MBB PREVIEW: Oregon Open PAC-12 Play Against the USC Trojans

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By: Jack McArthur

The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team will take on the visiting USC Trojans tonight at 6 PM PST. The Ducks stand at 8-3, while the Trojans are one game above .500, with a record of 6-5. This will be the first in conference game for both Oregon and USC. Oregon are 2-1 in their last three games. They’re looking to extend their winning streak, after their 14 point win over Kent State last Thursday, December 21. USC, on the other hand, are 1-2 in their last three games. The Trojans are also coming off of a win. They defeated Alabama State by 20 points, with a 79-59 final on Tuesday, December 19.

Oregon’s head coach is Dana Altman, who is in his 14th year in charge. Altman has a total record of 329-143 as Oregon’s head coach. USC’s head coach is Andy Enfield, who is in his 11th year at the helm. Enfield has an all time record of 211-134 at USC.

Despite having a solid season so far and a positive record, the Ducks are dealing with various injuries. Nate Bittle, N’faly Dante, Mookie Cook and Jesse Zarzuela are all currently injured. USC’s roster remains healthy.

Although the Trojans are healthy now, they’ve had to navigate injuries too. LeBron James Jr., also known as Bronny James, was out for a while due to heart problems. He recently completed a procedure to treat a congenital heart defect. James Jr. made his debut for USC on December 10 against Long Beach State.

Oregon’s leading scorer is N’faly Dante, who’s averaging 16 points per game in one appearance this season. He’s been great for the Ducks overall, yet unfortunately for Ducks fans, he’s currently sidelined due to an injury. Jermaine Couisnard is currently leading the way for Oregon with an average of 13.1 PPG. Oregon natives freshman Jackson Shelstad and junior Nate Bittle are right behind Couisnard with 13 PPG this season.

The Ducks have six players who are averaging 10 points or more this season. By comparison, the Trojans have three players averaging double digits in points this season. USC have three main scorers. Their leading scorer is Boogie Ellis, who’s averaging 19.5 points per contest. Ellis is shooting 45.4% from the field, and an astounding 44.2% from three.

Isaiah Collier is averaging 16.1 PPG, 4.3 APG and 2.9 RPG. Collier is shooting 49.2% overall and 30.3% from three. USC’s Kobe Johnson has the team’s third highest PPG average, with 11.4 PPG. Johnson is also averaging 5.6 RPG and 2.9 APG, in nine games played this season.

The Ducks average 79 points per game collectively. They’re currently shooting 46.9% from the field as a team, and 34.3% from three point range. The Trojans average a half of a point less than the Ducks per game, with 78.5 points scored per game. They’re shooting 44.8% from the field and 34.9% from downtown as a team.

The Oregon Ducks have an undefeated record of 6-0 on their home court this year. I believe that it will be a close game, with a lot of scoring. My prediction is that Oregon will win with a final score of 80-72.