University Southern California Trojans
Tuesday, November 12
Los Angeles, Calif.
7:00 PM
USC
vs
South Dakota State
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Josh Dunst/USC Athletics
USC Hosts South Dakota State Tuesday At Galen
November 11, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Features
The USC Trojans (2-0) will host the South Dakota State Jackrabbits (3-0) at the Galen Center on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. USC is 31-4 in its last 35 regular season home nonconference games. The game will air on the Pac-12 Network with J.B. Long and Eddie House calling the action.
BREAKING DOWN SOUTH DAKOTA STATE -- SDSU (3-0) opened with home wins over Texas Rio Grande Valley (70-57) and Peru State (86-58) before winning in double-overtime at CSU Bakersfield (93-91) on Nov. 9. Junior forward Douglas Wilson leads SDSU with a 21 points per game average. SDSU went 24-9 last season and won the Summit League. This is the first-ever meeting between USC and South Dakota State in men's basketball.
USC PULLS AWAY FROM PORTLAND -- USC never trailed and finished the game with a 28-17 run to defeat Portland 76-65 at the Galen Center on Nov. 8. After the Pilots had tied the game at 48-all five minutes into the second half, Onyeka Okongwu scored 14 of his 20 points to help the Trojans pull away. Okongwu also grabbed 10 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. Jonah Mathews and Elijah Weaver scored 12 points each and Nick Rakocevic added 11 points and had 8 rebounds. Ethan Anderson has 10 assists, 4 points and 4 rebounds. The Trojans made 49.2 percent of its shots, including 50 percent from 3-point range (10-for-20). USC committed 20 turnovers and Portland made 13 3-pointers (more than half of its baskets) to keep the game close.
BIG O'S BIG DEBUT -- Freshman forward Onyeka Okongwu scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and matched the school record with eight blocks in his collegiate debut vs. FAMU on Nov. 5. The other three Trojans with eight blocks in a game were Avondre Jones (1995 vs. Rhode Island), Gerry Wright (1982 vs. Santa Clara) and Steve Malovic (1975 vs. Howard). Okongwu also became the first USC freshman to post a double-double in his debut since Taj Gibson in 2006.
TRIP TO NEVADA ON DECK -- USC's next game will be at Nevada (1-1) on Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nev. The game will air on the CBS Sports Network. Nevada split a pair of home games to open the 2019-20 season, falling 79-74 to Utah and then winning 72-67 vs. LMU. The Wolfpack will also host Texas-Arlington on Nov. 12 before facing USC. Senior guard Lindsey Drew averaged 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists in the first two games and was named Mountain West Player of the Week. USC leads the all-time series 2-1, but Nevada defeated the Trojans 73-61 last season at the Galen Center. It will be USC's first road game of the season. The Trojans were 2-9 in road games last season. Nevada is 43-3 in its last 46 home games.
WINNING WAYS -- USC won 87 games over the previous four season (2016-19), the winningest four-year stretch in school history. Included in that stretch was a school-record 26 wins during the 2017 season.
MATHEWS & RAKOCEVIC CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER POINTS - USC senior guard Jonah Mathews enters tonight's action with 995 career points scored and senior forward Nick Rakocevic with 980 career points scored. The pair are poised to become the 41st and 42nd Trojans to register 1,000 or more career points in a USC uniform. Entering tonight's action, Mathews has made 60 career starts and Rakocevic 62.
PAC-12 PRESEASON HONORS -- Senior forward Nick Rakocevic was named to the inaugural Pac-12 Preseason All-Conference team, announced at Pac-12 Media Day on Oct. 8 in San Francisco, Calif. Senior guard Jonah Mathews and freshman forward Isaiah Mobley were named honorable mention. USC was picked to finish fifth by Pac-12 media and received one of the 27 first-place votes.
BREAKING DOWN SOUTH DAKOTA STATE -- SDSU (3-0) opened with home wins over Texas Rio Grande Valley (70-57) and Peru State (86-58) before winning in double-overtime at CSU Bakersfield (93-91) on Nov. 9. Junior forward Douglas Wilson leads SDSU with a 21 points per game average. SDSU went 24-9 last season and won the Summit League. This is the first-ever meeting between USC and South Dakota State in men's basketball.
USC PULLS AWAY FROM PORTLAND -- USC never trailed and finished the game with a 28-17 run to defeat Portland 76-65 at the Galen Center on Nov. 8. After the Pilots had tied the game at 48-all five minutes into the second half, Onyeka Okongwu scored 14 of his 20 points to help the Trojans pull away. Okongwu also grabbed 10 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. Jonah Mathews and Elijah Weaver scored 12 points each and Nick Rakocevic added 11 points and had 8 rebounds. Ethan Anderson has 10 assists, 4 points and 4 rebounds. The Trojans made 49.2 percent of its shots, including 50 percent from 3-point range (10-for-20). USC committed 20 turnovers and Portland made 13 3-pointers (more than half of its baskets) to keep the game close.
BIG O'S BIG DEBUT -- Freshman forward Onyeka Okongwu scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and matched the school record with eight blocks in his collegiate debut vs. FAMU on Nov. 5. The other three Trojans with eight blocks in a game were Avondre Jones (1995 vs. Rhode Island), Gerry Wright (1982 vs. Santa Clara) and Steve Malovic (1975 vs. Howard). Okongwu also became the first USC freshman to post a double-double in his debut since Taj Gibson in 2006.
TRIP TO NEVADA ON DECK -- USC's next game will be at Nevada (1-1) on Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nev. The game will air on the CBS Sports Network. Nevada split a pair of home games to open the 2019-20 season, falling 79-74 to Utah and then winning 72-67 vs. LMU. The Wolfpack will also host Texas-Arlington on Nov. 12 before facing USC. Senior guard Lindsey Drew averaged 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists in the first two games and was named Mountain West Player of the Week. USC leads the all-time series 2-1, but Nevada defeated the Trojans 73-61 last season at the Galen Center. It will be USC's first road game of the season. The Trojans were 2-9 in road games last season. Nevada is 43-3 in its last 46 home games.
WINNING WAYS -- USC won 87 games over the previous four season (2016-19), the winningest four-year stretch in school history. Included in that stretch was a school-record 26 wins during the 2017 season.
MATHEWS & RAKOCEVIC CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER POINTS - USC senior guard Jonah Mathews enters tonight's action with 995 career points scored and senior forward Nick Rakocevic with 980 career points scored. The pair are poised to become the 41st and 42nd Trojans to register 1,000 or more career points in a USC uniform. Entering tonight's action, Mathews has made 60 career starts and Rakocevic 62.
PAC-12 PRESEASON HONORS -- Senior forward Nick Rakocevic was named to the inaugural Pac-12 Preseason All-Conference team, announced at Pac-12 Media Day on Oct. 8 in San Francisco, Calif. Senior guard Jonah Mathews and freshman forward Isaiah Mobley were named honorable mention. USC was picked to finish fifth by Pac-12 media and received one of the 27 first-place votes.
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