Pepperdine Waves vs USC Trojans PAC-12 Basketball game on Tuesday November 19, 2019 at the Galen Center. (Photo by Jerry Kelly)
USC held a five-point lead with 1:20 left in the second half when Nick Rakocevic received a pass in the paint and quickly threw an alley-oop to freshman Onyeka Okongwu who threw it down with two hands.
Pepperdine Waves vs USC Trojans PAC-12 Basketball game on Tuesday November 19, 2019 at the Galen Center. (Photo by Jerry Kelly)
Okongwu finished with a career night, scoring 33 points to lead USC to a 91-84 win over Pepperdine Tuesday at the Galen Center.
“Onyeka does what he does well,” USC head coach Andy Enfield said. “And when he is fouled, he makes his free throws. He played a smart game. All three of our bigs played well. If we can get that productivity out of our three bigs, that’d be pretty good.”
The Trojans improved to 5-0 for the first time since 2016. Rakocevic had 16 points and 11 rebounds while Jonah Mathews added 16 points as well. Four players finished in double figures for USC.
Pepperdine Waves vs USC Trojans PAC-12 Basketball game on Tuesday November 19, 2019 at the Galen Center. (Photo by Jerry Kelly)
“That was a good win against a very good team,” Enfield said. “Both teams offensively made a lot of tough shots. Ross was spectacular. He had some shot making you don’t see often. Every time we tried to extend the lead, he’d hit a shot. Our guys played well and we’re 5-0. Pepperdine is much improved. Lorenzo has done a good job and they have a lot of offensive talent.”
USC got off to a slow start, trailing by double digits twice in the first half. Pepperdine took a 21-11 lead after a layup by Skylar Chavez. USC made nine of its final 13 shots in the first half to take 44-37 halftime lead.
Colby Ross hit a three-pointer to open the second half for Pepperdine but USC went on a 9-0 run before Elijah Weaver nailed a three-pointer to give USC a 56-46 lead. Ross finished with a career-high 38 points.
Pepperdine Waves vs USC Trojans PAC-12 Basketball game on Tuesday November 19, 2019 at the Galen Center. (Photo by Jerry Kelly)
“We tried different things on Ross,” Enfield said. “He had it rolling. Some of the shots he made were really hard. Sometimes you’ve got to give others credit.”
Freshman Isaiah Mobley hit a pair of free throws to give USC a 73-61 lead with 9:27 left in the second half. After an 8-0 run by the Waves, Mathews hit back-to-back three-pointers to get the lead back up to nine points.Mobley scored 14 points off the bench.
“The coaches kept telling me to be aggressive,” Mobley said. “I was trying to find where I can be consistent and persistent. I found a spot in the second half to get going.”
Pepperdine Waves vs USC Trojans PAC-12 Basketball game on Tuesday November 19, 2019 at the Galen Center. (Photo by Jerry Kelly)
USC’s next game will be against Temple (3-0) on Friday, Nov. 22 at the Galen Center.
PAC-12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Rick Gurrola / fi360 News)
Pac-12 Football Players of the Week – Week 12
OFFENSE: Anthony Gordon, R-Sr., QB, Washington State (Pacifica, Calif.) • Led WSU to a 49-22 victory over visiting Stanford as he completed
44 of 60 passes (73.3%) for 520 yards, five TDs and 1 interception. • Upped his season total to 39, most in WSU single-season history and tied for fourth-most in Pac-12 single-season history • Gordon’s 520 yards, his 2nd 500-yard game this season, upped his
season passing total to 4,314, fifth-most in WSU history and 10th-most
in Pac-12 history. • Gordon led the Cougars to scores on nine of WSU’s 11 drives, with
the non-scoring drives ending on an interception and the final drive of
the game with WSU taking a knee. • Completed passes to eight different receivers and was at his best
in the second half, completing 17 of 19 passes (89.5%) for 203 yards and
two TDs. • Completed 9 of 11 3rd-down passes for 148 yards, 2 TDs, and a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
DEFENSE: Julian Blackmon, Sr., S, Utah (Layton, Utah) • Finished with a game-high 12 tackles (1.5 sacks, 1.5 TFL), adding a
forced fumble and an interception in Utah’s 49-3 win over UCLA. • He is a part of a defense that has held five opponents to
single-digits this season, including four games holding an opponent
without a touchdown. • Is tied for the Pac-12 lead with four interceptions this season and is tied for ninth in the FBS • Assisted in a sack for a loss of nine yards on a second-and-goal
for the Bruins, pushing them back to the Utah nine-yard line where they
eventually had to settle on a field goal in the first drive of the game. • Forced a fumble on a sack for a loss of 17 yards on a third-and-10
for the Bruins with Utah picking it up and running it back for a 68-yard
return.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Brandon Aiyuk, Sr., KR/PR/WR, Arizona State (Reno, Nev.) • Three punt returns for 76 yards, including a 63-yard return for touchdown at Oregon State. • Also had two kickoff returns for 44 yards. • Combined with his performance on offense, Aiyuk collected 293
all-purpose yards (173 receiving, 76 punt return, 44 kick return), the
fifth-most in single-game program history. This represents his seventh
performance with 100+ all-purpose yards this season and 11th of his
career.
