University Southern California Trojans
Thursday, January 16
Los Angeles, Calif.
7:30 PM
USC
vs
California
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: John McGillen/USC Athletics
USC Returns To Galen To Face California
January 14, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Features
Trojans have played one home game in a month of action
The USC Trojans (13-3, 2-1) will host the California Golden Bears (8-8, 2-1) at the Galen Center on Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m. The game will air on the Pac-12 Network with J.B. Long and Richard Jefferson calling the action. USC has won 7 of its last 8 games. USC has won 13 of its first 16 games for only the third time in the last 18 seasons (15-1 in 2017 and 13-3 in 2016).
BREAKING DOWN CALIFORNIA -- The California Golden Bears (8-8, 2-1) are coming off a home sweep of the Washington schools, beating WSU 73-66 on Jan. 9 and Washington 61-58 in overtime on Jan. 11. Guard Matt Bradley (17.7 ppg), who hit the game-winner against the Huskies, was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for averaging 21.5 points in the Bears' sweep. Mark Fox is in his first season as the head coach at California, following stints at Nevada and Georgia where he compiled a 286-176 record. USC defeated California 82-73 at home and 89-66 on the road last season to run its winning streak against the Bears to four games. Cal leads the all-time series 136-126* (1 USC win vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 136-127).
USC WINS AT UCLA FOR THE 1ST TIME SINCE 2016 -- Nick Rakocevic posted a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds and Jonah Mathews added 16 points to lead USC to a 74-63 win at UCLA on Jan. 11. It was the first win for the USC seniors at Pauley Pavilion and the first for USC at UCLA since the 2016 season. USC led for all but 1:24 minutes in the game and took a 33-31 lead into halftime, led by Ethan Anderson who scored 12 of his career-high 14 points before the break. USC pulled away in the second half as it shot 69.6 percent after the break. USC outrebounded UCLA 18-11 in the second half and 35-31 for the game, the first time all season the Bruins were beaten on the boards. Daniel Utomi made his first start as a Trojan and scored 13 points while making 3 of 7 from 3-point range. USC made 57.4 percent of its shots, including 50 percent from 3-point range, while holding UCLA to 37.9 percent shooting, 23.1 percent from beyond the arc.
No. 25 STANFORD ON DECK -- The Stanford Cardinal (14-2, 3-0) will play at UCLA on Jan. 15 before facing USC. The Cardinal opened Pac-12 play with home wins over California, WSU and Washington and sits in first place in the conference through the first two weeks. Stanford is receiving votes in the AP Poll and ranked No. 25 in the Coaches Poll, the first time in the rankings since also being RV/No. 25 on Jan. 19, 2015. Junior Oscar da Silva (16.5) and freshman Tyrell Terry (15.3) lead Stanford in points scored per game. USC and Stanford split the 2018-19 season series with each team winning at home. Stanford leads the all-time series 127-125* (1 USC win vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 127-126). Seven of the last 12 games between the two schools have been decided by 5 points or less or in overtime.
THE MAGICAL MARKER -- With the 74-63 win at UCLA on Jan. 11, USC improved to 10-0 this season when holding the opposition to under 70 points scored. In fact, USC is 63-2 in its last 65 games when holding the opposition to 69 points or less and is 78-8 in such games during the Andy Enfield Era.
DÉJÀ VU -- USC began Pac-12 play with three consecutive road games for the first time since the 2003 season when it also won at Washington State, lost at Washington and then won at UCLA.
ROAD WARRIORS -- USC is 4-1 on the road this season, after going 2-9 on the road during the 2018-19 season. Only four schools among the ACC, AAC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12 have four true road wins this season: Duke (4-0), USC (4-1), DePaul (4-1) and Georgia Tech (4-3). 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 2017 and 2018 seasons, the only two seasons in the past 11 with a winning road record.
BOARD BROTHERS -- USC forwards Nick Rakocevic (9.0) and Onyeka Okongwu (8.7) are one of four pairs of teammates in Division I averaging 8.7 rebounds or more per game. The other schools with a tandem of rebounders averaging 8.7 rebounds or more per game are Saint Louis, West Virginia and William and Mary.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 15 career games, Okongwu is averaging 16.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.93 blocks per game, while shooting 62.0 percent from the field. His 44 total blocks already rank third on USC's all-time freshman blocks list. Among all freshmen nationally through Jan. 13, he ranks second blocks per game (2.93), third in total blocks (44) and in field goal percentage (62.0 percent), fourth in total field goals made (101) and offensive rebounds per game (3.40), fifth in rebounds per game (8.7) and in points per game (16.9), tied for fifth in double-doubles (6), eighth in total rebounds (131) and ninth in total points (253).
THE GANG IS STARTING TO SHOOT STRAIGHT --- Despite making only 20 percent of its shots at Washington on Jan. 5, USC has made 45.1 percent of its shots in the last eight games (205-for-455). In the first eight games of the season, USC made 43.3 percent of its shots (210-for-485).
TURNING UP THE DEFENSE -- USC's defense has held its last five opponents to a combined 37.3 shooting percentage (120-for-322). For the year, USC is holding the opposition to 38.8 percent shooting which ranks 38th in the country. Also in the last five games combined, USC's opponents are shooting 25.0 percent (27-for-108) from three point range. USC's opponents shot a higher percentage than that in each of the previous 10 games and prior to the last five games, had made 35.6 percent of its shots from beyond the arc for season.
GLAD TO BE AT GALEN -- USC just finished a stretch with 8 of 10 games away from the Galen Center and went 8-2 in that stretch. USC is a combined 7-2 in games away from home (4-1 on the road and 3-1 in neutral site games).
