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Photo by: John McGillen/USC Athletics
USC To Play Arizona In Pac-12 Tournament Opener Wednesday
March 12, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Features
Game is rematch of 2018 title game
The No. 8 seed USC Trojans (15-16, 8-10) will play the No. 9 seed Arizona Wildcats (17-14, 8-10) in the first round of the 2019 Pac-12 Tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. on March 13 at noon. USC has matched a season high with four losses in a row and has lost 7 of its last 9 games. The winner of the USC-Arizona game will face the No. 1 seed Washington Huskies (24-7, 15-3) on March 14 at noon.
BREAKING DOWN ARIZONA - Arizona (17-14, 8-10) is coming off a 72-64 home loss vs. Arizona State on March 9. Arizona went 3-9 in its last 12 Pac-12 games, after beginning conference play 5-1. Sophomore guard Brandon Randolph leads Arizona with a 12.8 scoring average. USC defeated Arizona 80-57 at the Galen Center on Jan. 24, snapping a five-game losing streak against the Wildcats. Arizona leads the all-time series 67-42 (with a win by both USC and Arizona vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 68-43). USC is 0-5 all-time in the Pac-12 Tournament against Arizona, including falling 75-61 in the 2018 final.
USC HAS A FOUL RESULT AT COLORADO - USC led by seven at halftime, but foul troubles mounted and the Trojans fell 78-67 at Colorado on March 9. USC led 37-30 at halftime, after trailing 11-5 early. At that point USC went on a 28-10 run to take its biggest lead of the game at 33-21. Colorado chipped away in the second half, taking its first lead at 44-43 at the 13 minute mark and the game would remain within four points until under seven minutes remaining. Eight seconds into the second half Nick Rakocevic picked up his 3rd foul. He was soon replaced by Victor Uyaelunmo, who had a career-high 8 rebounds in the game, but Uyaelunmo picked up his 3rd & 4th fouls with 15 minutes remaining. In addition, Bennie Boatwright picked up his 3rd & 4th foul in the first nine minutes of the half and ultimate came back in and fouled out on a charge with 3:07 remaining. With USC's big men in and out of the lineup, Colorado scored 46 points in the paint. Rakocevic had his 14th double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Jonah Matthews added 13 points. Boatwright scored nine points, snapping his streak of 20 consecutive games of scoring in double figures. Colorado made 61.5 percent of its second half shots and 49.1 percent for the game. USC was outscored 19-8 at the FT line.
USC AT THE PAC-12 TOURNAMENT - USC went 2-1 at the 2018 Pac-12 Tournament, defeating Oregon State (61-48) and Oregon (74-54) before falling to Arizona (75-61) in the final. Jonah Mathews and Jordan McLaughlin were named to the 2018 All-Tournament team. USC is 17-18 all-time at the Pac-12 Tournament which includes one win vacated due to NCAA penalty (original record 18-18). USC won the 2009 Pac-12 Tournament.
AS THE SAYING GOES, NOTHING IS FREE IN LIFE...OR BASKETBALL - USC is shooting 64.1 percent from the free throw line this season, 11th in the conference and 334 out of 351 schools. USC has not made more than 70 percent of its free throws in 10 consecutive games and has shot over 70 percent seven times in 31 games. USC had its first game in school history without making a free throw (0-for-6) vs. Oregon State on Feb. 23 and went 1-for-7 at UCLA on Feb. 28 to match the previous school record for fewest makes and lowest free throw percentage in a game. USC was outscored 33-1 from the FT line in the two games, both five-point losses.
BOATWRIGHT 1ST TEAM, RAKOCEVIC HONORABLE MENTION ALL-PAC-12 - Senior forward Bennie Boatwright was named to the 10-man All-Pac-12 First Team on March 11. The players were selected by a vote of the league's 12 head coaches. Boatwright ranks third among Pac-12 players this season with an 18.1 scoring average and is second in the conference with 82 three-pointers made. Junior forward Nick Rakocevic was named honorable mention All-Pac-12, averaging 14.9 points and 9.3 rebounds. USC has had four different players in the past four season named to the All-Pac-12 first team, after having one in its previous seven seasons.
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 TWO HALVES OF PAC-12 PLAY - USC went 6-3 in the first half of Pac-12 play and went 2-7 in the second half of conference play. USC was 5-0 at home in the first half of Pac-12 play and 1-3 at home in the second half. USC outscored the opposition 75.2-72.1 in the first half and was slightly outscored 73.0-73.4 in the second half. USC's top three scorers in Pac-12 action and their first half and second half of conference play scoring averages were: Bennie Boatwright (20.1/20.0), Nick Rakocevic (19.0/11.8) and Jonah Mathews (13.0/12.3). Derryck Thornton had 51 assists (5.7 assists per game) in USC's first nine conference games and 27 in the last nine games (3.0 assists per game).
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS - With the five-point overtime loss at UCLA on Feb. 28, USC fell to 0-3 in overtime games and 1-6 in games decided by five points or less. USC's last seven losses have been by a combined 44 points (6.3 ppg), including one in overtime.
DISTRIBUTING THE ROCK - USC has averaged 20.1 assists in its wins and 12.9 assists in its losses. USC leads Pac-12 teams with 509 assists. Derryck Thornton leads USC and is fifth in the conference with 132 assists. USC's 1.4 assist to turnover ratio is tops in the Pac-12 and 21st in the country. USC had 28 assists in the overtime loss at UCLA on Feb. 28 and is now 14-1 this season when it has 16 or more assists. USC ranks 19th in the country in assists per game (16.4).
