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Photo by: Percy Anderson
USC Hosts FGCU In Final Nonconference Game
December 28, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Features
The USC Trojans (10-2) will host the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (3-11) at the Galen Center on Dec. 29 at 7:00 p.m. The game will air on the Pac-12 Network with Roxy Bernstein and Don MacLean calling the action. A win tonight would give USC two five-game winning streaks this season. USC has had only two seasons (2016 and 2017) in the last decade with two winning streaks of five games or more. Only 19 teams in the country have less losses than USC this season. USC has won 10 times in its first 12 games for the third time in the last 18 seasons (12-0 in 2017 and 10-2 in 2016...both teams won their next games).
BREAKING DOWN FGCU -- Florida Gulf Coast (3-11) is coming off an 84-62 home win over St. Thomas on Dec. 21. USC head coach Andy Enfield began his head coaching career at FGCU, going 41-28 in two seasons (2012-13) and taking the Eagles to the Sweet Sixteen in 2013. FGCU is led in scoring by sophomore guard Zach Scott at 12.4 points per game. It is the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
USC STORMS BACK TO BEAT LSU IN BHOF CLASSIC -- USC used a late 13-2 run to take the lead and hold on for a 70-68 victory over LSU in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at Staples Center on Dec. 21. Trailing 57-53 with 7:27 remaining, USC went on its run fueled by a pair of three-pointers at each end from Ethan Anderson, the final one giving USC its biggest lead of 66-59 with 3:09 left. With the lead down to 68-66 with 11 seconds remaining, Onyeka Okongwu made a layup to put the game away. Jonah Mathews, whose three-pointer with 4:22 remaining gave the Trojans the lead for good, led five Trojans in double figures with 15 points. Nick Rakocevic had 14 points and 9 rebounds and Okongwu had 10 points and 9 rebounds. Anderson scored all 11 of his points in the second half, while Daniel Utomi added 10 points. LSU scored the last seven points of the first half to lead 35-28 at the break. USC was outrebounded 43-40 and outscored 42-22 on points in the paint. USC made 41.0 percent of its shots, including 50 percent of its shots from the floor and three-point range in the second half. The Trojans held LSU to 36.8 percent shooting, 16.7 percent from three-point range.
USC TO OPEN PAC-12 PLAY AT WASHINGTON STATE -- USC will begin Pac-12 Conference play with three consecutive road games, beginning with a contest at Washington State in Pullman, Wash. on Jan. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Washington State (8-4) has won five consecutive games and will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 29 before facing USC. WSU is led in scoring by sophomore forward CJ Elleby at 19.9 points per game. USC won 93-84 at WSU last season to run its winning streak to six games against the Cougars. USC leads the all-time series 75-48.
A ROAD LESS TRAVELED -- USC is 2-0 on the road this season, after going 2-9 on the road during the 2018-19 season. In six of the last 11 seasons, USC won 2 or less road games for an overall record of 34-90 (27.4 percent). USC finished over .500 on the road (6-5) during the 2018 and 2017 seasons, the only two seasons in the past 11 with a winning road record.
10 FOR 10 -- All 10 available basketball scholarship players on USC's team have had at least one 10-point scoring game this season.
CAN I ASSIST YOU WITH THAT -- Freshman point guard Ethan Anderson had a season-best 12 assists vs. Long Beach State on Dec. 15 and has 26 assists in his last three games. His 12 assist game vs. LBSU is tied for the most assists in one game by any freshman this season. His 70 assists this season are tied for second among all freshman and tied for 29th among all players.
TROJANS FINDING THEIR MARK --- USC has made 48.0 percent of its shots in the last four games (118-for-246). In its first eight games, USC made 43.3 percent of its shots (210-for-485). USC is also heating up from three-point range making 41.7 percent (35-for-84) of its shot in the last four games, after shooting 32.2 percent (48-for-149) from beyond the arc in the first eight games.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 12 career games, Okongwu is averaging 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.17 blocks per game, while shooting 62.4 percent from the field. His 38 total blocks already rank seventh on USC's all-time freshman blocks list. Among all freshmen nationally, he ranks tied for first in total blocks (38) and blocks per game (3.17), third in total field goals made (83), tied for third in total rebounds (108), fourth in field goal percentage (62.4 percent), tied for fourth in total points (212) and double-doubles (5), fifth in offensive rebounds per game (3.17) and in points per game (17.7), sixth in rebounds per game (9.0) and tied for eighth in free throws made (46).
