Saturday, February 23
Los Angeles, Calif.
3:00 PM
USC
vs
Oregon State
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: John McGillen
USC Hosts Oregon State Saturday In Home Finale
February 22, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Features
Senior Day for players Boatwright, Aaron & Fleming
The USC Trojans (15-12, 8-6) will host the Oregon State Beavers (16-9, 8-5) at the Galen Center on Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. USC is 12-4 at the Galen Center this season. Today is Senior Day for players Bennie Boatwright, Shaqquan Aaron and Devin Fleming, as well as managers John Kirwan, Trinity Elliott, Nick Reader, Mason Leib and Matt Chen.
BREAKING DOWN OREGON STATE - Oregon State is coming off a 68-67 loss at UCLA on Feb. 21. Oregon State defeated USC 79-74 in overtime in Corvallis, Ore. on Jan. 10, snapping the Trojans' six-game winning streak against the Beavers. USC leads the all-time series 73-64 (2 USC wins vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 75-64). Redshirt junior forward Tres Tinkle leads OSU in scoring with a 20.1 average per game.
USC SHUTS DOWN THE DUCKS - Bennie Boatwright scored 20 points to lead USC to a 66-49 win over Oregon at the Galen Center on Feb. 21. USC closed the first half on a 14-4 run, which included 8 points by Boatwright, to lead 30-25 at the break. The Trojans then began the second half on a 17-7 run to open up a 47-32 lead and they maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way. The win was USC's 86th over the past four seasons, a school record for wins in a four-year stretch. Nick Rakocevic scored 17 points and Derryck Thornton added 10 points and 4 assists. USC held Oregon to 49 points, matching an opponent low for the season. USC made 50 percent of its shots, while holding Oregon to 33.3 percent shooting. USC outrebounded Oregon 35-28 and outscored them 30-18 on points in the paint. USC had 20 assists and improved to 14-0 when registering 16 or more assists in a game this season. USC also improved to 52-1 in its last 53 games when holding the opposition to under 70 points.
UCLA ON DECK - USC's next game will be at UCLA on Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. UCLA defeated Oregon State 68-67 on Feb. 21 and will host Oregon on Feb. 23 before facing the Trojans. Sophomore Kris Wilkes leads UCLA in scoring with a 17.1 average. USC defeated UCLA 80-67 at the Galen Center on Jan. 19. UCLA leads in the all-time series 142-109 (1 USC win in 2008 vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record: 142-110).
RAKOCEVIC HAS BEEN DOUBLE TROUBLE - USC forward Nick Rakocevic posted his conference-leading 13th double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds at California on Feb. 16. He also has five games with 20 or more points and 10 or more rebounds, leading all Pac-12 players. He has scored at least 15 points in 16 games and has at least 8 rebounds in 20 games. Rakocevic is averaging 15.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. He currently ranks among the Pac-12's top 10 in six categories: rebounds (2nd), blocked shots (5th), scoring average (10th), field goal percentage (9th), offensive rebounds (2nd) and defensive rebounds (3rd).
RECORD-SETTING STRETCH - USC has won 86 games during the last four seasons (2016-19), the most wins in a four-year stretch in school history.
THE THREES CAN BE KEY - USC is shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range this season which leads all Pac-12 teams and ranks tied for 18th in the country. USC is 13-6 in games it makes seven or more three-pointers this season.
BOATWRIGHT SETS RECORD - USC forward Bennie Boatwright set the USC single-game three-point baskets made record and tied the Pac-12 record by making 10 shots from beyond the arc at California on Feb. 16. Boatwright beat the previous school record of 9 three-pointers made done by Anthony Pendleton and Katin Reinhardt. He also tied the Pac-12 record of 10 three-pointers made in a single game, also done by Tajuan Porter, Stevin Smith and Robert Franks.
BENNIE AND THE NETS - Bennie Boatwright has made 16 three-point baskets in the last two games (16-for-22, 72.7 percent) and is 24-for-39 from three-point range (61.5 percent) the last five games.
