University Southern California Trojans
Photo by: John McGillen/USC Athletics
USC Looks To Bounce Back At Oregon State Saturday
January 24, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Features
The USC Trojans (15-4, 4-2) will play at the Oregon State Beavers (12-7, 2-5) at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Ore. on Jan. 25 at 2:00 p.m. The game will air on the Pac-12 Network with J.B. Long and Matt Muehlebach calling the action. USC has won 9 of its last 11 games. USC has won 15 of its first 19 games for only the third time in the last 18 seasons (16-3 in 2017 and 15-4 in 2016). The 2002 & 2018 Trojans began 16-4 through 20 games, USC's best 20-game starts since beginning 17-3 in 1992.
BREAKING DOWN OREGON STATE -- The Oregon State Beavers (12-7, 2-5) are coming off a 62-58 home loss to UCLA on Jan. 23. The Beavers are 8-2 at Gill Coliseum. Senior forward Tres Tinkle leads OSU in scoring at 19.6 points per game. OSU swept the season series with USC 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.
USC FALLS IN DOUBLE OT AT No. 12 OREGON -- USC rallied from 11 back in the second half to force overtime, but fell 79-70 in double OT at No. 12/13 Oregon on Jan. 23. USC trailed 56-45 with 8 minutes remaining in regulation, then went on an 11-0 run to tie the game at 56-all with 5:22 remaining. After Payton Pritchard scored in the lane to give Oregon a 58-56 lead, Nick Rakocevic made a FT to cut it to 58-57, then with 2:17 remaining Rakocevic was fouled again and hit a pair of FTs to give USC a 59-58 lead. After an Oregon miss, Jonah Mathews hit a 3-pointer to put USC up 62-58 with 1:24 remaining. After a driving layup by C.J. Walker cut the lead to 2 points, Ethan Anderson missed a shot in the lane which led to a Prichard driving layup to tie the game at 62-all with 26 seconds remaining. USC turned the ball over, but Oregon could not score sending it to OT. Both teams scored 5 points in the OT period, but USC could manage only 3 FTs in the 2nd OT and fell 79-70, falling short of the upset and snapping Oregon's 10-game home winning streak this season. Okongwu led USC with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 6 blocks. Chris Duarte led Oregon with 30 points. USC made 33.9 percent of its shots and held Oregon to 39.7 percent shooting, including 34.1 percent in the 2nd half and OT. USC had 18 turnovers which led to a 23-14 Oregon advantage on points off turnovers. USC played back-to-back OT games for the first time since Jan. 26 and Jan. 30, 2014.
UTAH ON DECK -- The Utah Utes (11-7, 2-4) is coming off a 67-66 home win over Washington on Jan. 23 and will host Washington State on Jan. 25 before squaring off with USC at the Galen Center on Jan. 30. Utah is led by sophomore forward Timmy Allen who is averaging 19.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Utah swept USC last season, winning 77-70 in Los Angeles, and 83-74 in Salt Lake City. Utah leads in the all-time series, 24-19.
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 9.0 assists in its losses (36 assists/4 G).
BOARD BROTHERS -- USC forwards Nick Rakocevic (8.5) and Onyeka Okongwu (9.0) are one of four pairs of teammates in Division I averaging 8.5 rebounds or more per game. The other schools with a tandem of rebounders averaging 8.5 rebounds or more per game are Saint Louis, West Virginia and William and Mary.
DID U KNOW? -- Grad transfer Daniel Utomi has scored 1,275 points and made 231 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 four games and scored a combined 47 points.
DUNK YOU VERY MUCH -- Onyeka Okongwu has 36 dunks in his 18 games played and USC's opponents have a total of 37 dunks in 19 games.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 18 career games, Okongwu is averaging 17.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.17 blocks per game, while shooting 61.2 percent from the field. His 57 total blocks already rank second on USC's all-time freshman blocks list, trailing only Taj Gibson's 69 in 2007. Among all freshmen nationally, he ranks first in blocks per game (3.17) and in total blocks (57), third in field goal percentage (61.2 percent) and in offensive rebounds per game (3.56), fourth in total field goals made (120), fifth in points per game (17.2) and in rebounds per game (9.0), tied for fifth in double-doubles (7), sixth in total rebounds (162) and eighth in total points (310).
