Southern California @ Arizona preview
McKale Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 27, 2020 ) Arizona 48, Southern California 57
Southern California's Evan Mobley is one of the top freshmen in the country. Arizona also has a hot rookie in Bennedict Mathurin.
They will meet for the first time when Arizona (9-1, 3-1 Pac-12) takes on USC (6-2, 1-1) on Thursday night in Tucson, Ariz.
The Wildcats have won four games in a row, with a big boost from Mathurin, who led the team in scoring in both games of a road sweep at the Washington schools last week. He was chosen the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week, averaging 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in those two games.
"Ben stepped up and made two big free throws at the end," assistant coach Jason Terry said after an 86-82 double-overtime win at Washington State on Saturday. "He hit big shots, and he's playing efficiently."
Mathurin, an athletic 6-foot-7 wing, hit 8 of 12 shots and grabbed 11 rebounds against the Cougars for his first career double-double. He sealed the win with two free throws with nine seconds to go.
Mathurin has been coming off the bench but is essentially splitting minutes with Dalen Terry, one of two freshmen in the starting lineup, the other being big man Azuolas Tubelis. The Wildcats are relying on a healthy nine-man rotation and balanced scoring, led by the backcourt of James Akinjo (14.2 points per game) and Jemarl Baker Jr. (13.7).
While Arizona moved to the fringes of the top-25 poll, the Trojans split home contests with Colorado and Utah last week.
They smothered the Utes on Saturday, blocking nine shots, holding Utah to 27.9 percent shooting and pulling away for a 64-46 victory. In a statistical oddity, Mobley, a 7-foot forward who was the nation's top-rated recruit, didn't even attempt a shot.
He finished with three points in an effort that impressed coach Andy Enfield.
"Evan is the most unselfish talented player we've ever seen," Enfield said. "He's a team player first. He could have forced some tough shots up but made the right decision. They were double teaming him on the catch. ... He was passing the ball and getting our guys shots.
"He played terrific; he just didn't score."
Mobley is averaging team highs with 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds, along with 23 blocked shots.
The ability of USC's big men to defend the rim while also getting out and defending 3-point shooters on the perimeter is a hallmark of its stifling defense. The Trojans are allowing teams to shoot just 35.3 percent overall, 29.4 percent from 3-point range.
They block 5.9 shots per game, the seventh-best mark in the country.
"Defense is a big focus of ours. We have a culture here and we demand it as a staff," Enfield said.
The ruggedness pays off on the boards, too. USC has a plus-6.9 rebounding margin but will be going against a big Arizona front line that has led the Wildcats to a plus-11.4 edge on the glass.
--Field Level Media