Utah @ Southern California preview
Galen Center
Last Meeting ( Mar 7, 2019 ) Southern California 74, Utah 83
USC is only a half-game off the Pac-12 lead and will get a schedule boost down the stretch in playing seven of its final 11 games at home. That run starts Thursday night as the Trojans play host to Utah.
Beginning with a 77-62 victory over Harvard on Dec. 1, USC has won 10 of its last 12 games. That span includes five wins in its first seven conference contests, tying the Trojans with No. 21 Colorado at 5-2 in the Pac-12 standings, a half-game behind No. 12 Oregon. But while the Buffaloes and Ducks have only nine home games remaining between them, USC has seven left at the Galen Center where it has won eight of nine contests this season. Utah, meanwhile, is bringing some momentum west after sweeping the Washington schools at home last weekend to escape the Pac-12 cellar.
TIME: 9:30 p.m. ET. TV: Fox Sports 1
ABOUT UTAH (12-7, 3-4 Pac-12): The Runnin’ Utes entered the homestand riding a four-game losing streak before beating Washington (67-66) and Washington State (76-64). Sophomore forward Timmy Allen still leads the team in scoring (19.0 points per game) and rebounding (7.6) but his teammates have stolen the spotlight of late with forward Riley Battin leading the way against the Huskies with a season-high 17 points and freshman point guard Rylan Jones coming through against the Cougars with 24 points, three assists and four steals while hitting 8-of-10 shots and all six of his free-throw attempts. For the season, Jones is averaging 11.1 points and 4.9 assists while backcourt mate Both Gach also is averaging double digits (10.6 points) for the Utes, who are averaging 75.4 points and lead the Pac-12 in free-throw percentage at 74.6.
ABOUT USC (16-4, 5-2): Freshman forward Onyeka Okongwu has quickly established himself as one of the conference’s top talents and leads the team with 17.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.1 blocks while shooting 62.3 percent from the field – third best in the Pac-12. Okongwu scored 41 points, grabbed 22 rebounds and swatted away eight shot attempts last weekend as the Trojans split their Oregon road swing, falling 79-70 in double overtime to the Ducks before bouncing back with a dominating 75-55 win over the Beavers last Saturday. Guard Jonah Mathews (13.0 points) and forward Nick Rakocevic (11.0) also are averaging double figures for USC, which has struggled at the free-throw line (conference-worst 67.1 percent) and turnovers (Pac-12-worst minus-1.75 turnover margin) despite its success.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Utah leads the series 24-19, including 77-70 (road) and 83-74 (home) victories a year ago to sweep the season series.
2. Defense has been a shortcoming for the Utes, who are surrendering a Pac-12-most 72.0 points per game and rank 11th in the conference in field-goal percentage defense (43.8) and 3-point percentage D (35.6).
3. USC shot 64.6 percent from the field against Oregon State – its best team performance since shooting 68.1 percent in a Dec. 17, 2007 win over Delaware State.
PREDICTION: USC 79, Utah 68