Also nominated: Chase McGrath, PK, USC; Travell Harris, KR/WR, WSU
OFFENSIVE LINE: Shane Lemieux, Sr., RG, Oregon (Yakima, Wash.) • Finished as the highest-graded guard in the Pac-12 for week 12 by
Pro Football Focus during No. 6 Oregon’s 34-6 win over Arizona. • Made his 48th consecutive start at right guard. • Did not allow a hit, hurry or pressure on the QB over 67 snaps • Led the Ducks with a season-high seven knockdowns and had a 97 percent assignment grade from the Oregon coaches. • Had an 80.4 overall grade from PFF, good for third best nationally among guards • Protected QB Justin Herbert, who threw for 333 yards and four TDs • Oregon totaled 471 yards of offense and averaged 7.0 yards per play.
Also nominated: Blake Brandel, OT, OSU; Frederick Mauigoa, OG, WSU
DEFENSIVE LINE: Mika Tafua, So., DE, Utah (Laie, Hawaii) • Tafua was a key part in Utah’s 49-3 win over UCLA, scoring Utah’s
defensive touchdown on a fumble recovery return while contributing five
tackles (1.0 TFL) and his fourth fumble recovery of the season. • Tafua’s fumble recovery return for 68 yards was Utah’s fifth
defensive touchdown of the season and is tied for the fourth-longest
fumble return in school history. • Tafua is tied for first in FBS football and ranks first in the Pac-12 this season in fumbles recovered (4). • He is a part of the Utah defense that held UCLA to 50 yards
rushing, the ninth team this season that Utah has held to under 100
yards rushing.
Also nominated: Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, ORE; Simon Sandberg, DL, OSU
FRESHMAN: Drake London, Fr., WR, USC (Moorpark, Calif.) • London had 6 receptions for 111 yards with an 8-yard TD catch in the 41-17 win at California. • It was his first 100-yard game in his career. • He had a 45-yard catch in which he outjumped a defender and
wrestled the ball away, the second consecutive week he has used his
basketball skills to make a spectacular grab (he plans to join the
Trojan basketball team in January). • He now has 27 receptions with 3 TDs on the year and his 14.5 average yards per reception tops USC regulars.
Also nominated: Jayden Daniels, QB, ASU; Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, ORE; Omar Speights, LB, OSU
Arizona vs Oregon PAC-12 football game in Eugene, OR on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Megan Connelly / fi360 News).
EUGENE, OR – The 6th ranked Oregon Ducks defeated the Arizona Wildcats 34-6 late Saturday night,
securing the Pac-12 North Division Title in the process.
Question marks have
surrounded Oregon’s offense all season, and despite only converting 53% of
their third down attempts the Ducks offense showed moments of explosiveness
they’ve been looking for. Marcus Arroyo’s offense averaged over 6-yards per
play on first down and gained 471 total yards to Arizona’s 240.
Arizona vs Oregon PAC-12 football game in Eugene, OR on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Megan Connelly / fi360 News).
Justin Herbert became the
second player in Oregon history to break 10,000 total career yards and 100
total career touchdowns after he completed 20/28 passes for 333 yards, and 4
touchdowns. Herbert now trails only Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, who
was in attendance, on the all-time Oregon stat list.
