USC Returns To Galen Tuesday To Face Pepperdine

The USC Trojans (4-0) will host the Pepperdine Waves (3-1) at the Galen Center on Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. The game will air on the Pac-12 Network with J.B. Long and Don MacLean calling the action. USC has won its first four games of the 2019-20 season by 10 or more points. That last time the Trojans won four consecutive games by 10 or more points to start the season was the 1974-75 campaign. This is the eight time USC has begun a season 4-0 since the 1977 campaign (44 seasons). The last time USC began a season 5-0 was the 2016-17 season when it won its first 14 games.

BREAKING DOWN PEPPERDINE -- Pepperdine (3-1) is coming off a 73-69 win at Abilene Christian on Nov. 16. The Waves began the season with a road loss at California (87-71), before defeating UC Irvine at home (77-73) and CSUN on the road (94-82). The Waves have four players scoring in double figures, led by sophomore forward Kessler Edwards at 17.8 points per game. USC leads the all-time series with Pepperdine 5-2, winning the last meeting 93-67 on Dec. 11, 2016.

USC GETS ROAD WIN AT NEVADA -- USC used a 42-10 advantage on points in the paint to win 76-66 at Nevada on Nov. 16. It was a nice start on the road for the Trojans who were coming off a 2-9 road campaign during the 2018-19 season. Nick Rakocevic led the way with a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds by making 10 of 15 shots. Daniel Utomi added 12 points and Elijah Weaver scored 11 for USC. Ethan Anderson scored 8 points and had 8 assists without a turnover to guide the attack. After Nevada took a 21-18 lead with 8:33 left in the first half, USC went on a 13-0 run over the next five minutes and never trailed again. Five different players scored during the run. Nevada stayed close by making 11 3-pointers, including 8 in the first half. USC led 40-35 at halftime, but turned up the defense in the second half, holding Nevada to 23.3 percent from the floor, including 18.8 percent from 3-point range.

TEMPLE ON DECK -- USC will host Temple (3-0) at Galen on Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. Temple opened with home wins over Drexel (70-62) and Morgan State (75-57) before winning at La Salle (70-65) on Nov. 16. The Owls went 23-10 last season, advancing to the NCAA Tournament where it lost a First Four game to Belmont. Nate Pierre-Louis (18.7) and Quinton Rose (16.0) lead Temple in scoring. USC leads the all-time series 5-2, but lost the last meeting 65-54 on Nov. 27, 1994.

RAKOCEVIC NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK -- Senior forward Nick Rakocevic averaged 25.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and eclipsed the 1,000 career points scored mark to help lead the Trojans to two wins and earn Pac-12 Player of the Week honors for the week of Nov. 11-17. It is the third career Pac-12 Player of the Week selection for Rakocevic, tied for the third-most all-time by a Trojan, trailing only Harold Miner (7) and Wayne Carlander (4). In USC's 84-66 home win over South Dakota State on Nov. 12, Rakocevic matched a career high with 27 points and added 16 rebounds for a double-double. He hit a pair of free throws with just over eight minutes remaining in the game to reach 1,000 career points scored. He then scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the Trojans' 76-66 win at Nevada on Nov. 16. Rakocevic made 10 of 15 shots to help USC hand Nevada just its fourth loss in its last 48 home games.

MATHEWS & RAKOCEVIC SHARING SENIOR SUCCESS - USC senior guard Jonah Mathews (1,017 career points) and senior forward Nick Rakocevic (1,031 career points) both surpassed 1,000 career points scored in the game vs. South Dakota State on Nov. 12. They became the 41st and 42nd Trojans to register 1,000 or more career points in a USC uniform and became the first pair of Trojans to accomplish the feat in the same game since Don Carfino and Purvis Miller vs. Oregon in 1980. Rakocevic also has 703 career rebounds which ranks 13th on USC's all-time list. He now has 22 career double-doubles which ranks tied for 14th among active players. Mathews has made 186 career three-point baskets, sixth on USC's all-time list and 41st among active players.

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Players Mentioned

Ethan Anderson

Jonah Mathews

Nick Rakocevic

Daniel Utomi

Elijah Weaver