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USC Looks To Bounce Back At Rival UCLA Saturday
January 09, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Features
The USC Trojans (12-3, 1-1) will play at the UCLA Bruins (8-7, 1-1) at Pauley Pavilion in Westwood, Calif. on Jan. 11 at 7:00 p.m. The game will air on ESPN2 with Dave Pasch and Bill Walton calling the action. USC has won 6 of its last 7 games. USC has won 12 of its first 15 games for only the third time in the last 18 seasons (14-1 in 2017 and 12-3 in 2016 with both teams winning its 16th game). USC is beginning conference play with three consecutive road games for the first time since the 2003 season when it won at Washington State, lost at Washington and then won at UCLA.
BREAKING DOWN UCLA -- The UCLA Bruins (8-7, 1-1) are coming off a 79-71 overtime loss at Washington State on Jan. 4. Junior Chris Smith leads UCLA in scoring with an 12.2 average, but seven Bruins are scoring at least 6.7 points per game. USC and UCLA split their games last season with USC winning 80-67 at home and falling 93-88 in overtime at UCLA. UCLA leads the all-time series 143-109* (1 USC win vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 143-110). Mick Cronin is in his first season at UCLA and owns a 373-178 career record.
USC ONLY HITS LOWS AT WASHINGTON -- USC posted season lows in shooting, 3-point shooting, FT percentage and turnovers and fell 72-40 at Washington on Jan. 5. USC had its 6-game winning streak snapped as it shot 20 percent from the field, 13.3 percent from 3-point range and 48.0 percent from the FT line. The only Trojan scoring in double figures was Onyeka Okongwu with 10 points and 9 rebounds. UW blocked 12 shots, the most by a USC opponent since Stanford set the opponent record with 19 on Jan. 25, 2007. The 40 points scored were USC's fewest since scoring 39 in a 67-39 loss vs. Utah on Feb. 1, 2015, the lowest points scored in the Andy Enfield Era. USC's 20 percent shooting was its worst since shooting 15.9 percent at Oregon on Feb. 3, 1956. USC fell behind 10-1 to start the game before a layup by Elijah Weaver gave USC its first field goal. USC cut the deficit to 16-14 with 8:22 remaining in the first half, but would score 1 FG over the next 4 minutes to fall behind 25-16. USC trailed 35-21 at halftime and cut it to 41-29 3:30 into the 2nd half, but UW answered with an 11-0 run to put th game away.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 14 career games, Okongwu is averaging 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.93 blocks per game, while shooting 61.9 percent from the field. His 41 total blocks already rank tied for fourth on USC's all-time freshman blocks list. Among all freshmen nationally through Jan. 8, he ranks third in total blocks (41) and blocks per game (2.93), fourth in field goal percentage (61.9 percent), in total field goals made (99), in rebounds per game (9.2), in points per game (17.8) and offensive rebounds per game (3.50), tied for fourth in double-doubles (6), seventh in total points (249) and total rebounds (129) and tied for 10th in free throws made (49).
CALIFORNIA ON DECK -- The California Golden Bears (6-8, 0-1) will host Washington State on Jan. 9 and Washington on Jan. 11 before traveling to Los Angeles to face USC on Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Guards Matt Bradley (17.2) and Kareem South (11.5) lead the Bears in points per game. 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).
GONE STREAKING -- USC has a 5-game and 6-game winning streak this season, the third time this decade with two winning streaks of 5 or more games in a season (2016 & 2017).
A ROAD LESS TRAVELED -- USC is 3-1 on the road this season, after going 2-9 on the road during the 2018-19 season. 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.
TROJANS SHOOTING TRENDING THE RIGHT DIRECTION --- USC had an ice-cold shooting night in its last game at Washington on Jan. 5 (20 percent), but prior to that had made 48.1 percent of its shots in the previous six games (165-for-343). 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 four opponents to a combined 37.1 shooting percentage (98-for-264). For the year, USC is holding the opposition to 38.8 percent shooting which ranks 40th in the country. Also in the last four games combined, USC's opponents are shooting 25.5 percent (24-for-95) 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 four games, had made 35.6 percent of its shots from beyond the arc this season.
MATHEWS & RAKOCEVIC SHARING SENIOR SUCCESS - USC senior guard Jonah Mathews (1,150 career points) and senior forward Nick Rakocevic (1,136 career points) both surpassed 1,000 career points scored in the game vs. South Dakota State on Nov. 12. They became the 41st and 42nd Trojans to register 1,000 or more career points in a USC uniform and became the first pair of Trojans to accomplish the feat in the same game since Don Carfino and Purvis Miller vs. Oregon in 1980. Rakocevic also has 795 career rebounds which ranks 8th on USC's all-time list and 9th among active players. He now has 25 career double-doubles which ranks T-15th among active players. Mathews has made 210 career three-point baskets, fifth on USC's all-time list and tied for 42nd among active players.