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 18.1 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 1,504 career points which is 7th on USC's all-time scoring, 20 behind Wayne Carlander (6th, 1,524). Boatwright has averaged 14.5 points (1,504) in 104 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 235 career three-point baskets, 2nd on USC's all-time list, 10 behind Elijah Stewart (1st, 245) on USC's all-time list.
BREAKING DOWN ARIZONA - Arizona (17-14, 8-10) is coming off a 72-64 home loss vs. Arizona State on March 9. Arizona went 3-9 in its last 12 Pac-12 games, after beginning conference play 5-1. Sophomore guard Brandon Randolph leads Arizona with a 12.8 scoring average. USC defeated Arizona 80-57 at the Galen Center on Jan. 24, snapping a five-game losing streak against the Wildcats. Arizona leads the all-time series 67-42 (with a win by both USC and Arizona vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 68-43). USC is 0-5 all-time in the Pac-12 Tournament against Arizona, including falling 75-61 in the 2018 final.
USC HAS A FOUL RESULT AT COLORADO - USC led by seven at halftime, but foul troubles mounted and the Trojans fell 78-67 at Colorado on March 9. USC led 37-30 at halftime, after trailing 11-5 early. At that point USC went on a 28-10 run to take its biggest lead of the game at 33-21. Colorado chipped away in the second half, taking its first lead at 44-43 at the 13 minute mark and the game would remain within four points until under seven minutes remaining. Eight seconds into the second half Nick Rakocevic picked up his 3rd foul. He was soon replaced by Victor Uyaelunmo, who had a career-high 8 rebounds in the game, but Uyaelunmo picked up his 3rd & 4th fouls with 15 minutes remaining. In addition, Bennie Boatwright picked up his 3rd & 4th foul in the first nine minutes of the half and ultimate came back in and fouled out on a charge with 3:07 remaining. With USC's big men in and out of the lineup, Colorado scored 46 points in the paint. Rakocevic had his 14th double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Jonah Matthews added 13 points. Boatwright scored nine points, snapping his streak of 20 consecutive games of scoring in double figures. Colorado made 61.5 percent of its second half shots and 49.1 percent for the game. USC was outscored 19-8 at the FT line.
USC AT THE PAC-12 TOURNAMENT - USC went 2-1 at the 2018 Pac-12 Tournament, defeating Oregon State (61-48) and Oregon (74-54) before falling to Arizona (75-61) in the final. Jonah Mathews and Jordan McLaughlin were named to the 2018 All-Tournament team. USC is 17-18 all-time at the Pac-12 Tournament which includes one win vacated due to NCAA penalty (original record 18-18). USC won the 2009 Pac-12 Tournament.
AS THE SAYING GOES, NOTHING IS FREE IN LIFE...OR BASKETBALL - USC is shooting 64.1 percent from the free throw line this season, 11th in the conference and 334 out of 351 schools. USC has not made more than 70 percent of its free throws in 10 consecutive games and has shot over 70 percent seven times in 31 games. USC had its first game in school history without making a free throw (0-for-6) vs. Oregon State on Feb. 23 and went 1-for-7 at UCLA on Feb. 28 to match the previous school record for fewest makes and lowest free throw percentage in a game. USC was outscored 33-1 from the FT line in the two games, both five-point losses.
BOATWRIGHT 1ST TEAM, RAKOCEVIC HONORABLE MENTION ALL-PAC-12 - Senior forward Bennie Boatwright was named to the 10-man All-Pac-12 First Team on March 11. The players were selected by a vote of the league's 12 head coaches. Boatwright ranks third among Pac-12 players this season with an 18.1 scoring average and is second in the conference with 82 three-pointers made. Junior forward Nick Rakocevic was named honorable mention All-Pac-12, averaging 14.9 points and 9.3 rebounds. USC has had four different players in the past four season named to the All-Pac-12 first team, after having one in its previous seven seasons.
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 TWO HALVES OF PAC-12 PLAY - USC went 6-3 in the first half of Pac-12 play and went 2-7 in the second half of conference play. USC was 5-0 at home in the first half of Pac-12 play and 1-3 at home in the second half. USC outscored the opposition 75.2-72.1 in the first half and was slightly outscored 73.0-73.4 in the second half. USC's top three scorers in Pac-12 action and their first half and second half of conference play scoring averages were: Bennie Boatwright (20.1/20.0), Nick Rakocevic (19.0/11.8) and Jonah Mathews (13.0/12.3). Derryck Thornton had 51 assists (5.7 assists per game) in USC's first nine conference games and 27 in the last nine games (3.0 assists per game).
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS - With the five-point overtime loss at UCLA on Feb. 28, USC fell to 0-3 in overtime games and 1-6 in games decided by five points or less. USC's last seven losses have been by a combined 44 points (6.3 ppg), including one in overtime.
DISTRIBUTING THE ROCK - USC has averaged 20.1 assists in its wins and 12.9 assists in its losses. USC leads Pac-12 teams with 509 assists. Derryck Thornton leads USC and is fifth in the conference with 132 assists. USC's 1.4 assist to turnover ratio is tops in the Pac-12 and 21st in the country. USC had 28 assists in the overtime loss at UCLA on Feb. 28 and is now 14-1 this season when it has 16 or more assists. USC ranks 19th in the country in assists per game (16.4).
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 18.1 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 1,504 career points which is 7th on USC's all-time scoring, 20 behind Wayne Carlander (6th, 1,524). Boatwright has averaged 14.5 points (1,504) in 104 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 235 career three-point baskets, 2nd on USC's all-time list, 10 behind Elijah Stewart (1st, 245) on USC's all-time list.
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