University Southern California Trojans
Thursday, January 30
Los Angeles, Calif.
6:30 PM
USC
vs
Utah
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 Thursday To Face Utah
January 28, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Features
The USC Trojans (16-4, 5-2) will host the Utah Runnin' Utes (12-7, 3-4) at the Galen Center on Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. The game will air on the FS1 with Joe Davis and Steve Lavin calling the action. USC has won 10 of its last 12 games. USC has won 16 of its first 20 games for only the third time in the last 28 seasons ( also 16-4 in 2002 and 2017). USC's 16 wins matches its total from the 2018-19 season (16-17).
BREAKING DOWN UTAH -- The Utah Utes (12-7, 3-4) are coming off a home sweep of the Washington schools, defeating Washington 67-66 on Jan. 23 and Washington State 76-64 on Jan. 25. Utah is led by sophomore forward Timmy Allen who is averaging 19.0 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. Utah has won 4 of its last 5 games at Galen.
USC'S HOT SHOOTING BAGS THE BEAVERS -- Onyeka Okongwu scored 18 points which included 3 monstrous dunks and USC had its best shooting performance since 2007 to cruise to a 75-55 win at Oregon State on Jan. 25. USC made 64.6 percent of its shots in the game, its best performance since making 68.1 percent vs. Delaware State on Dec. 17, 2007. USC never trailed in the game and jumped out to a 22-point lead with 7 minutes to go in the 1st half at 30-8, but the Beavers cut the deficit to 8 by halftime (36-28). After OSU cut it to 46-40 with 12:54 remaining in the second half, USC called a timeout and responded with a 14-0 run over the next 5 minutes to put the game away. Joining Okongwu scoring in double figures were Jonah Mathews with 16, Elijah Weaver with 13, Ethan Anderson with 11 and Nick Rakocevic with 10. USC made 72.7 percent of its shots in the second half, missing only 6 times. The Trojans held OSU to 37.0 shooting in the game and outscored them 44-28 on points in the paint. The 20-point margin of victory was USC's biggest in Corvallis since winning by 24 points in the 2008 season and only the third victory in the last 11 trips to Oregon State.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 19 career games, Okongwu is averaging 17.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.11 blocks per game, while shooting 62.3 percent from the field. His 59 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 (3.11) and in total blocks (59), second in field goal percentage (62.3 percent), third in total field goals (127), fourth and in offensive rebounds per game (3.37), fifth in points per game (17.3) and in rebounds per game (8.9), seventh in total points (328) and tied for seventh in double-doubles (7).
No. 20/21COLORADO ON DECK -- The Colorado Buffaloes (16-4, 5-2) are also coming off a home sweep of the Washington schools, defeating WSU 78-56 on Jan. 23 and Washington 76-62 on Jan. 25. Three Buffalo players are averaging double figures in scoring: McKinley Wright (13.4), Tyler Bey (13.3) and D'Shawn Schwartz (10.7). Colorado leads the all-time series with the Trojans 11-7 and swept the 2019 season series, winning 69-65 at USC and 78-67 in Boulder, Colo. Colorado has won 5 of its last 7 games played at the Galen Center.
THE MAGICAL MARKER -- USC held Oregon State to 55 points on Jan. 25 to improve to 12-0 this season when holding the opposition to under 70 points scored. In fact, USC is 65-2 in its last 67 games when holding the opposition to 69 points or less and is 80-8 in such games during the Andy Enfield Era.
ASSISTANCE REQUESTED -- In its wins, USC averages 16.8 assists (269 assists/16 G) and 9.0 assists in its losses (36 assists/4 G). USC is 9-0 this season when registering 17 or more assists.
WHO'S YOUR SPEECH WRITER? -- USC has won the second half in 16 of 20 games this season and in the last five has won by an average of 11.8 points (203-144) after the break. In the last 5 games following Andy Enfield's halftime speech, USC has held the opposition to a highest total of 32 points, while USC's lowest point total for the second half in that stretch is 32. For the season, USC has outscored its opponents 759-651 in the second half of games.