Leading the Ducks on the
receiving end were Juwan Johnson and Johnny Johnson III, who posted similar
nights of 5 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, and 4 catches for 89 yards
and a touchdown, respectively. Juwan Johnson’s longest catch of the night came
off a 53-yard reverse flea flicker from Justin Herbert, who dropped the ball
perfectly in stride for a touchdown.
Arizona vs Oregon PAC-12 football game in Eugene, OR on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Megan Connelly / fi360 News).
Head Coach Mario Cristobal was a physical offensive lineman for the University of Miami between 1989-92 himself and understands the importance of winning battles up front. After the game he stated, “We felt to win this game that we were going to have to take control at the line of scrimmage”. Oregon’s defense dominated the front line, recording 9 tackles for loss and 6 sacks on the night.
The Ducks move to 9-1 on the
season after the win, and Mario Cristobal knows his team’s goals are still in
their control. “The best part about it is, and his feels like a broken record…
but our guys still feel like we haven’t played our best football”.
Come December 4th,
the Ducks will compete in the Pac-12 Championship game in Santa Clara for the
first time since 2014, which will likely be against a highly ranked Utah Ute
team. With a win, either team would have a strong argument for having a chance
to compete in the College Football Playoff.
Arizona vs Oregon PAC-12 football game in Eugene, OR on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Megan Connelly / fi360 News).
Injuries unfortunately struck
Oregon again, the biggest of which hit came after freshman wide receiver Mycah
Pittman suffered what appears to be a significant arm injury at the end of a
play. Pittman struggled with injuries early in the season, and already missed 4
games due to a broken collarbone. The loss of Pittman definitely hurts, but the
emergence of Juwan Johnson and Spencer Webb should fill the void if Pittman
indeed misses significant time.
Arizona vs Oregon PAC-12 football game in Eugene, OR on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Megan Connelly / fi360 News).
The Ducks will head to
Arizona State next week before hosting in-state rival Oregon State for the
‘Civil War’ in their final home game of the season on November 30th.
Indiana vs Penn State Big Ten football game on November 16, 2019. (Photo by Patrick Blain)
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – It was far from a flashy 34-27 victory for a
Penn State football team looking to rebound from a disappointment of a week
ago. When the matchup between #24 Indiana (7-3, 4-3) and #9 Penn State (9-1,
6-1) came down to crunch time, it was a fourth down decision in the final
quarter that ultimately determined the fate for the Hoosiers.
Indiana vs Penn State Big Ten football game on November 16, 2019. (Photo by Patrick Blain)
With 1:48 remaining and the score at 27-24, Penn State quarterback
Sean Clifford used his legs to stretch across the goal line on a 4th down and 1
yard play. The Nittany Lions finished 2-2 on fourth down conversions and
Clifford finished the day with 55 yards rushing on 10 carries and two
touchdowns.
When asked about his late game play calling, Penn State head coach
James Franklin said, “It was the right decision… it worked.”
After star wide receiver KJ Hamler left the game in the first
quarter with an undisclosed injury, he was oddly seen with a bull horn cheering
teammates on from the tunnel at moments during the game. Penn State shifted
gears on offense following Hamler’s absence and turned to another young star
in-the-making running back Journey Brown.
Indiana vs Penn State Big Ten football game on November 16, 2019. (Photo by Patrick Blain)
“You know how KJ is… KJ be KJ at the end of the day,” said Brown
of his teammate Hamler.
Journey Brown finished the day with 100 yards rushing on 21
carries and one touchdown. “Our offensive line played great, giving me holes
and time to hit them.”
Indiana vs Penn State Big Ten football game on November 16, 2019. (Photo by Patrick Blain)
Penn State’s passing defense suffered mightily for the second week
in a row. Indiana’s top ranked Big Ten passing attack torched Penn State for
371 yards.
Next up for the Nittany Lions is a visit at the Horseshoe on
Saturday, Nov. 23 with #2 Ohio State. Game time is set for noon.
Indiana vs Penn State Big Ten football game on November 16, 2019. (Photo by Patrick Blain)
The USC Trojans defeat the Cal Bears 41-17 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
Berkeley, CA – The final home game of the 2019
season did not go accordingly to plan for the California Golden Bears (5-5,
2-5), as they fell to the USC Trojans (7-4,6-2) in a 41-17 rout on senior
night.
