Cal vs. USC

Saturday, Feb. 16 | 5 PM PT | Haas Pavilion | Berkeley, Calif.
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The Golden Bears wrap up their penultimate weekend of Pac-12 home action against USC Saturday in Haas Pavilion. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m., live on the Pac-12 Networks.

Cal has been outscored by fewer than 10 points in three of its last four outings. In that span, five Bears have stepped up to average 8 or more points per game, led by Justice Sueing's 17.8 points plus a team-high 5.5 rebounds per game. Connor Vanover, who averaged just 4.1 points in non-conference play, is averaging 13.5 points over the last four games, and Darius McNeill is averaging 11.8 points. Matt Bradley (9.0 ppg) and Paris Austin (8.8 ppg) are also leading contributors in the four-game span.

The Bears are looking for the series split after USC took an 82-73 victory at the Galen Center on Jan. 3 on the heels of Pac-12 double-doubles leader Nick Rakocevic's 27 points. Four Bears scored in double figures in the loss, led by Sueing's 16 points. Cal is also seeking its first Pac-12 win since a Feb. 3, 2018 victory over Oregon State (74-70) in Haas Pavilion, while the Trojans look to rebound from a loss at Stanford. USC has dropped three-straight games and is 1-6 on the road this season, with the lone road win coming in a 93-84 victory at Washington State.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Mike Montgomery and JB Long will cover play-by-play and analysis on Pac-12 Networks, also available online at www.Pac-12.com/live and on the Pac-12 Now app. Todd McKim and Rich Cellini have the action for the  California Golden Bears Sports Network on KGO 810 AM and via TuneIn. Live stats, broadcast info and more can be accessed via the Cal men's basketball schedule page. Fans can follow the Bears on social media via @CalMBball on Twitter and Instagram, and at Facebook.com/CalMBball.
 

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BY THE NUMBERS

12 & 6 -- Connor Vanover chipped in 12 points plus a career-high 6 rebounds against the Bruins. It marked his fourth consecutive game in double figures. He's averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in that stretch.

40.9 -- Over the last four games, Darius McNeill is shooting 40.9 percent (9-22) from 3-point range. He has 51 total 3-pointers on the season and owns a 14-game streak with at least one 3-point make.

36 -- Cal's 36 rebounds against UCLA matched their highest board total of Pac-12 play (also 36 vs. UCLA on Jan. 5). Juhwan Harris-Dyson logged a season-high 5 rebounds against the Bruins, pulling down all 5 in the first nine minutes of action.

8.2 -- Cal is averaging 8.2 steals in conference play, a mark that ranks third in the league. Darius McNeill, who had 5 steals vs. the Bruins, has 22 steals in Pac-12 play, the second-highest total by any player.

39.0 -- Cal held UCLA to 39.0 percent shooting (23-59) on Wednesday night -- the lowest shooting percentage of a Cal opponent since Hampton shot 31.0 percent on Nov. 13.
 

SCOUTING THE TROJANS

• Series Record: Cal leads, 136-126
• Last Meeting: USC defeated Cal, 82-73, on Jan. 3, 2019. Nick Rakocevic had 27 points for the Trojans, while Justice Sueing led the Bears with 16 points. Paris Austin added 13 points, Matt Bradley scored 12 and Connor Vanover had 10.
• USC's 2018-19 Record: 13-12, 6-6 Pac-12
• USC's Last Game: USC led by as many as 14 points at Stanford, but fell to the Cardinal, 79-76 on Wednesday. Bennie Boatwright led four Trojans in double figures with 19 points.
• Nick Rakocevic leads the Pac-12 in double-doubles and ranks 17th nationally, averaging 15.6 points and 9.8 rebounds.
• Rakocevic's 54.6 percent shooting clip also leads the league.
• Bennie Boatwright paces the Trojans with 17.7 points per game.
• Jonah Mathews is averaging 12.8 ppg.
• Derryck Thornton is averaging 4.7 assists with a 2.13 assist turnover ratio, good for fourth in both categories among conference leaders.
• USC leads the Pac-12 in total assists (401), Assist Turnover Ratio (1.32) and Assists Per Game (16.0).

SERIES NOTES
Record at Cal: 65-41
Last 10 meetings: 5-5
Most points, Cal: 99, 1966-67
Most points, USC: 102, 1971-72
Largest margin, Cal: 37, 1921-22
Largest margin, USC: 33, 1937-38, 1971-72
Longest Cal win streak: 7, 1987-88 to 1990-91
Longest USC win streak: 7, 1968- 69 to 1971-72
Current Streak: 3, USC

RECORDS AGAINST USC
Points: 37, Rickie Hawthorne, Feb. 28, 1976
Rebounds: 20, Leon Powe, March 9, 2006
20, Ansley Truitt, March 4, 1972
FG: 14, Bob Presley, March 1, 1968
3P: 6, Billy Dreher, Feb. 17, 1991
6, Ryan Drew, March 10, 1988
6, Jerome Randle, Feb. 4, 2010
FT: 12, three times, last by Leon Powe, March 9, 2006
 

LAST TIME OUT

• The Result: Cal pushed UCLA to overtime but fell, 75-67
• Darius McNeill finished with 18 points alongside a season-best 4 rebounds plus 5 steals.
• Justice Sueing scored in double figures for the sixth consecutive game, pouring in 15 points.
• Connor Vanover added 12 points and a career-high 6 rebounds.
• Cal led 32-25 at halftime.
• For the sixth time this season, Cal tallied double-figure steal totals with 11 against the Bruins.
 

RANKING ROUNDUP

As a team, Cal ranks Top 50 nationally in:
• Fewest Turnovers: 32nd, 272
• Free Throw Percentage: 37th, 74.9
• Turnovers Per Game: 38th, 11.3

Individually, Cal players rank in the Top 100 nationally in:
• Assists Per Game: Paris Austin (92nd, 4.5)
• Free Throw Attempts: Justice Sueing (95th, 138)
• Free Throws Made: Justice Sueing (58th, 115)
• Free Throw Percentage: Justice Sueing (94th, 83.3)
 

NEXT UP

Cal wraps up its final out-of-state weekend of the regular season in Arizona, where the Bears open against the Wildcats on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. PT on FS1. Cal plays Arizona State on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. PT on Pac-12 Networks to cap off the slate.