BOARD BROTHERS -- USC forwards Nick Rakocevic (8.3) and Onyeka Okongwu (8.9) are one of five pairs of teammates in Division I averaging 8.3 rebounds or more per game. The other schools with a tandem of rebounders averaging 8.3 rebounds or more per game are Eastern Washington, Saint Louis, West Virginia and William and Mary.
DUNK YOU VERY MUCH -- Onyeka Okongwu has 39 dunks in his 19 games played, one more that USC's opponents have combined in 20 games (38).
ROAD WARRIORS -- USC is 5-2 on the road this season, after going 2-9 on the road during the 2018-19 season. Entering this week, only 3 schools among the ACC, AAC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12 have 5 or more true road wins this season: Kansas (6-1), USC (5-2) 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.
BEATING THE BEST -- USC is 3-1 this season against teams with records ranking in the top 36 in the country (LSU - 15-4, Stanford - 15-4, Harvard - 13-4), with the lone loss being the double-overtime setback at Oregon (17-4) on Jan. 23. If you want to include the exhibition win against Villanova (16-3) and the closed scrimmage against Santa Clara (17-5), USC is 5-1 against teams ranking within the top 36 records in the country.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES -- Since the 2009 season, 25 Pac-12 teams have begun conference play with five of its first seven games on the road as USC did this season. USC has a 5-2 record through its first seven conference games, tied with three other teams for the best record after seven games when five of them were on the road. The last team to start 5-2 in its first seven Pac-12 games which included five road games was California in 2014. Only nine of the last 24 teams to have such a road-heavy start to conference play made the NCAA Tournament, the last being Arizona State in 2018.
USC HAVING A BLOCK PARTY -- USC has 109 blocks this season, third among Pac-12 teams and 17th nationally. Leading the way is the "Sultan of Swat" Onyeka Okongwu who has 59. His 59 blocks leads all freshmen and ranks tied for seventh in the country.
TROJANS GOING THROUGH A LINE CHANGE -- USC has made 74.7 percent (56-for-75) of its free throws in the last three games after shooting 65.6 percent from the charity line in the first 17 games. For the season USC has made 67.1 percent of its free throws which ranks 273rd nationally. USC has been getting plenty of practice from the free throw line as its 462 attempts ranks 30th in the country.
BREAKING DOWN UTAH -- The Utah Utes (12-7, 3-4) are coming off a home sweep of the Washington schools, defeating Washington 67-66 on Jan. 23 and Washington State 76-64 on Jan. 25. Utah is led by sophomore forward Timmy Allen who is averaging 19.0 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. Utah has won 4 of its last 5 games at Galen.
USC'S HOT SHOOTING BAGS THE BEAVERS -- Onyeka Okongwu scored 18 points which included 3 monstrous dunks and USC had its best shooting performance since 2007 to cruise to a 75-55 win at Oregon State on Jan. 25. USC made 64.6 percent of its shots in the game, its best performance since making 68.1 percent vs. Delaware State on Dec. 17, 2007. USC never trailed in the game and jumped out to a 22-point lead with 7 minutes to go in the 1st half at 30-8, but the Beavers cut the deficit to 8 by halftime (36-28). After OSU cut it to 46-40 with 12:54 remaining in the second half, USC called a timeout and responded with a 14-0 run over the next 5 minutes to put the game away. Joining Okongwu scoring in double figures were Jonah Mathews with 16, Elijah Weaver with 13, Ethan Anderson with 11 and Nick Rakocevic with 10. USC made 72.7 percent of its shots in the second half, missing only 6 times. The Trojans held OSU to 37.0 shooting in the game and outscored them 44-28 on points in the paint. The 20-point margin of victory was USC's biggest in Corvallis since winning by 24 points in the 2008 season and only the third victory in the last 11 trips to Oregon State.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 19 career games, Okongwu is averaging 17.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.11 blocks per game, while shooting 62.3 percent from the field. His 59 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 (3.11) and in total blocks (59), second in field goal percentage (62.3 percent), third in total field goals (127), fourth and in offensive rebounds per game (3.37), fifth in points per game (17.3) and in rebounds per game (8.9), seventh in total points (328) and tied for seventh in double-doubles (7).
