No. 21 USC men’s basketball struggled to find its offensive rhythm early, but senior guard Rodney Rice and sophomore guard Alijah Arenas led a scoring attack as the Trojans secured a 77-65 victory over the Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion.
Returning to the Pavilion for the first time since leaving the Pac-12, the Trojans got their first road victory over Cal since November 2022.
Rice finished with 18 points, five rebounds and three assists while Arenas led USC with 19 points and seven rebounds. Despite shooting just 40.6% from the field and connecting on six of 21 attempts from beyond the arc, USC controlled the boards, outrebounding California 53-36 to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Neither team found much success offensively in the opening minutes. The Golden Bears struck first while USC struggled to convert from the perimeter and committed turnovers. Cal’s defense disrupted the Trojans’ offensive flow, forcing contested shots and limiting opportunities near the basket. USC also struggled to contain the Golden Bears defensively, surrendering steals and transition opportunities.
But Arenas helped shift the momentum and ended USC’s scoring drought before later converting a first-half free throw that gave the Trojans the lead. Rice also produced much-needed offense, scoring 12 of his 18 points in the first, including two 3-pointers.
While the Trojans struggled from long range, junior forward Jacob Cofie made his presence felt inside by recording a double-double, his first of the season. Cofie finished with 13 points and a team-high 15 rebounds, including a few dunks that helped energize USC’s offense.
The Trojans unfortunately faced early foul trouble from freshman twins forward Adonis and center Darius Ratliff, who were benched within just three minutes of the game. While both had standout performances in their collegiate debuts even though Darius fouled out against Wichita State, their presence wasn’t fully missed as Cal struggled to establish consistent offensive plays. USC limited Cal to 34.8% of shooting from the field and just 17.4% from the arc, while recording nine blocks.
As Cal attempted a comeback in the second half, USC maintained its advantage through its interior presence and contributions from the bench.
Senior guard K.J. Lewis provided a boost with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists, while junior guard Jaidis Jones had six points and 11 rebounds – contributions that gave USC additional offensive options.
Although USC allowed 12 turnovers, its rebounding advantage and defensive presence ultimately proved sufficient.
For a USC team that relied heavily on Rice and Arenas in its previous victory over Wichita State, this performance demonstrated depth in the rest of the roster and the ability to win without relying solely on perimeter shooting.
USC returns to Galen Center Sunday to kick off a home stretch, facing the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 4:00 p.m PST.
Edited by Adriana Brady and Bennett M. Weinschenk