BREAKING DOWN CALIFORNIA -- The California Golden Bears (8-8, 2-1) are coming off a home sweep of the Washington schools, beating WSU 73-66 on Jan. 9 and Washington 61-58 in overtime on Jan. 11. Guard Matt Bradley (17.7 ppg), who hit the game-winner against the Huskies, was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for averaging 21.5 points in the Bears' sweep. Mark Fox is in his first season as the head coach at California, following stints at Nevada and Georgia where he compiled a 286-176 record. USC defeated California 82-73 at home and 89-66 on the road last season to run its winning streak against the Bears to four games. Cal leads the all-time series 136-126* (1 USC win vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 136-127).
USC WINS AT UCLA FOR THE 1ST TIME SINCE 2016 -- Nick Rakocevic posted a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds and Jonah Mathews added 16 points to lead USC to a 74-63 win at UCLA on Jan. 11. It was the first win for the USC seniors at Pauley Pavilion and the first for USC at UCLA since the 2016 season. USC led for all but 1:24 minutes in the game and took a 33-31 lead into halftime, led by Ethan Anderson who scored 12 of his career-high 14 points before the break. USC pulled away in the second half as it shot 69.6 percent after the break. USC outrebounded UCLA 18-11 in the second half and 35-31 for the game, the first time all season the Bruins were beaten on the boards. Daniel Utomi made his first start as a Trojan and scored 13 points while making 3 of 7 from 3-point range. USC made 57.4 percent of its shots, including 50 percent from 3-point range, while holding UCLA to 37.9 percent shooting, 23.1 percent from beyond the arc.
No. 25 STANFORD ON DECK -- The Stanford Cardinal (14-2, 3-0) will play at UCLA on Jan. 15 before facing USC. The Cardinal opened Pac-12 play with home wins over California, WSU and Washington and sits in first place in the conference through the first two weeks. Stanford is receiving votes in the AP Poll and ranked No. 25 in the Coaches Poll, the first time in the rankings since also being RV/No. 25 on Jan. 19, 2015. Junior Oscar da Silva (16.5) and freshman Tyrell Terry (15.3) lead Stanford in points scored per game. USC and Stanford split the 2018-19 season series with each team winning at home. Stanford leads the all-time series 127-125* (1 USC win vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 127-126). Seven of the last 12 games between the two schools have been decided by 5 points or less or in overtime.
THE MAGICAL MARKER -- With the 74-63 win at UCLA on Jan. 11, USC improved to 10-0 this season when holding the opposition to under 70 points scored. In fact, USC is 63-2 in its last 65 games when holding the opposition to 69 points or less and is 78-8 in such games during the Andy Enfield Era.
DÉJÀ VU -- USC began Pac-12 play with three consecutive road games for the first time since the 2003 season when it also won at Washington State, lost at Washington and then won at UCLA.
ROAD WARRIORS -- USC is 4-1 on the road this season, after going 2-9 on the road during the 2018-19 season. Only four schools among the ACC, AAC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12 have four true road wins this season: Duke (4-0), USC (4-1), DePaul (4-1) and Georgia Tech (4-3). 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 2017 and 2018 seasons, the only two seasons in the past 11 with a winning road record.
BOARD BROTHERS -- USC forwards Nick Rakocevic (9.0) and Onyeka Okongwu (8.7) are one of four pairs of teammates in Division I averaging 8.7 rebounds or more per game. The other schools with a tandem of rebounders averaging 8.7 rebounds or more per game are Saint Louis, West Virginia and William and Mary.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 15 career games, Okongwu is averaging 16.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.93 blocks per game, while shooting 62.0 percent from the field. His 44 total blocks already rank third on USC's all-time freshman blocks list. Among all freshmen nationally through Jan. 13, he ranks second blocks per game (2.93), third in total blocks (44) and in field goal percentage (62.0 percent), fourth in total field goals made (101) and offensive rebounds per game (3.40), fifth in rebounds per game (8.7) and in points per game (16.9), tied for fifth in double-doubles (6), eighth in total rebounds (131) and ninth in total points (253).
THE GANG IS STARTING TO SHOOT STRAIGHT --- Despite making only 20 percent of its shots at Washington on Jan. 5, USC has made 45.1 percent of its shots in the last eight games (205-for-455). In the first eight games of the season, USC made 43.3 percent of its shots (210-for-485).
TURNING UP THE DEFENSE -- USC's defense has held its last five opponents to a combined 37.3 shooting percentage (120-for-322). For the year, USC is holding the opposition to 38.8 percent shooting which ranks 38th in the country. Also in the last five games combined, USC's opponents are shooting 25.0 percent (27-for-108) from three point range. USC's opponents shot a higher percentage than that in each of the previous 10 games and prior to the last five games, had made 35.6 percent of its shots from beyond the arc for season.
GLAD TO BE AT GALEN -- USC just finished a stretch with 8 of 10 games away from the Galen Center and went 8-2 in that stretch. USC is a combined 7-2 in games away from home (4-1 on the road and 3-1 in neutral site games).
USC Men's Basketball at UCLA Highlights | Trojans fall 81-62
Tuesday, February 24
USC Men's Basketball at UCLA Postgame Press Conference (2/24/26)
Tuesday, February 24
USC Men's Basketball vs. Oregon Postgame Press Conference (2/21/26)
Saturday, February 21
USC Men's Basketball vs Oregon Highlights | Trojans fall 71-70
Saturday, February 21