No. 20/21COLORADO ON DECK -- The Colorado Buffaloes (16-4, 5-2) are also coming off a home sweep of the Washington schools, defeating WSU 78-56 on Jan. 23 and Washington 76-62 on Jan. 25. Three Buffalo players are averaging double figures in scoring: McKinley Wright (13.4), Tyler Bey (13.3) and D'Shawn Schwartz (10.7). Colorado leads the all-time series with the Trojans 11-7 and swept the 2019 season series, winning 69-65 at USC and 78-67 in Boulder, Colo. Colorado has won 5 of its last 7 games played at the Galen Center.
THE MAGICAL MARKER -- USC held Oregon State to 55 points on Jan. 25 to improve to 12-0 this season when holding the opposition to under 70 points scored. In fact, USC is 65-2 in its last 67 games when holding the opposition to 69 points or less and is 80-8 in such games during the Andy Enfield Era.
ASSISTANCE REQUESTED -- In its wins, USC averages 16.8 assists (269 assists/16 G) and 9.0 assists in its losses (36 assists/4 G). USC is 9-0 this season when registering 17 or more assists.
WHO'S YOUR SPEECH WRITER? -- USC has won the second half in 16 of 20 games this season and in the last five has won by an average of 11.8 points (203-144) after the break. In the last 5 games following Andy Enfield's halftime speech, USC has held the opposition to a highest total of 32 points, while USC's lowest point total for the second half in that stretch is 32. For the season, USC has outscored its opponents 759-651 in the second half of games.
BOARD BROTHERS -- USC forwards Nick Rakocevic (8.3) and Onyeka Okongwu (8.9) are one of five pairs of teammates in Division I averaging 8.3 rebounds or more per game. The other schools with a tandem of rebounders averaging 8.3 rebounds or more per game are Eastern Washington, Saint Louis, West Virginia and William and Mary.
DUNK YOU VERY MUCH -- Onyeka Okongwu has 39 dunks in his 19 games played, one more that USC's opponents have combined in 20 games (38).
ROAD WARRIORS -- USC is 5-2 on the road this season, after going 2-9 on the road during the 2018-19 season. Entering this week, only 3 schools among the ACC, AAC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12 have 5 or more true road wins this season: Kansas (6-1), USC (5-2) 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.
BEATING THE BEST -- USC is 3-1 this season against teams with records ranking in the top 36 in the country (LSU - 15-4, Stanford - 15-4, Harvard - 13-4), with the lone loss being the double-overtime setback at Oregon (17-4) on Jan. 23. If you want to include the exhibition win against Villanova (16-3) and the closed scrimmage against Santa Clara (17-5), USC is 5-1 against teams ranking within the top 36 records in the country.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES -- Since the 2009 season, 25 Pac-12 teams have begun conference play with five of its first seven games on the road as USC did this season. USC has a 5-2 record through its first seven conference games, tied with three other teams for the best record after seven games when five of them were on the road. The last team to start 5-2 in its first seven Pac-12 games which included five road games was California in 2014. Only nine of the last 24 teams to have such a road-heavy start to conference play made the NCAA Tournament, the last being Arizona State in 2018.
USC HAVING A BLOCK PARTY -- USC has 109 blocks this season, third among Pac-12 teams and 17th nationally. Leading the way is the "Sultan of Swat" Onyeka Okongwu who has 59. His 59 blocks leads all freshmen and ranks tied for seventh in the country.
TROJANS GOING THROUGH A LINE CHANGE -- USC has made 74.7 percent (56-for-75) of its free throws in the last three games after shooting 65.6 percent from the charity line in the first 17 games. For the season USC has made 67.1 percent of its free throws which ranks 273rd nationally. USC has been getting plenty of practice from the free throw line as its 462 attempts ranks 30th in the country.
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