The USC Trojans defeat the Cal Bears 41-17 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
The opening quarter brought what appeared to be a
fairly even matchup with the return of quarterback Chase Garbers (7) for the
Bears, who led the offense down the field for an opening-drive touchdown capped
off by a 5-yard dash to the endzone by running back DeShawn Collins (26).
The Trojans would also score on their first
drive, marking the first of four touchdown passes on the night, all to
different receivers, for quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) who found Amon-Ra St.
Brown (8) for an 18-yard strike to make it 7-7.
USC would take a 10-7 lead heading into the
second quarter with a 41-yard field goal from Chase McGrath (40) before the
Bears would tack on 3 points of their own with a 37-yarder from Greg Thomas
(39).
The USC Trojans defeat the Cal Bears 41-17 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
It was in the second quarter, however, that
everything started to fall apart for Cal.
First came the loss of Garbers. Again.
The sophomore quarterback would leave the game
after going down on a short scramble to his left side, much like the play in
which he was injured against Arizona State and forced to miss nearly half the
season.
Then it was Evan Tattersall (54), who left the
game on a stretcher after receiving medical attention for several minutes
following a hard collision in kickoff coverage. Tattersall was ultimately taken
to the hospital but it was confirmed that he was alert and demonstrating
movement of his extremities following the game.
The final blow for Cal in the second quarter, and
what would be the beginning of USC’s march toward a blowout win, was a 33-yard
touchdown pass from Slovis to Michael Pittman Jr. (33) with just 43 seconds
remaining in the half.
The USC Trojans defeat the Cal Bears 41-17 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
In the second half, it was all USC with Slovis
delivering two more scoring strikes, first to London Drake (15) and then to
Josh Falo (83), to go along with a 2-yard rushing score from Stephen Carr (7).
The Trojans effectively ripped apart the Cal
secondary, tallying 462 total yards of offseason with 406 through the air on
29-of-35 attempts from Slovis.
Collins provided a late spark for the Bears,
shedding tacklers on his way to a 34-yard rushing score to give the Bears their
only points of the half, but it was far too late for any hope of a comeback.
The USC Trojans defeat the Cal Bears 41-17 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, November 16, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
After the game, Cal head coach Justin Wilcox
noted just how impressive the Trojan’s offensive weapons had been.
“I’ve never seen a receiving corps like that
in this conference, not in 20 years,” he said.
Cal, on the other hand, struggled to produce a
passing attack strong enough to go along with a decent rushing performance, led
by Collins who contributed 103 yards of the Bears’ 166 total on the ground as
well as both of his team’s rushing touchdowns on just 15 carries.
Quarterback Devon Modster (6), after delivering
his strongest performance yet for the Bears against Washington State last week
after becoming the go-to man under center after the first injury to Garbers,
was unable to provide the level consistency his team needed in this one.
He finished 11-of-22 for 95 yards passing with 2
interceptions and added just 19 yards rushing.
The Bears now look to cross-bay rival Stanford,
as they will head down to The Farm next week for the 2019 edition of The Big
Game before finishing the regular season at UCLA.
“We have to own this. All of us. It’s
disappointing that we didn’t perform better,” Wilcox said. “We knew
we had to perform well against a team with that type of talent. We have to
regroup on Monday. I know that’s exactly what we will do.”
The Trojans will welcome the UCLA Bruins in the
final game of their regular season next week.
Utah Utes running back Devonta'e Henry-Cole (7) runs the ball on September 20, 2019 (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360)
SALT LAKE CITY- Number seventh
ranked Utah ended UCLA’s three-game winning streak on Saturday night,
demolishing the visiting Bruins by a score of 49-3, effectively wrapping up the
PAC-12 South title in the process.
Quarterback Tyler Huntley Photo by Aaron Nelson / fi360 News
Utah improves to (9-1 overall6-1
PAC-12) on the season. The Utes have defeated the UCLA Bruins four straight
times. It was a record-setting night; running back Zack Moss moved into second
place in Utah history for all-purpose yards with 127 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Tyler Huntley threw for
a season-high 335 yards, going 14 of 18 with two touchdowns. This offensive
explosion amounted to 536 yards, the Bruins had absolutely no answers to the
efficiency of the Utah machine.
Despite the fact that the game was
not competitive, the Bruins kept the game close until the final minutes of the
first half. UCLA opened the game with a long drive culminating with a JJ
Molson 43-yard field goal, making it 3-0. It was all downhill from there
for the Bruins. Utah scored a touchdown on four consecutive possessions
in the second quarter alone.
