalty. Arizona defeated USC twice last season and has won three straight over the Trojans. USC has lost eight consecutive games at Arizona, last winning in the 2008 season, a win later vacated due to NCAA penalty. USC's previous last win in Arizona was an 80-75 win on Feb. 15, 2007, which snapped a 21-game losing streak at Arizona.
USC LETS ONE GET AWAY AT ASU -- Arizona State went on a 9-0 run over the final 2:23 to defeat USC 80-78 in Tempe, Ariz. on Feb. 8. USC led 78-71 after Shaqquan Aaron made a layup with 2:23 remaining, but that would be USC's last points. First Remy Martin made a jumper near the free throw line with 2:06 remaining to cut it to 78-73. After a USC turnover, ASU missed a pair of 3-pointers, but USC turned the ball over again and Kodi Justice hit a jumper to make it 78-75. USC then missed a 3-pointer and Shannon Evans hit a long 3-pointer with 50 seconds remaining to tie it at 78-all. Chimezie Metu missed a layup in traffic with 26 seconds remaining and Tra Holder hit the game-winning banker from the left side with 1.9 seconds remaining. USC could not get a shot off before the buzzer. The game was sluggish as 41 fouls were called, 23 on USC which led to 32 free throw attempts for ASU. USC had an uncharacteristic and season-high 18 turnovers and were outscored 14-0 on points off turnovers. Conversely, USC who had been thriving on steals and getting turnovers, had just 3 steals and forced just 6 turnovers. USC made 49.1 percent of its shots and held ASU to 42.2 percent shooting. Nick Rakocevic scored 19, Bennie Boatwright 18 and Metu 13 to lead USC.
OREGON ON DECK - USC's next game will be at vs. Oregon (16-8, 6-5) on at the Galen Center on Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. USC snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Ducks when it won 75-70 in Eugene, Ore. on Jan. 18. USC leads the all-time series with Oregon 61-56, which reflects two wins vacated by USC do to NCAA penalty. Oregon is led in scoring by guard Payton Pritchard at 14.3 points per game. Seven Ducks average at least 7.0 points per game. Oregon will host Washington State on Feb. 11 before traveling to Los Angeles.
McLAUGHLIN A COUSY AWARD FINALIST -- Jordan McLaughlin is one of 10 players remaining on the watch list for the Bob Cousy Award as the nation's top point guard. The award is named after the Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy and recognizes the top point guards in Division I men's college basketball. McLaughlin, a three-year team captain, is averaging 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists this season. McLaughlin leads all Pac-12 players this season in assists with 189, which is tied for third nationally. Last season he was the only player in the country with at least three assists in every game and he has accomplished that in all 25 games this season as well, running his nation's longest streak to 62 consecutive games with at least three assists (dating back to the 2015-16 season).
CLOSE SHAVES -- USC's last three losses, all on the road in conference, have been by a total of six points. In the three games, USC has led or been tied for 91.29 minutes (led for 78.36) and trailed only 28.31. USC fell 77-76 at Stanford on Jan. 7 when Deajon Davis hit a 55-foot heave at the buzzer. USC lost 82-79 at UCLA on Feb. 3 when it was outscored 22-10 in the final eight minutes. USC lost 80-78 at ASU on Feb. 8 when it was outscored 9-0 in the final 2:23.
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 285-183. USC has averaged 25.9 points off the bench the past 11 games, after averging 13.0 bench points in the first 14 games. USC now leads its opponents on bench points for the season at 457-418. Â
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 11 opponents to a 43.3 shooting percentage (268-for-619), despite allowing UCLA to make 50.9 percent of its shots on Feb. 3. USC has held the opposition to an average of 68.8 points in that span (757 total). In the 11 games, USC has registered 85 steals and forced 169 turnovers. USC is 8-0 this season when holding the opposition to under 40 percent shooting and 10-1 when forcing the opposition into 15 or more turnovers.
JONAH FROM THE ARC -- Jonah Mathews has made 51.2 percent (21-for-41) of his shots from beyond the arc over the past eight games. For the year, Mathews has made 43.3 percent of his three-pointers (39-for-90) which ranks sixth among conference players. Mathews has come off the bench the last eight games and has averaged 11.3 points per game (90 total points), while making 2.6 three-pointers per game in that stretch.
PROTECTING THE ROCK -- USC ranks 13th in the country with a 1.49 assist to turnover ratio through games of Feb. 8. USC also ranks tied for 25th in fewest turnovers per game at 11.1 per game. USC leads all Pac-12 teams in both categories.
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