THE MAGIC MARKER - With the 69-65 loss to Colorado on Feb. 9, USC had its 50-game winning streak snapped when holding its opponent to under 70 points scored. USC's previous loss when the opponent scored under 70 points was a 64-59 setback at Arizona State on Feb. 22, 2015. USC is now 52-1 in its last 53 games when holding the opposition to 69 points or less.
DISTRIBUTING THE ROCK - USC has averaged 20.1 assists in its wins and 11.9 assists in its losses. USC leads Pac-12 teams with 445 assists. Derryck Thornton leads USC and is tied for third in the conference with 124 assists. USC's 1.3 assist to turnover ratio is tops in the Pac-12. USC is 14-0 this season when it has 16 or more assists. USC ranks 20th in the country in assists per game (16.5).
MAKING ADJUSTMENTS - USC has outscored the opposition in the second half in 19 of its first 27 games. USC has outscored its opponents 1,126-1,032 in the second half. USC has made 49.7 percent of its shots in the second half (404-for-813), including 43.4 percent from three-point range (125-for-288).
BOATWRIGHT KEEPS RISING UP THE USC SCORING CHARTS - Senior Bennie Boatwright missed the first two games of the season while still coming back from offseason knee surgery, but has averaged a team-leading 18.5 points per game (3rd in Pac-12) since his return. He scored 14 points vs. Texas Tech on Nov. 19 to give him 1,008 career points. He now has scored 1,440 career points which is 13th on USC's all-time scoring, one point behind Brian Scalabrine (12th, 1,441), 20 behind Dwight Lewis (11th, 1,460) and 26 behind Lodrick Stewart (10th, 1,466). Boatwright has averaged 14.4 points (1,440) in 100 career games played, despite being slowed by injuries. Boatwright averaged 13.6 points in 23 games last season, first being slowed by a foot injury and then having his season end with a knee injury. He led USC to the 2017 Diamond Head Classic title by scoring a then career-high 33 points vs. New Mexico State on Dec. 25, making a career-best six three-point baskets. Boatwright has also made 221 career three-point baskets, 3rd on USC's all-time list, 11 behind Lodrick Stewart (2nd, 232) and 24 behind Elijah Stewart (1st, 245) on USC's all-time list.
BREAKING DOWN OREGON STATE - Oregon State is coming off a 68-67 loss at UCLA on Feb. 21. Oregon State defeated USC 79-74 in overtime in Corvallis, Ore. on Jan. 10, snapping the Trojans' six-game winning streak against the Beavers. USC leads the all-time series 73-64 (2 USC wins vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 75-64). Redshirt junior forward Tres Tinkle leads OSU in scoring with a 20.1 average per game.
USC SHUTS DOWN THE DUCKS - Bennie Boatwright scored 20 points to lead USC to a 66-49 win over Oregon at the Galen Center on Feb. 21. USC closed the first half on a 14-4 run, which included 8 points by Boatwright, to lead 30-25 at the break. The Trojans then began the second half on a 17-7 run to open up a 47-32 lead and they maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way. The win was USC's 86th over the past four seasons, a school record for wins in a four-year stretch. Nick Rakocevic scored 17 points and Derryck Thornton added 10 points and 4 assists. USC held Oregon to 49 points, matching an opponent low for the season. USC made 50 percent of its shots, while holding Oregon to 33.3 percent shooting. USC outrebounded Oregon 35-28 and outscored them 30-18 on points in the paint. USC had 20 assists and improved to 14-0 when registering 16 or more assists in a game this season. USC also improved to 52-1 in its last 53 games when holding the opposition to under 70 points.
UCLA ON DECK - USC's next game will be at UCLA on Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. UCLA defeated Oregon State 68-67 on Feb. 21 and will host Oregon on Feb. 23 before facing the Trojans. Sophomore Kris Wilkes leads UCLA in scoring with a 17.1 average. USC defeated UCLA 80-67 at the Galen Center on Jan. 19. UCLA leads in the all-time series 142-109 (1 USC win in 2008 vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record: 142-110).
