TONIGHT’S GAME — The USC Trojans (13-5, 5-2) will play the Arizona Wildcats (15-3, 4-3) at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on Jan. 19 at 6:00 p.m. PT. The game will air on the Pac-12 Network with Roxy Bernstein and Bill Walton calling the action. USC has started 5-2 through its first seven Pac-12 games for the sixth consecutive season. USC has started 6-2 in Pac-12 play in fi ve of the last six seasons.
USC’S STELLAR STRETCH — USC won a school-record 73 games over the last three seasons (22 in 2020, 25 in 2021 and 26 in 2022). The previous school record for wins in three consecutive seasons was 71 (2016-18). The three consecutive seasons of 20+ wins also equals the school record for most consecutive 20-win seasons set from 2016-18.
WINNING WAYS — USC’s 73 total wins the previous three seasons tied for the third most among all Power 6 basketball programs, trailing only the last two NCAA champions Kansas (83) and Baylor (81). Also, USC’s 160 wins the previous seven seasons ranked 13th among all Power 6 conference teams.
ENFIELD LEADING THE WAY — USC head coach Andy Enfield is in his 10th season at USC and has compiled an 196-123 record. His wins 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), Enfi eld has compiled a 237-151 record.
FACING No. 11 ARIZONA — The No. 11 Arizona Wildcats (15-3, 4-3) are coming off an 87-68 loss at Oregon on Jan. 14, but are 9-2 in their last 11 games, same at the Trojans in that stretch. Arizona is 9-1 at home this season and is 145-17 at home the last 10 seasons. Junior forward Azuolas Tubelis leads Arizona with a 20.4 scoring average and is second on the team with a 9.0 rebounds per game average. Arizona has outrebounded its opponents by over 8 rebounds per game. USC lost both games to Arizona last season and has lost its last three games to the Wildcats. USC last win over Arizona was an 87-73 victory at the McKale Center on Jan. 7, 2021, which snapped USC’s 10-game losing streak at Arizona. USC trails 45-71* in the all-time series (*1 USC win and 1 Arizona win later vacated due to NCAA penalty, original record 46-72).
ARIZONA STATE ON DECK — USC’s next game will be at Arizona State (15-3, 6-1) in Tempe, Ariz. on Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. PT. Desmond Cambridge Jr. and D.J. Horne are leading Arizona State with 12.1 scoring averages. The Sun Devils have won 13 of their last 15 games, including four straight. Arizona State is coming off a 74-69 win at Oregon State on Jan. 14 and will host UCLA on Jan. 19 before facing USC. USC has won its last fi ve games against Arizona State and leads the all-time series 59-42* (2 wins later vacated by NCAA penalty, original record 61-42). Six of the last 10 games between USC and Arizona State have been decided by 5 points or less.
PRIME TIME TROJANS — USC is 9-0 this season when the tip is set for 7 p.m. or later.
IT STARTS WITH DEFENSE — USC held California to 27.7 shooting on Nov. 30, the lowest by an opponent since holding Stanford to a 25.4 shooting percentage on March 3, 2021. USC allowed Washington State to make a 2022-23 opponent high 49.1 percent of its shots on Jan. 1, but has held 3 of its last 5 opponents to under 35 percent shooting. USC has held 11 of its 18 opponents this season to under 40 percent shooting. USC is holding its opponents to a 38.0 shooting percentage this season, 10th in the country. Over the last four seasons, USC’s defense has held the opposition to 38.7 FG percentage, 3rd in the country.
THE TOP STACK IN THE PAC — USC is tied for second in conference regular season wins among Pac-12 teams for the past six seasons (since the 2017-18 season). USC is 65-36, as is Arizona, while UCLA is 67-33 in that stretch, through games of Jan. 15. Next up would be Oregon at 62-35 and Colorado at 57-42.
ENJOYING THE HOME COOKING — USC is 9-1 at the Galen Center this season, losing the opener to FGCU on Nov. 7, then winning the next 9 games. The 9-game home winning streak is USC’s longest single-season home winning streak since beginning the 2016-17 season 9-0 at the Galen Center.
USC HOSTING A BLOCK PARTY — USC has 105 blocks this season, led by Joshua Morgan’s 48 blocks. USC is averaging 5.8 blocks per game, 11th in the country. Morgan’s 48 blocks this season lead the conference and rank 9th in the country. Morgan had 7 blocks vs. FGCU on Nov. 7 which tied him for fi fth on USC’s all-time single game blocks list. He matched that total with 7 blocks at Cal on Nov. 30. USC as a team has registered 576 blocks over the last four seasons which ranks 6th nationally.
PETERSON PROVIDING THE ASSIST — Guard Drew Peterson leads USC and is third among Pac-12 players with 89 assists. Peterson is one of two players nationally (Jalen Pickett of Penn State) averaging at least 13.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game this season. Peterson is averaging 13.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.
JEKYLL & HYDE FROM WAY OUTSIDE — USC made 43.8 percent of its 3-pointers vs. Utah on Jan. 14, its fifth game this season making at least 43 percent from 3-point range. In those five games USC has made 46.2 percent of its 3-pointers (49-for-106), while it has averaged 24.6 percent from beyond the arc in the other 13 games (52-for-211).