After a pair of Utah touchdowns,
capped off by a two-yard run by Huntley, the Bruins found themselves deep in
Utah territory before the game got out of hand.
Bruins quarterback Dorian
Thompson-Robinson rolled back on a crucial third down when the ball
squirted out of his right hand, Mike Tafua scooped up the loose ball for
Utah and returned it 68 yards to the house.
Utah Utes defensive back Javelin K. Guidry #28 and UCLA Bruins defensive back Elisha Guidry #30 on October 26, 2018 (Photo by Jevone Moore)
UCLA falls to (4-6 overall,4-3 PAC-12) on the season. The Utes are the No. 1 defense in the PAC-12 for a reason. Holding the Bruins to 3.7 yards per play, forcing four turnovers while sacking UCLA quarterback DTR five times. Even UCLA running back Josh Kelley was stonewalled at every turn.
UCLA must win their final two games
in 2019 in order to be eligible for a bowl game. It begins with the Crosstown
Rivalry, next Saturday against their arch rival, the USC Trojans at the
Coliseum. UCLA defeated USC, 34-27 last year at the Rose Bowl, ending a three
game skid over the Trojans. Utah plays at Arizona next Saturday.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay during the NFL game on October 13, 2019. Jevone Moore
LOS ANGELES – Heading into Sunday nights pivotal showdown against the
Chicago Bears, our beloved Los Angeles Rams are in danger of missing the NFL
Playoffs after last year’s magical Super Bowl run. With a (5-4) record, their
season is derailing due to a struggling offense, lackluster play from their
superstars and risky gambles from management determined to win now at all
costs.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff #16 during the NFL game on October 13, 2019. Jevone Moore
After Sunday’s
humiliating loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 17-12, when the Rams anemic
offense was incapable of scoring a touchdown in an astounding 15 possessions.
Four turnovers and a measly three points was all the Rams could muster. In
2018, the Rams led the NFL in scoring, this season it’s dropped to 10th. What
happened?
First, All-Pro Running
Back Todd Gurley is no longer the premier rusher he formerly was. His nagging quad
and knee injuries have limited him to 428 yards with only 6 touchdowns. The
offense was predicated and built around Gurley’s excellence, enabling
quarterback Jared Goff to confuse opposing defenses with the play action. For
example, Gurley came alive on Sunday afternoon, with a strong 22-yard run in
the 3rd quarter. Oddly, backup Malcolm Brown came in for Gurley for nearly the
remainder of the game. Ram’s wunderkind Head Coach Sean McVay has left Gurley
on the bench during several crucial moments in 2019.
Another factor is the
injury bug is finally catching up with the Rams. Primarily with the offensive
line. Once the steady bedrock of the franchise, Center Brian Allen as
well as Guard Joe Noteboom will sadly miss the remainder of the season. The
past two seasons, no Offensive Lineman missed a game.
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) runs the ball on October 29, 2019, Photo by Jordon Kelly.
Always the optimist,
McVay is prepared for any new obstacle. “I think it’s a great challenge, let’s
use this opportunity to try and see we can put guys in better spots, and
ultimately find a way to win the game as a team,” said McVay.
Just one year ago, the
Rams knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs, 54-51 at the Coliseum. The week 11
triumph was one of the most thrilling regular-season games in NFL history. The
tenor going into this week, 11 matchup against the Bears is one of
urgency.
The Rams are currently
third in the NFC West, trailing both the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle
Seahawks, in what is hands down the strongest division in the league.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff #16 during a NFL game on October 13, 2019. Jevone Moore
Personally, I believe
the lion share of the blame falls on Rams quarterback Jared Goff. Goff has
reverted to the issues which plagued him during his Super Bowl LIII 13-3 loss
to the New England Patriots. The 2016 NO. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft has
thrown 11 touchdowns compared to nine interceptions. Making matters worse, Goff
has gone five straight games with a completion rate below 60 percent.
To be fair, Goff has
been pressured on 40 percent of his drop backs. Opposing defenses have figured
the Rams methods and schemes. The Rams reeked of desperation against the
Steelers: the fake punt deep inside their own 30 yard line. To running the ball
on third and long situations.
