Colorado @ Southern California preview

Colorado at Southern California

Last Meeting ( Feb 21, 2018 ) Southern California 75, Colorado 64

Colorado quietly is rebounding from a 2-6 Pac-12 start, posting impressive double-digit wins over Oregon and UCLA in its last two outings. The Buffaloes will try to maintain the momentum Saturday night when they visit USC.

In the 73-51 win over the Ducks on Feb. 2, Colorado dominated defensively, holding Oregon to a season-low 51 points and a nine-year low 31 percent shooting from the field. On Wednesday at UCLA, Colorado cranked things up offensively, shooting 53.8 percent, including 13-of-24 from 3-point range, and recording a season-high 22 assists on 28 made baskets in an 84-73 win. “I like our toughness the last couple of games,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle said Wednesday in his post-game news conference. “The guys are really dialed in right now.” USC’s fortunes, meanwhile, have been trending in the opposite direction, dropping two of its last three games following a 5-2 Pac-12 start.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT COLORADO (13-9, 4-6 Pac-12): The Buffs received a huge boost Wednesday from junior-college transfer Shane Gatling who connected on 8-of-10 shots, including 7-of-9 3-pointers, in scoring a season-high 28 points. Sophomore swingman Tyler Bey also stayed hot with 16 points and 10 rebounds, giving him his third double-double in the last five games. Gatling (10.5 points per game) and Bey (12.5) are two of the four Buffaloes averaging double figures, with sophomore point guard McKinley Wright (12.7, team-leading 5.0 assists) and forward Lucas Siewert (11.2 points) rounding out the contingent.

ABOUT USC (13-10, 6-4): The Trojans are coming off a 77-70 home loss to Utah on Wednesday night in which they trailed by 23 points midway through the second half and finished with a 38.0 field-goal percentage, including 9-of-26 from 3-point range. “That was our worst effort in a long time,” USC coach Andy Enfield said afterward. “I’m disappointed in our team, (but) I’ll take the blame for that.” Guard Jonah Mathews scored 18 points to pace the Trojans, but forwards Bennie Boatwright and Nick Rakocevic, who average a combined 33.3 points per game, scored 27 on 9-for-22 shooting.

TIP-INS

1. USC has won four straight in the series, including 75-64 and 70-58 victories a year ago, but Colorado had won seven consecutive meetings prior to that.

2. USC’s loss Wednesday snapped a seven-game home streak while Colorado’s win was only its second in its last nine Pac-12 road games.

3. Rakocevic is second in the conference with his average of 9.9 rebounds and has averaged 19 points and 10.8 boards over his last six contests.

PREDICTION: USC 80, Colorado 72