USC Men's Basketball Opens Pac-12 Play At Oregon Thursday

The USC Trojans (6-5) will play at the Oregon Ducks (8-3) at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. on Dec. 28 at 6:00 p.m. The game will air on ESPN2 with Roxy Bernstein and Bill Walton calling the action.

THE GONE GUYS -- USC is in the midst play playing four consecutive road games: at Auburn on Dec. 17 (L), at Alabama State on Dec. 19 (W), at Oregon on Dec. 28 and at Oregon State on Dec. 30. The stretch is the first time USC has played four consecutive road games since the 2002 season (at San Diego, LMU, Washington and WSU). If you go back to the Rady Children's Invitational in San Diego, USC is in a stretch of playing 7 of 9 games away from the Galen Center. USC is also playing only five home games in its first 13 games for the first time since also playing just five home games in the first 13 games of the 2005 season.

USC'S STELLAR STRETCH -- USC won a school-record 95 games over the previous four seasons (22 in 2020, 25 in 2021, 26 in 2022 and 22 in 2023). The four consecutive seasons of 20+ wins sets a school record for most consecutive 20-win seasons, breaking the mark of three consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins from 2016-18. USC's 95 total wins the last four seasons was tied for sixth-most among all Power 6 basketball programs, trailing only Kansas (111), Baylor (104), Arizona (99), UCLA (99) and Duke (97).

LEADERS OF THE PAC -- The Trojans have a 54-24 record in Pac-12 games the last four seasons and are the only school to finish in the top three of the conference in each of those seasons. USC has won its Pac-12 opener in four of the last five seasons.

FACING OREGON -- The Oregon Ducks (8-3) are coming off an 84-70 home win over Kent State on Dec. 21. Oregon is 6-0 at home this season. Jermaine Couisnard is the only Duck to start all 11 games and he is averaging 13.1 points per game, one of six Ducks to average double figures in scoring. USC lost its only game against Oregon last season (78-60 at Oregon) and is 67-60 all-time against the Ducks. USC has won 7 of its last 11 games against Oregon.

ON DECK: OREGON STATE -- The Oregon State Beavers (8-3) are coming off a 76-57 home win vs. Idaho State on Dec. 21 and will entertain UCLA on Dec. 28 before hosting the Trojans on Dec. 30 at 7:00 p.m. Oregon State has won its last five games and is 8-0 at home this season. Jordan Pope leads Oregon State with a 16.9 scoring average. USC split its two games with OSU last season, winning 63-62 at home and falling 61-58 in Corvallis. USC has won 11 of its last 15 games against the Beavers.

ENFIELD MOVING UP THE USC ALL-TIME COACHING WINS LIST -- USC head coach Andy Enfield is in his 11th season at USC and has compiled an 211-134 record. He picked up his 200th win on Feb. 4, 2023 vs. Washington. Enfield's win total ranks fourth on USC's all-time wins list, trailing only Sam Barry (260), Forrest Twogood (251) and Bob Boyd (216). Including his two seasons as the head coach at FGCU (2012-13), Enfield has compiled a 252-162 record.

IT STARTS WITH DEFENSE -- USC allowed Gonzaga to shoot 52.3 percent from the floor on Dec. 2, just the fourth game in the last two seasons an opponent has made 50 percent or more of its field goals against the Trojan defense. Through the first 11 games this season, USC has held its opponents to 41.3 percent shooting. USC held its opponents to a 39.3 shooting percentage last season, 8th in the country. Over the last four seasons, USC's defense held the opposition to 38.9 FG percentage, third in the country, tops among teams in the six basketball power conferences. Also over the last four seasons, USC held the opposition to a 42.4 shooting percentage on two-point field goals, best in the country.

ELLIS SHOOTING TO THE TOP - Fifth-year guard Boogie Ellis left the game on Dec. 19 at Alabama State with a left hip contusion, which limited him to 2 points in 11 minutes. As a result, his scoring average fell to 19.5 per game, 32nd in the country and third in the Pac-12. He is 13th in the country with 3.40 makes from three-point range per game, netting a career-high 8 vs. Eastern Washington on Nov. 29. The 8 three-pointers made tied him for fourth on USC's all-time list for three-pointers made in a game. He has made 34 of 77 three-point shots this season (44.2 percent). Ellis has made 173 three-point baskets as a Trojan, 10th on USC's all-time three-point baskets made list, three behind Harold Miner (1990-92) who is ninth on the list and made 176 in his USC career.

THE SKY IS NOT FALLING... -- A quick look at USC through 11 games last season compared to this season produces some surprising results. USC was 8-3 last season at this point (and finished 22-11), but most statistical categories are similar or better this season.

Through 11 G PPG FG% 3-PT% FT% FG Def REB Assist TO
2023-24: 78.5 44.8 34.9 72.2 41.3 38.7 158 150
2022-23: 71.5 45.7 32.2 69.6 37.4 36.5 163 151

BACK TO LOCKDOWN MODE -- USC held Alabama State to 32.9 percent shooting on Dec. 19, after its opponents made 47.5 percent of their shots (87-for-183) in the previous three games. USC held Alabama State to 59 points, snapping a five-game streak of surrendering 70 or more points. USC had not allowed five consecutive opponents to score 70 or more points in a game since Jan. 19-Feb. 4, 2017.

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Players Mentioned

Boogie Ellis