BREAKING DOWN UCLA -- The UCLA Bruins (8-7, 1-1) are coming off a 79-71 overtime loss at Washington State on Jan. 4. Junior Chris Smith leads UCLA in scoring with an 12.2 average, but seven Bruins are scoring at least 6.7 points per game. USC and UCLA split their games last season with USC winning 80-67 at home and falling 93-88 in overtime at UCLA. UCLA leads the all-time series 143-109* (1 USC win vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 143-110). Mick Cronin is in his first season at UCLA and owns a 373-178 career record.
USC ONLY HITS LOWS AT WASHINGTON -- USC posted season lows in shooting, 3-point shooting, FT percentage and turnovers and fell 72-40 at Washington on Jan. 5. USC had its 6-game winning streak snapped as it shot 20 percent from the field, 13.3 percent from 3-point range and 48.0 percent from the FT line. The only Trojan scoring in double figures was Onyeka Okongwu with 10 points and 9 rebounds. UW blocked 12 shots, the most by a USC opponent since Stanford set the opponent record with 19 on Jan. 25, 2007. The 40 points scored were USC's fewest since scoring 39 in a 67-39 loss vs. Utah on Feb. 1, 2015, the lowest points scored in the Andy Enfield Era. USC's 20 percent shooting was its worst since shooting 15.9 percent at Oregon on Feb. 3, 1956. USC fell behind 10-1 to start the game before a layup by Elijah Weaver gave USC its first field goal. USC cut the deficit to 16-14 with 8:22 remaining in the first half, but would score 1 FG over the next 4 minutes to fall behind 25-16. USC trailed 35-21 at halftime and cut it to 41-29 3:30 into the 2nd half, but UW answered with an 11-0 run to put th game away.
OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 14 career games, Okongwu is averaging 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.93 blocks per game, while shooting 61.9 percent from the field. His 41 total blocks already rank tied for fourth on USC's all-time freshman blocks list. Among all freshmen nationally through Jan. 8, he ranks third in total blocks (41) and blocks per game (2.93), fourth in field goal percentage (61.9 percent), in total field goals made (99), in rebounds per game (9.2), in points per game (17.8) and offensive rebounds per game (3.50), tied for fourth in double-doubles (6), seventh in total points (249) and total rebounds (129) and tied for 10th in free throws made (49).
CALIFORNIA ON DECK -- The California Golden Bears (6-8, 0-1) will host Washington State on Jan. 9 and Washington on Jan. 11 before traveling to Los Angeles to face USC on Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Guards Matt Bradley (17.2) and Kareem South (11.5) lead the Bears in points per game. 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).
GONE STREAKING -- USC has a 5-game and 6-game winning streak this season, the third time this decade with two winning streaks of 5 or more games in a season (2016 & 2017).
A ROAD LESS TRAVELED -- USC is 3-1 on the road this season, after going 2-9 on the road during the 2018-19 season. 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.
TROJANS SHOOTING TRENDING THE RIGHT DIRECTION --- USC had an ice-cold shooting night in its last game at Washington on Jan. 5 (20 percent), but prior to that had made 48.1 percent of its shots in the previous six games (165-for-343). 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 four opponents to a combined 37.1 shooting percentage (98-for-264). For the year, USC is holding the opposition to 38.8 percent shooting which ranks 40th in the country. Also in the last four games combined, USC's opponents are shooting 25.5 percent (24-for-95) 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 four games, had made 35.6 percent of its shots from beyond the arc this season.
MATHEWS & RAKOCEVIC SHARING SENIOR SUCCESS - USC senior guard Jonah Mathews (1,150 career points) and senior forward Nick Rakocevic (1,136 career points) both surpassed 1,000 career points scored in the game vs. South Dakota State on Nov. 12. They became the 41st and 42nd Trojans to register 1,000 or more career points in a USC uniform and became the first pair of Trojans to accomplish the feat in the same game since Don Carfino and Purvis Miller vs. Oregon in 1980. Rakocevic also has 795 career rebounds which ranks 8th on USC's all-time list and 9th among active players. He now has 25 career double-doubles which ranks T-15th among active players. Mathews has made 210 career three-point baskets, fifth on USC's all-time list and tied for 42nd among active players.
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