No. 21 USC’s first real road test of the season came with some early resistance, but the Trojans settled in and walked out of Haas Pavilion with a 77-65 win over California on Wednesday night.
The Trojans improved to 3-0 by leaning on the same backcourt that has driven their start. Rodney Rice and Alijah Arenas both finished in double figures for the third straight game, and USC used that one-two punch to erase an early deficit and control the second half.
The win also gave USC its first true road victory over a Power-5 non-conference opponent since the 93-89 overtime result at Vanderbilt on Nov. 19, 2017.
Arenas led the way with 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting and added seven rebounds. It was his third straight game shooting at least 50% from the field. Rice followed with 18 points, hit all six of his free throws and grabbed five rebounds.
USC got major help from two other starters as well. Senior guard KJ Lewis posted a season-high 16 points, along with three rebounds and two assists, in his best outing as a Trojan.
Junior forward Jacob Cofie turned in a huge all-around night with 12 points, 15 rebounds and a career-high six assists. The 15 boards matched his career high, and the performance gave him his first double-double of the season and the eighth of his career.
He played all 40 minutes while USC worked around foul trouble for Adonis Ratliff and Darius Ratliff, who combined for just nine minutes.
Cal came out fast and made USC chase early. The Golden Bears built a seven-point lead in the first half after forcing three early turnovers and cashing in on second-chance chances. Sammie Yeanay sparked that start with five quick points as Cal jumped ahead 9-2 with 17:01 left in the half.
USC answered by tightening up and getting more efficient inside. Rice scored the Trojans’ first five points, and the visitors gradually worked their way back into the game. By the time USC was shooting 60% on two-point attempts through the first 10 minutes, it had taken a 21-20 lead with 8:06 left in the half.
Arenas was right there with Rice during that stretch, matching his teammate’s nine first-half points while going 4-for-7 from the floor and adding five rebounds before the break. USC took a nine-point lead into halftime and never really let Cal fully back in front.
The Golden Bears did make a push after the break. Cal opened the second half with a 6-0 run to trim the USC lead to three, and later a 7-0 run midway through the half cut the margin back to single digits.
USC, though, kept answering with defensive stops and enough shot-making from Rice, Arenas and Lewis to stay ahead. The Trojans stretched the lead to as many as 13 in the second half.
One of the biggest reasons USC stayed in control was its work on the glass and its perimeter defense. The Trojans outrebounded Cal 28-18 in the first half and finished with 53 rebounds, the most by USC under head coach Eric Musselman. They also held the Golden Bears to 17.4% shooting from three-point range, well below Cal’s season mark of 44%.
Cal’s scoring was led by Yeanay, who finished with 14 points, while Nojus Indrusaitis added 13 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Arenas put the game away with a 3-pointer with 2:45 remaining, pushing USC’s lead to 13 and sealing the Trojans’ third win of the season.
USC now returns home for a three-game homestand, starting Sunday, Nov. 15 against Arkansas Pine-Bluff. The game is set for 4:00 p.m. on B1G+.
USC’s starting five of Rice, Arenas, Cofie, Adonis Ratliff and Darius Ratliff is now 3-0. The Trojans also picked up their first win in Haas Pavilion since Nov. 30, 2022, and moved to 135-138 all-time against Cal. Head Coach is now 1-1 against the Golden Bears.
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