The (11-4) USC Trojans and (13-2) UCLA Bruins are set to resume their rivalry on the hardwood this week. The Trojans, 3-1 in Pac-12 play, lost 81-71 to Washington State in their last game. The Bruins, 4-0 in conference competition, beat Washington 74-49 in their last game.
UCLA owns the series advantage, 123-55. The Trojans won the first matchup between these teams last season, but the Bruins got the upper hand in the next two matchups.
Tip-off from Pauley Pavilion is at 6:30 p.m. PT. UCLA is a 12-point spread favorite, and the game total is 140.5 points.
The Trojans' loss to the Cougars snapped a seven-game winning streak. USC was undefeated in conference play but now sits one game behind UCLA and Utah in the Pac-12 standings. With two games against their rivals over the next month, USC will have its opportunities to reclaim first place.
The Trojans shot 43.1 percent from the field and only 3-of-18 (16.7%) from distance against Washington State. They trailed 41-30 at the half and never recovered. The Cougars were hot from behind the arc, hitting 14 of 29 three-point shots. Senior guard Drew Peterson paced Southern California in scoring with 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the floor.
The cut and the turnaround from @Drewpeterson23 ?????
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??: https://t.co/gCjdrZ2p2Y pic.twitter.com/A0OurJg4XA— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) January 1, 2023
The Trojans score 72.3 points per game on 46.0 percent shooting, including 32.3 percent from long range. Their offensive efficiency rating, adjusted for schedule, is ranked 71st in D-1, per KenPom.
Senior guard Boogie Ellis leads USC in scoring, averaging 16.1 points with a 44.3 field goal percentage. Southern California also relies on sophomore guard Reese Dixon-Waters (9.5 PPG), freshman guard Tre White (9.3 PPG and 5.3 RPG), and junior forward Joshua Morgan (8.7 PPG and 5.7 RPG).
USC surrenders 66.7 points per game, and its opponents shoot 38.2 percent from the field, the 21st-lowest opponent shooting percentage in the country. The Trojans are ranked 70th in defensive efficiency rating adjusted for schedule and 156th in assist-per-turnover ratio (1.00).