DEFENSIVE SHIFT -- USC is 10-2 after 12 games this season, after being 6-6 after 12 games during the 2018-19 season. The biggest change has been on the defensive end where the Trojans are holding their opponents to 69.2 points per game and to a 39.2 shooting percentage. USC has held its opponent to under 40 percent shooting seven times this season.
BREAKING DOWN FGCU -- Florida Gulf Coast (3-11) is coming off an 84-62 home win over St. Thomas on Dec. 21. USC head coach Andy Enfield began his head coaching career at FGCU, going 41-28 in two seasons (2012-13) and taking the Eagles to the Sweet Sixteen in 2013. FGCU is led in scoring by sophomore guard Zach Scott at 12.4 points per game. It is the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
USC STORMS BACK TO BEAT LSU IN BHOF CLASSIC -- USC used a late 13-2 run to take the lead and hold on for a 70-68 victory over LSU in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at Staples Center on Dec. 21. Trailing 57-53 with 7:27 remaining, USC went on its run fueled by a pair of three-pointers at each end from Ethan Anderson, the final one giving USC its biggest lead of 66-59 with 3:09 left. With the lead down to 68-66 with 11 seconds remaining, Onyeka Okongwu made a layup to put the game away. Jonah Mathews, whose three-pointer with 4:22 remaining gave the Trojans the lead for good, led five Trojans in double figures with 15 points. Nick Rakocevic had 14 points and 9 rebounds and Okongwu had 10 points and 9 rebounds. Anderson scored all 11 of his points in the second half, while Daniel Utomi added 10 points. LSU scored the last seven points of the first half to lead 35-28 at the break. USC was outrebounded 43-40 and outscored 42-22 on points in the paint. USC made 41.0 percent of its shots, including 50 percent of its shots from the floor and three-point range in the second half. The Trojans held LSU to 36.8 percent shooting, 16.7 percent from three-point range.
USC TO OPEN PAC-12 PLAY AT WASHINGTON STATE -- USC will begin Pac-12 Conference play with three consecutive road games, beginning with a contest at Washington State in Pullman, Wash. on Jan. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Washington State (8-4) has won five consecutive games and will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 29 before facing USC. WSU is led in scoring by sophomore forward CJ Elleby at 19.9 points per game. USC won 93-84 at WSU last season to run its winning streak to six games against the Cougars. USC leads the all-time series 75-48.
A ROAD LESS TRAVELED -- USC is 2-0 on the road this season, after going 2-9 on the road during the 2018-19 season. In six of the last 11 seasons, USC won 2 or less road games for an overall record of 34-90 (27.4 percent). USC finished over .500 on the road (6-5) during the 2018 and 2017 seasons, the only two seasons in the past 11 with a winning road record.
10 FOR 10 -- All 10 available basketball scholarship players on USC's team have had at least one 10-point scoring game this season.
CAN I ASSIST YOU WITH THAT -- Freshman point guard Ethan Anderson had a season-best 12 assists vs. Long Beach State on Dec. 15 and has 26 assists in his last three games. His 12 assist game vs. LBSU is tied for the most assists in one game by any freshman this season. His 70 assists this season are tied for second among all freshman and tied for 29th among all players.
TROJANS FINDING THEIR MARK --- USC has made 48.0 percent of its shots in the last four games (118-for-246). In its first eight games, USC made 43.3 percent of its shots (210-for-485). USC is also heating up from three-point range making 41.7 percent (35-for-84) of its shot in the last four games, after shooting 32.2 percent (48-for-149) from beyond the arc in the first eight games.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 12 career games, Okongwu is averaging 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.17 blocks per game, while shooting 62.4 percent from the field. His 38 total blocks already rank seventh on USC's all-time freshman blocks list. Among all freshmen nationally, he ranks tied for first in total blocks (38) and blocks per game (3.17), third in total field goals made (83), tied for third in total rebounds (108), fourth in field goal percentage (62.4 percent), tied for fourth in total points (212) and double-doubles (5), fifth in offensive rebounds per game (3.17) and in points per game (17.7), sixth in rebounds per game (9.0) and tied for eighth in free throws made (46).
DEFENSIVE SHIFT -- USC is 10-2 after 12 games this season, after being 6-6 after 12 games during the 2018-19 season. The biggest change has been on the defensive end where the Trojans are holding their opponents to 69.2 points per game and to a 39.2 shooting percentage. USC has held its opponent to under 40 percent shooting seven times this season.
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