Field Level Media
Nov 9, 2019
Freshman Onyeka Okongwu scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, leading Southern California to a 76-65 nonconference win over Portland on Friday night in Los Angeles.
Jonah Mathews made 4 of 9 3-point tries on his way to 12 points, and Nick Rakocevic added 11 points and eight rebounds for USC (2-0).
The Pilots (1-1) got 22 points from senior guard Isaiah White and 10 apiece from Takiula Fahrensohn and JoJo Walker. Portland stayed competitive for much of the game thanks to 13-of-28 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc.
The Trojans also were successful from long range, making 10 of 20 attempts. The hosts also outrebounded Portland 42-27.
USC led by as many as 12 points in the first half, with Quinton Adlesh making all three of his 3-point tries.
The Pilots cut the deficit to 33-32 thanks to a 9-0 run late in the first half, and they had a chance to take the lead, but White missed a jumper.
The Trojans scored the next five points and took a 41-35 lead into halftime. USC made 7 of 13 shots from beyond the arc in the half.
Portland also made 7 of 13 from long range prior to the break.
The Pilots pulled to a 48-all tie with 15:08 to go in the second half on Malcolm Porter's layup. Porter is the son of Portland head coach Terry Porter, who starred for the Portland Trail Blazers in the early 1990s.
The Trojans, though, took over for good with a 9-0 run through the middle part of the second half, and they were able to fend off the Pilots the rest of the way.
USC made 49.2 percent of its shots, with Okongwu recording his second double-double in as many games. Portland hit 41.1 percent of its field-goal attempts.
--Field Level Media