BREAKING DOWN OREGON STATE -- The Oregon State Beavers (12-7, 2-5) are coming off a 62-58 home loss to UCLA on Jan. 23. The Beavers are 8-2 at Gill Coliseum. Senior forward Tres Tinkle leads OSU in scoring at 19.6 points per game. OSU swept the season series with USC 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.
USC FALLS IN DOUBLE OT AT No. 12 OREGON -- USC rallied from 11 back in the second half to force overtime, but fell 79-70 in double OT at No. 12/13 Oregon on Jan. 23. USC trailed 56-45 with 8 minutes remaining in regulation, then went on an 11-0 run to tie the game at 56-all with 5:22 remaining. After Payton Pritchard scored in the lane to give Oregon a 58-56 lead, Nick Rakocevic made a FT to cut it to 58-57, then with 2:17 remaining Rakocevic was fouled again and hit a pair of FTs to give USC a 59-58 lead. After an Oregon miss, Jonah Mathews hit a 3-pointer to put USC up 62-58 with 1:24 remaining. After a driving layup by C.J. Walker cut the lead to 2 points, Ethan Anderson missed a shot in the lane which led to a Prichard driving layup to tie the game at 62-all with 26 seconds remaining. USC turned the ball over, but Oregon could not score sending it to OT. Both teams scored 5 points in the OT period, but USC could manage only 3 FTs in the 2nd OT and fell 79-70, falling short of the upset and snapping Oregon's 10-game home winning streak this season. Okongwu led USC with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 6 blocks. Chris Duarte led Oregon with 30 points. USC made 33.9 percent of its shots and held Oregon to 39.7 percent shooting, including 34.1 percent in the 2nd half and OT. USC had 18 turnovers which led to a 23-14 Oregon advantage on points off turnovers. USC played back-to-back OT games for the first time since Jan. 26 and Jan. 30, 2014.
UTAH ON DECK -- The Utah Utes (11-7, 2-4) is coming off a 67-66 home win over Washington on Jan. 23 and will host Washington State on Jan. 25 before squaring off with USC at the Galen Center on Jan. 30. Utah is led by sophomore forward Timmy Allen who is averaging 19.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Utah swept USC last season, winning 77-70 in Los Angeles, and 83-74 in Salt Lake City. Utah leads in the all-time series, 24-19.
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 9.0 assists in its losses (36 assists/4 G).
BOARD BROTHERS -- USC forwards Nick Rakocevic (8.5) and Onyeka Okongwu (9.0) are one of four pairs of teammates in Division I averaging 8.5 rebounds or more per game. The other schools with a tandem of rebounders averaging 8.5 rebounds or more per game are Saint Louis, West Virginia and William and Mary.
DID U KNOW? -- Grad transfer Daniel Utomi has scored 1,275 points and made 231 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 four games and scored a combined 47 points.
DUNK YOU VERY MUCH -- Onyeka Okongwu has 36 dunks in his 18 games played and USC's opponents have a total of 37 dunks in 19 games.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 18 career games, Okongwu is averaging 17.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.17 blocks per game, while shooting 61.2 percent from the field. His 57 total blocks already rank second on USC's all-time freshman blocks list, trailing only Taj Gibson's 69 in 2007. Among all freshmen nationally, he ranks first in blocks per game (3.17) and in total blocks (57), third in field goal percentage (61.2 percent) and in offensive rebounds per game (3.56), fourth in total field goals made (120), fifth in points per game (17.2) and in rebounds per game (9.0), tied for fifth in double-doubles (7), sixth in total rebounds (162) and eighth in total points (310).
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