This is not a case of
the dreaded, ”Super Bowl hangover”. These problems began to creep up last year.
Rather, it is the tale of an innovative coach and general manager possibly
making shortsighted decisions in order to hoist the Lombardi trophy this
season.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay during the NFL game on October 13, 2019. Jevone Moore
Rams general manager
Les Snead paid his three most important players – Gurley, Goff and defensive tackle
Aaron Donald exorbitant contract extensions. Snead took a dangerous, albeit
loyal gamble to keep his stars in the City of Angels. Let’s talk about the
Jalen Ramsey trade. Arguably the league’s best cornerback was a disgruntled
Jacksonville Jaguar demanding a trade.
The Rams obliged,
perhaps giving up too much in return. The Rams received Ramsey while losing
Cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. Even worse, the Jaguars received
first-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 NFL draft.
Can the city and the
Rams afford his vision? Moving to the $5 billion-dollar SoFi stadium in
Inglewood in 2020 has to be a part of his decision. Let’s not put the horse
before the cart. We’ve got a best Da’ Bears.
The Bears are facing
the same issues we are: an incredible defense, shaky quarterback play and
Postseason aspirations. Lest we forget, on a Sunday night game in CHI town at
Soldier field last year, the Bears had our number, winning 15-6. The Rams will
also be missing wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who has suffered another concussion.
We need to support our
Rams by making it out to the Coliseum on Sunday night. Kickoff is at 5:15 pm.
The game will air on NBC. Prediction: Rams 24 Bears 21
South Dakota vs USC men's basketball at Galen Center in Los Angeles on November 12, 2019. (Photo by Rick Gurrola)
The USC basketball team saw their lead cut down to three points with 9:35 left in the second half. The Trojans put South Dakota away with a 16-4 run, including two three-pointers by senior Jonah Matthews.
Nick Rakocevic drives to the basket during the South Dakota vs USC men’s basketball at Galen Center in Los Angeles on November 12, 2019. (Photo by Rick Gurrola)
Nick Rakocevic scored 27 points and pulled down 16 rebounds to help USC defeat South Dakota, 84-66, Tuesday night at the Galen Center. USC improved to 3-0 on the season.
“South Dakota, I thought played very well for most of the game,” USC head coach Andy Enfield said. “I thought we wore them down late in the second half with our length. Our guys finished the game strong.”
Rakocevic and Matthews, who finished with 14 points, both got into the 1,000 career points club. Rakocevic tied a career high in points, made a career-high 10 free throws and finished with five steals, also a career high.
South Dakota vs USC men’s basketball at Galen Center in Los Angeles on November 12, 2019. (Photo by Rick Gurrola)
“To be part of those great players (who have scored 1,000 points) is special.” Rakocevic said. “Being aggressive down low and crashing the offensive glass has always been part of my game. I had mismatches against them and my teammates got me the ball to score.”
USC jumped out to a 16-point lead in the first half with the help Max Agbongpolo, who made 3-of-4 three pointers off the bench. USC led 38-31 at halftime despite shooting 35 percent.
True freshman Onyeka Okongwu converted a three-point play and grad transfer Quinton Adlesh drilled two three-pointers to fuel an 11-0 run and a 56-44 lead in the second half. South Dakota stormed back with a 12-3 run to cut the lead, 59-56.
Jonah Matthews drains a three pointer during the South Dakota vs USC men’s basketball at Galen Center in Los Angeles on November 12, 2019. (Photo by Rick Gurrola)
In the closing minutes, the seniors took over as Mattews hit two three-pointers and two key free throws. Rakocevic nailed three free throws to extend the lead and put the game out of reach.
“Our guys executed the game plan well,” Enfield said. “Any team we play can beat us. South Dakota State went to the NIT last year, won 25 games, they’re an excellent program. Our players knew they could beat us. It was good for our guys. They did a great job in the last part of the game to get the W.”
South Dakota vs USC men’s basketball at Galen Center in Los Angeles on November 12, 2019. (Photo by Rick Gurrola)
The Trojans hit the road for the first time this season when they travel to Nevada on Saturday, Nov.16.
