USC To Play At No. 12/No. 13 Oregon Thursday

The USC Trojans (15-3, 4-1) will play at the No. 12/13 Oregon Ducks (15-4, 4-2) at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. on Jan. 23 at 8:00 p.m. The game will air on ESPNU with Roxy Bernstein and Adrian Branch calling the action. USC has won 9 of its last 10 games. USC has won 15 of its first 18 games for only the third time in the last 18 seasons (15-3 in 2017 and in 2016). USC has started 4-1 in Pac-12 play for the first time since also opening 4-1 in the 2016 season. The last time USC had a better start to conference action was in 2002 when it began 5-0. USC's .833 winning percentage is tied for 11th best among all Div. I teams.

BREAKING DOWN NO. 12/13 OREGON -- The Oregon Ducks (15-4, 4-2) are coming off a 64-61 overtime win at Washington in which it overcame a 16-point deficit. Oregon is 10-0 at home this season. Senior Payton Pritchard leads the Ducks with a 19.5 scoring average. Oregon leads the Pac-12 with 157 3-pointers made. USC and Oregon split the season series in 2019 with each team winning its home game. USC lost 81-60 at Oregon last season and has fallen in 8 of the last 9 games in Eugene, Ore. USC won the last meeting 66-49 which was at the Galen Center and leads the all-time series 64-57* (2 USC wins vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 66-57).

USC ERASES 21-POINT DEFICIT IN WIN AGAINST No. 25 STANFORD -- USC trailed by 21 early in the second half and by 5 with 15 seconds remaining, but somehow pulled out an epic 82-78 overtime win over RV/No. 25 Stanford on Jan. 18. The 21-point 2nd-half deficit overcome and the 20-point halftime deficit erased to win by USC are believed to be Pac-12 records. USC defeated a ranked opponent for the first time since beating No. 11 SMU on March 17, 2017. After Ethan Anderson stole the ball on a Stanford inbounds pass with 15 seconds left in regulation, Onyeka Okongwu tipped in a missed shot to cut it to 69-66 with 11 seconds remaining. Jonah Mathews stole the ensuing inbounds pass near halfcourt and hit Elijah Weaver on the wing for a 3-pointer. Weaver hit the shot while being fouled with 7 seconds remaining. He missed the FT and Stanford's Spencer Jones had his long 3-pointer blocked at the buzzer by Anderson. In overtime, Weaver scored 8 of USC's 13 points. After Stanford made 65.5 percent of its shots in the first half to take a 45-25 lead, it was held to a combined 34.4 percent in the 2nd half and OT. Okongwu led USC with 22 points & 9 rebounds before fouling out in OT. Mathews scored 19, Weaver had 13 and Anderson added 11. USC's comeback was greatly aided at the FT line where it made 20 of 24 shots (83.3 percent) in the 2nd half and OT.

OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 17 career games, Okongwu is averaging 16.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.00 blocks per game, while shooting 61.7 percent from the field. His 51 total blocks already rank third on USC's all-time freshman blocks list. Among all freshmen nationally entering this week's action, he ranks first in blocks per game (3.00), second in total blocks (51), third in field goal percentage (61.7 percent) and in offensive rebounds per game (3.35), fourth in total field goals made (113), fifth in points per game (16.9), tied for sixth in rebounds per game (8.7) and in double-doubles (6), eighth in total rebounds (148) and ninth in total points (287).

OREGON STATE ON DECK -- The Oregon State Beavers (12-6, 2-4) are coming off an 89-76 at Washington State on Jan. 18 and will host UCLA on Jan. 23 before facing USC on Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. The Beavers are 8-1 at Gill Coliseum. Senior forward Tres Tinkle leads OSU in scoring at 19.7 points per game. OSU swept the season series in 2019, winning 79-74 in overtime at home and 67-62 at USC. USC leads the all-time series 73-65* (2 USC wins vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 75-65). USC is 2-8 in its last 10 games at Oregon State.

THE MAGICAL MARKER -- USC held California to 56 points on Jan. 16 to improve to 11-0 this season when holding the opposition to under 70 points scored. In fact, USC is 64-2 in its last 66 games when holding the opposition to 69 points or less and is 79-8 in such games during the Andy Enfield Era.

ASSISTANCE REQUESTED -- In its wins, USC averages 16.6 assists (249 assists/15 G) and 8.7 assists in its losses (26 assists/3 G).

BOARD BROTHERS -- USC forwards Nick Rakocevic (8.7) 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.

DID U KNOW? -- Grad transfer Daniel Utomi has scored 1,265 points and made 229 three-pointers in his career. He ranks T-25th among active players in three-pointers made and 105th in points scored. Utomi has started the last three games and scored a combined 37 points.

ROAD WARRIORS -- USC is 4-1 on the road this season, after going 2-9 on the road during the 2018-19 season. Entering this week, only 9 schools among the ACC, AAC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12 have 4 or more true road wins this season and only two have more road wins: Kansas (5-1) and Seton Hall (5-2). 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.

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Players Mentioned

Ethan Anderson

Jonah Mathews

Onyeka Okongwu

Nick Rakocevic

Daniel Utomi

Elijah Weaver