RAKOCEVIC HAS BEEN DOUBLE TROUBLE - USC forward Nick Rakocevic posted his conference-leading 13th double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds at California on Feb. 16. He also has five games with 20 or more points and 10 or more rebounds, leading all Pac-12 players. He has scored at least 15 points in 16 games and has at least 8 rebounds in 20 games. Rakocevic is averaging 15.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. He currently ranks among the Pac-12's top 10 in six categories: rebounds (2nd), blocked shots (5th), scoring average (10th), field goal percentage (9th), offensive rebounds (2nd) and defensive rebounds (3rd).
RECORD-SETTING STRETCH - USC has won 86 games during the last four seasons (2016-19), the most wins in a four-year stretch in school history.
THE THREES CAN BE KEY - USC is shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range this season which leads all Pac-12 teams and ranks tied for 18th in the country. USC is 13-6 in games it makes seven or more three-pointers this season.
BOATWRIGHT SETS RECORD - USC forward Bennie Boatwright set the USC single-game three-point baskets made record and tied the Pac-12 record by making 10 shots from beyond the arc at California on Feb. 16. Boatwright beat the previous school record of 9 three-pointers made done by Anthony Pendleton and Katin Reinhardt. He also tied the Pac-12 record of 10 three-pointers made in a single game, also done by Tajuan Porter, Stevin Smith and Robert Franks.
BENNIE AND THE NETS - Bennie Boatwright has made 16 three-point baskets in the last two games (16-for-22, 72.7 percent) and is 24-for-39 from three-point range (61.5 percent) the last five games.
THE MAGIC MARKER - With the 69-65 loss to Colorado on Feb. 9, USC had its 50-game winning streak snapped when holding its opponent to under 70 points scored. USC's previous loss when the opponent scored under 70 points was a 64-59 setback at Arizona State on Feb. 22, 2015. USC is now 52-1 in its last 53 games when holding the opposition to 69 points or less.
DISTRIBUTING THE ROCK - USC has averaged 20.1 assists in its wins and 11.9 assists in its losses. USC leads Pac-12 teams with 445 assists. Derryck Thornton leads USC and is tied for third in the conference with 124 assists. USC's 1.3 assist to turnover ratio is tops in the Pac-12. USC is 14-0 this season when it has 16 or more assists. USC ranks 20th in the country in assists per game (16.5).
MAKING ADJUSTMENTS - USC has outscored the opposition in the second half in 19 of its first 27 games. USC has outscored its opponents 1,126-1,032 in the second half. USC has made 49.7 percent of its shots in the second half (404-for-813), including 43.4 percent from three-point range (125-for-288).
BOATWRIGHT KEEPS RISING UP THE USC SCORING CHARTS - Senior Bennie Boatwright missed the first two games of the season while still coming back from offseason knee surgery, but has averaged a team-leading 18.5 points per game (3rd in Pac-12) since his return. He scored 14 points vs. Texas Tech on Nov. 19 to give him 1,008 career points. He now has scored 1,440 career points which is 13th on USC's all-time scoring, one point behind Brian Scalabrine (12th, 1,441), 20 behind Dwight Lewis (11th, 1,460) and 26 behind Lodrick Stewart (10th, 1,466). Boatwright has averaged 14.4 points (1,440) in 100 career games played, despite being slowed by injuries. Boatwright averaged 13.6 points in 23 games last season, first being slowed by a foot injury and then having his season end with a knee injury. He led USC to the 2017 Diamond Head Classic title by scoring a then career-high 33 points vs. New Mexico State on Dec. 25, making a career-best six three-point baskets. Boatwright has also made 221 career three-point baskets, 3rd on USC's all-time list, 11 behind Lodrick Stewart (2nd, 232) and 24 behind Elijah Stewart (1st, 245) on USC's all-time list.
USC Men's Basketball 2025-26 Big Ten Schedule Reveal
Thursday, September 18
Men's Basketball Media Availability 9/16
Wednesday, September 17
USC MBB: USC HC Eric Musselman, Gabe Dynes, Jordan Marsh and Terrance Williams II | Sept. 3, 2025
Wednesday, September 03
USC Men's Basketball - Alijah Arenas Opening Press Conference
Tuesday, June 24