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 02: USC Trojans quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) drops back in the pocket during a college football game between the Oregon Ducks and The USC Trojans on November 02, 2019, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly)
OFFENSE: Kedon Slovis, Fr., QB, USC (Scottsdale, Ariz.) • Was 29-of-39 for a career-best 432 yards with 4 TDs (8, 8, 58, 95 yards). • All of his TDs were in the first quarter when he completed 15-of-17
passes (including his first 11) for 297 yards to help USC to a 28-7
lead. • The 95-yard TD was the longest at USC since a school record 97-yarder in 1996.
DEFENSE: Edefuan Ulofoshio, R-Fr., LB, Washington (Anchorage, Alaska) • Ulofoshio came off the bench to lead the Washington defense to a
dominant performance in the Huskies’ 19-7 win at Oregon State. • OSU entered the game averaging 33.6 points and 431.0 yards per
game, but were limited to 7 points (which were actually scored by the
OSU defense on a pick-six) and just 119 yards of total offense. • Ulofoshio, mainly a special teamer prior to last Friday, entered
the game with a total of 11 tackles (and no sacks or TFLs) on the season
but, after an injury to a starting linebacker, filled the gap and led
the Huskies with nine tackles in the game, including one and a half
sacks for losses totaling 12 yards. • In the second half of the game, Ulofoshio and the Dawgs defense
limited the Beavers to just eight yards of total offense and no first
downs as OSU went three-and-out five times.
Also nominated: Davion Taylor, COLO.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Evan Price, R-Fr., PK, Colorado (Evergreen, Colo.) • Scored 10 points, making good on all three field goal attempts and his lone PAT kick. • His 23-yard field goal tied the game at 13-13 with 7:34 to go, and
then he kicked the game winner from 37 yards as time expired • It’s CU’s third field goal in history to win a game as time expired, the first since 2007 versus Oklahoma. • He is the first freshman in school history to be involved in a game
winning score in the final two minutes in school history (Mason Crosby
made a 23-yard field goal to send the game into overtime that CU
eventually beat Kansas, 50-47, in 2003). • He is now 7-of-8 in his career on field goals. • He was told Thursday prior to the game that he would be the placekicker, as regular James Stefanou has a hip injury.
Also nominated: Brandon Aiyuk, ASU; Ben Griffiths, USC; Daniel Rodriguez, OSU.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Arlington Hambright, Gr., OL, Colorado (Ypsilanti, Mich.) • In CU’s 16-13 win over Stanford that snapped a five-game losing streak, Hambright played all 71 snaps at left tackle, grading out to a season-best 88.7 percent. • He had eight knockdowns and a touchdown block in helping CU rush for 172 yards (181 without one sack, averaging 4.5 per rush); 40 yards over Stanford’s season average on defense.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Joe Tryon, So., DE, Washington (Renton, Wash.) • Led a suffocating Husky pass rush Friday in the Huskies’ 19-7 win
at Oregon State, finishing the game with seven total tackles,
four-and-a-half tackles for loss (for 26 yards) and two sacks (for 18
yards). • It marked the second week in a row that Tryon tallied two sacks in a
game. He now ranks 3rd in the Pac-12 in sacks, and second in conference
games. • OSU entered the game averaging 33.6 points and 431.0 yards per
game, but were limited to 7 points (which were actually scored by the
OSU defense on a pick-six), just 119 yards of total offense and six
first downs. • In the second half of the game, Tryon and the Dawgs defense limited
the Beavers to just eight yards of total offense and no first downs as
OSU went three-and-out five times.
Also nominated: Christian Rector, USC.
USC Trojans running back Kenan Christon #23 during the Arizona Wildcats vs USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday October 19, 2019 (Photo by Jevone Moore)
FRESHMAN: Kenan Christon, Fr., TB, USC (San Diego, Calif.) • Christon, a fifth stringer at the start of the year who was playing
just his fourth ever game, got his first career start and responded
with 144 all-purpose yards. • He had 62 yards on 20 carries and 82 yards on 4 catches with 2 TDs
(8 and 58 yards, dragging defenders the last 20 yards on his second TD).
Caption: The Cal Golden Bears defeat the Washington State Cougars 33-20 at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 9, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
Caption: The Cal Golden Bears defeat the Washington State Cougars 33-20 at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 9, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
Berkeley,
CA – The California Golden Bears (5-4, 2-4) and
Washington State Cougars (4-5, 1-5) entered their Saturday, November 9,
match-up at Memorial Stadium with identical schedules both in and out of
conference, each coming off a bye week, and both teams desperately needed a win
as they fight for bowl eligibility.
