USC Hosts No. 20/21 Colorado Saturday

The USC Trojans (17-4, 6-2) will host the Colorado Buffaloes (16-5, 5-3) at the Galen Center on Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The game will air on the FS1 with Guy Haberman and Casey Jacobsen calling the action. USC has won 11 of its last 13 games. USC has won 17 of its first 21 games for only the third time in the last 46 seasons ( also 17-4 in 1992 and 2017). USC's 17 wins surpasses its total from the 2018-19 season (16-17). Coaches and staff tonight are wearing blue puzzle pieces in support of Autism Awareness and Acceptance Weekend.

BREAKING DOWN No. 20/21 COLORADO -- The Colorado Buffaloes (16-5, 5-6) are coming off a 72-68 loss at UCLA on Jan. 30. Colorado is holding the opposition to 62.2 points per game, 26th best in the country, and has held eight opponents to under 60 points. Three Buffalo players are averaging double figures in scoring: McKinley Wright (13.4), Tyler Bey (13.2) and D'Shawn Schwartz (10.6). 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 4 of its last 6 games played at the Galen Center.

USC RALLIES TO DEFEAT UTAH -- Nick Rakocevic had a go-ahead tip-in with 20 seconds remaining and USC overcame a 9-point second-half deficit to win 56-52 on Jan. 30. USC earned its first lead of the game at 41-40 on a driving layup by Elijah Weaver with 7:21 remaining. Weaver, who finished with 14 points, hit a 3-pointer with 5 minutes remaining to give USC its biggest lead of the game at 46-42. Utah fought back and took a 2-point lead at 52-50 with 1:04 remaining. Jonah Mathews hit 2 FT to tie the game with 55 seconds left in the game. After Branden Carlson miss a pair of FTs, Rakocevic tipped in an Onyeka Okongwu miss to put USC ahead for good. Okongwu then stuffed a Timmy Allen shot, was fouled and hit 2 FT for the final margin, matching its biggest lead of the game. Rakocevic with 16 points and 15 rebounds and Okongwu with 11 points and 11 rebounds both had a double-doubles. Mathews finished with 13 points, going 8-for-8 from the FT line.

ARIZONA ON DECK -- The Arizona Wildcats (14-6, 4-3) won 75-72 at Washington on Jan. 30 and will play at Washington State on Feb. 1 before hosting USC on Feb. 6. A trio of freshmen lead Arizona in scoring: Zeke Nnaji (16.5), Nico Mannion (14.2) and Josh Green (11.8). Arizona is 10-1 at home this season. USC defeated Arizona 80-57 at home and 78-65 at the Pac-12 Tournament last season, but Arizona leads the all-time series 67-43* (1 win by both teams vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 68-44).

THE MAGICAL MARKER -- USC held Utah to 52 points on Jan. 30 to improve to 13-0 this season when holding the opposition to under 70 points scored. In fact, USC is 66-2 in its last 68 games when holding the opposition to 69 points or less and is 81-8 in such games during the Andy Enfield Era.

ASSISTANCE REQUESTED -- In its wins, USC averages 16.4 assists (278 assists/17 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 17 of 21 games this season and in the last six has won by an average of 11.5 points (236-167) after the break. In the last 6 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 792-674 in the second half of games.

BOARD BROTHERS -- USC forwards Nick Rakocevic (8.6) and Onyeka Okongwu (9.1) are one of four pairs of teammates in Division I averaging 8.6 rebounds or more per game. The other schools with a tandem of rebounders averaging 8.6 rebounds or more per game are Saint Louis, West Virginia and William and Mary.

DUNK YOU VERY MUCH -- Onyeka Okongwu has 40 dunks in his 20 games played, two more that USC's opponents have combined in 21 games (38).

OKONGWU NEAR THE TOP OF THE CLASS -- Through his first 20 career games, Okongwu is averaging 17.0 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.15 blocks per game, while shooting 61.5 percent from the field. His 63 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 (3.15) and in total blocks (63), second in field goal percentage (61.5 percent), fourth and in offensive rebounds per game (3.30), fifth in in rebounds per game (9.1), tied for fifth in double-doubles (8), sixth in points per game (17.0) and in total field goals (131) and eighth in total points (339).

TURNING UP THE DEFENSE -- USC's defense has held its last 10 opponents to a combined 38.0 shooting percentage (235-for-619). For the year, USC is holding the opposition to 38.8 percent shooting which ranks 29th in the country. Also in the last 10 games combined, USC's opponents are shooting 28.2 percent (60-for-213) from three point range. USC's opponents had made 35.6 percent of its shots from beyond the arc during the first 11 games of the season.

TROJANS GOING THROUGH A LINE CHANGE -- USC has made 76.9 percent (70-for-91) of its free throws in the last four games after shooting 65.6 percent from the charity line in the first 17 games. For the season USC has made 67.8 percent of its free throws which ranks 257th nationally. USC has been getting plenty of practice from the free throw line as its 478 attempts ranks tied for 31st in the country.

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Players Mentioned

Jonah Mathews

Onyeka Okongwu

Nick Rakocevic

Elijah Weaver