Golden Bears Claw at Victory but Trojans Stand Firm at Galen Center
In a contest that saw the California Golden Bears and the USC Trojans exchange leads seven times, it was ultimately the home team that secured the win with a final score of 82-74. The Golden Bears' record now stands at 0-1, while the Trojans celebrate their first victory of the season.
The game was a showcase of offensive talent on both sides. The Golden Bears put up an impressive performance in terms of assists, dishing out 21 compared to their opponents' 29. They also demonstrated tenacity on defense with 10 steals throughout the game. Despite trailing by eight points at halftime with a scoreline showing them behind at 29-37, they managed to rally back in the second half to add another 45 points to their tally.
California's shooting from beyond the arc was notable as they hit 12 three-pointers on a commendable shooting percentage of around 39 percent from distance. Their overall field goal percentage stood close to that mark as well, with nearly half of their attempts finding success. Inside scoring was also robust for California; they tallied up to around 30 points in paint.
However, turnovers proved costly for California; despite having an assists turnover ratio near two (1.75), they gave up possession fifteen times which led directly to fourteen points for USC. On top of this, while both teams grabbed an equal number of total rebounds (31), second-chance opportunities were limited for California as they only scored four second-chance points.
On USC's side, efficiency inside was key – converting approximately two-thirds of their two-point attempts and ending with about thirty-six points in paint showed dominance close to the basket. They also capitalized on fast-break opportunities scoring sixteen fast break points and matched California's intensity by making eleven three-pointers themselves.
As fans look ahead after this hard-fought battle, attention turns towards future matchups where resilience will be key for rebounding from defeat. The next challenge awaits as California Golden Bears are set to face off against UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on January sixth at seven PM Pacific Time – an encounter that can be watched live on Pac-12 Network.