No. 19 USC Men's Basketball Stampedes Into Colorado
The USC Trojans (19-4, 13-3) will play at the Colorado Buffaloes (17-7, 11-6) at the CU Events Center in Boulder, Colo. on Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. PT. The game will air on ESPN2 with Roxy Bernstein and Adrian Branch calling the action. USC has won seven of its last eight games and 14 of its last 16 games. USC's 13-3 start to Pac-12 play is its best since also beginning the 1992 season with a 13-3 record in conference play. USC is 19-4 through its first 23 games for the first time since also beginning 19-4 during the 2017 season.
FACING COLORADO -- The Colorado Buffaloes (17-7, 11-6) are coming off a 61-57 win at Oregon State on Feb. 20 which ended a streak of four consecutive road games. The Buffaloes are 8-1 at home this season and are led in scoring by senior guard McKinley Wright at 14.5 points per game. Colorado defeated USC 72-62 on Dec. 31 at the Galen Center to extend its winning streak over the Trojans to five games. USC trails 7-14 in the all-time series with Colorado, including owning a 2-7 record at Colorado.
EADDY AND TROJANS SURGE TO VICTORY -- Tahj Eaddy hit three quick 3-pointers as USC scored the first 15 points of the game to roll to a 72-58 win over Oregon at the Galen Center on Feb. 22. USC led 15-0 before Eric Williams Jr. made a free throw nearly six minutes into the game. Two minutes later Oregon's Franck Kepnang made a short jumper in the paint for the Ducks' first field goal and a 17-3 Trojan lead. Eaddy scored 21 of his 24 points in the first half and nearly outscored the Ducks as the Trojans took a 43-22 at the break. USC built the lead to 26 points at 48-22 early in the second half. Oregon whittled the lead down to 10 points at 64-54 with 6 minutes remaining, but never got closer. Drew Peterson did not start for the first time all season and responded with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds. Ethan Anderson started for the first time since Dec. 1 and had six points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Isaiah Mobley missed the game with a right calf strain.
HOT SHOTS! -- In the win against Oregon on Feb. 22, USC made 10 three-pointers (10-for-21, 47.6 percent). It was the third time this season that the Trojans reached double figures in made three-point baskets, including twice in the last three games. In the last three games, USC has made 45.9 percent of its three pointers (28-for-61).
HOT SHOTS! PART DEUX -- Guard Ethan Anderson has made 51.6 percent (16-for-31) of his three-point baskets in 15 games this season, including hitting 8 of his last 12 (66.7 percent). Last season in 31 games, Anderson made a total of 14 three-point baskets (14-for-37, 37.8 percent).
HOME ON THE ROAD -- USC is 6-1 in Pac-12 road games so far this season. The last time USC started 6-1 in conference road games was the 1985 season when it went 8-1 in Pac-10 road games.
ONE WIN FROM 20 -- USC needs one more win to reach 20 victories for the fifth time in the last six seasons with Andy Enfield as the head coach. USC has had 15 total 20-win seasons in school history.
ENFIELD ON NAISMITH COACH OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST -- USC head coach Andy Enfield was named to the late season watch list for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award on Feb. 19. This season he has guided USC to an 19-4 record and to the top of the Pac-12. USC's win over ASU on Feb. 17 was the 150th victory for Andy Enfield as USC's head coach (151-106) in eight seasons. Enfield's career record as a head coach is 192-134. Enfield has guided the Trojans to their best two-year, three-year, four-year and five-year records.
MR. EVERY THING -- USC freshman Isaiah Mobley, who is averaging 16.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 3.0 blocks, is the only Power 5 conference player to be averaging at least 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Only five players in Division I can match that If you add in having at least 2.0 blocks or more, Mobley stands alone.
STINGY ON DEFENSE -- When USC allowed ASU to score 71 points on Feb. 17, it snapped a streak of seven consecutive games holding its opponent to under 70 points. On Feb. 20, Arizona scoed 81 points, the most by a Trojan opponent since allowing Cal Baptist to score 87 in the opener on Nov. 25. USC bounced back to hold Oregon to 58 points on Feb. 22, the seventh opponent it held under 60 points this season. Overall, USC has held 17 of 23 opponents under 70 points. USC is allowing its opponents 64.1 points per game which ranks second among Pac-12 schools.
UTAH ON DECK- - USC's next game will be at Utah (9-10, 6-9) on Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. PT. Utah lost its last game 67-64 at Oregon on Feb. 20 and will host UCLA on Feb. 25 before taking on USC. Utah is led in scoring by Timmy Allen at 17.3 points per game. USC defeated Utah 64-46 on Jan. 2 at the Galen Center, but trails in the all-time series 21-25. USC has lost five of its last six games at Utah.
SCORING MARGIN BEST SINCE 1971 SEASON -- USC has a +11.6 scoring margin which leads Pac-12 teams. It is also USC's biggest average scoring margin in a season since the 1970-71 team went 24-2 and defeated opponents by an average of 14.0 points per game.
WINNING WAYS - USC's .826 winning percentage is tied for 13th-best in the country.
PETERSON HAS BEEN DOING IT ALL -- Rice transfer junior guard Drew Peterson got the opening night start on Nov. 25 vs. CBU and came up one rebound short of a double-double and has remained in the starting lineup since. Peterson scored 12 points, had nine rebounds and three assists. Peterson had four double-doubles for the Owls during the 2019-20 season. Peterson led USC in scoring vs. Montana on Nov. 28 with 13 points and vs. BYU on Dec. 1 with 19 points. He is fourth on the team with an 9.4 scoring average and third with a 5.0 rebound average. He had nine assists and no turnovers vs. Santa Clara on Dec. 29. Peterson had his first double-double as a Trojan with 13 points and 11 rebounds vs. Utah on Jan. 2, second with 15 points and 11 rebounds on Jan. 16 vs. WSU and third with 15 points and 11 rebounds vs. Oregon on Feb. 22. Peterson leads USC with 68 assists and came close to a triple-double with 10 assists, 8 rebounds and 7 points at Arizona on Jan. 7. He started USC's first 22 games and then came off the bench on Feb. 22 vs. Oregon.