It was Cal that would survive to earn its first
win, 33-20, since starting quarterback Chase Garbers was lost to injury during
a Friday Night home contest against the Arizona State Sun Devils in which they
began a four-game losing streak after opening the year at 4-0 and earning a
spot in the Top 15 rankings.
The game itself was a fairly evenly matched
slugfest with both teams capitalizing on explosive plays and ultimately relying
on their bread-and-butter styles. The Bears played stingy defense, especially
in the red zone, while the Cougars threw the ball all over the field.
Caption: The Cal Golden Bears defeat the Washington State Cougars 33-20 at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 9, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
Saturday’s action kicked off early. The opening
minute of play included an interception followed by a rushing touchdown for the
Bears, and a blocked point-after try returned for a two-point score for the
Cougars, making it 6-2 with 14:15 remaining in the first quarter.
The back-and-forth scoring would continue through
much of the game, but the Cal defense would ultimately make the difference.
With a forced fumble to go along with the early interception and key stops in
the red zone leading to field goals instead of touchdowns as well as a key
turnover on downs forced in the fourth quarter which allowed the Bears to pad
their lead late.
Cal head coach Justin Wilcox announced Friday
that quarterback Devon Modster (6) would start against the Cougars after he was
forced out of their game against Oregon State October 19. Modster had started
against both Oregon and Oregon State after taking over the offense with
Garbers’ injury.
Caption: The Cal Golden Bears defeat the Washington State Cougars 33-20 at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 9, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
Though Modster had failed to produce much success
leading into the match-up with the Cougars, the UCLA-transfer was clearly more
likely to lead the team to a win than freshman Spencer Brasch (13), who
struggled heavily in the Bears’ 35-0 loss at Utah.
Modster provided his strongest performance at Cal
by far in this one. Finishing with 230 yards on 16-of-24 attempts for 3
touchdowns, including a huge 52-yard score on a third-down tunnel screen to
freshman receiver Makai Polk (17) to go along with 54 yards and a touchdown on
seven carries. He led the offense with poise and proved that the unit was
capable of giving the team’s dominant defense a chance.
He was quick to point to the team-effort in
earning the victory after the game saying “I think it just shows a lot of grit,
coming off of a four-game losing streak, our spirits didn’t die. We came out to
work every day and I think it showed tonight.”
Caption: The Cal Golden Bears defeat the Washington State Cougars 33-20 at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 9, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
The Bears offense also ran the ball far better
than in recent weeks, thanks in part to key returns from injury on the
offensive line, along with a porous rushing defense from the Cougars, who had
allowed over 193 yards per game and 5 yards per carry coming in.
Christopher Brown Jr. (34) led the way for the
Cal rushing attack with 101 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown as well as 13
yards receiving with two catches, while redshirt junior DeShawn Collins (26)
added 34 yards on six carries.
For the Cougars, the nation’s leading passing
attack, their proficiency through the air simply wasn’t quite enough.
Senior quarterback Anthony Gordon (18), who led
or tied for the lead nationwide in total passing yards, passing yards per game,
total offensive yards, and passing touchdowns entering the day, finished with
407 in this one, completing 45-of-58 with two touchdowns and the lone
interception.
Caption: The Cal Golden Bears defeat the Washington State Cougars 33-20 at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday, November 9, 2019 (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News).
The Cougars closed the game with just 16 yards
rushing, however.
Though they were able to add a late touchdown
following Modster’s scamper in the end zone to put the Bears up 33-14, they
were also held out of the end zone for nearly the entire second half.
The Cougars have now dropped five of their last
six games and three straight in Berkeley.
Washington State cornerback George Hicks III (18)
said that head coach Mike Leach did not mince words with his team after the
game, telling his group “We have to be better. There was a lot of talk
throughout the week, and at the end, we didn’t execute. That’s it. We have to
put things into action come Saturday.”
They will return home to Pullman to take on
Stanford as they look to add two more wins in three remaining contests,
including a trip to Seattle for the Apple Cup, to give themselves a shot at
post-season play.
National Defensive Player of the Year Candidate,
linebacker Evan Weaver (89) and his fellow seniors will play in their final
game at California Memorial Stadium next week as the Bears welcome the USC
Trojans for senior night and their final home stand of 2019.
