USC looks to open basketball season 3-0 against New Mexico
USC guard Julian Jacobs looks to pass after driving down the lane against Monmouth center Chris Brady, left, and guard Deon Jones during a game Nov. 16.
USC hasn’t started the season with three consecutive wins since the 2001-02 season, when the Trojans reached a regional final in the NCAA tournament.
The Trojans will try to duplicate that feat when they play host to New Mexico at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Galen Center. The game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Networks and can be heard on TuneIn Radio.
This season’s two wins were powered by the backcourt. Jordan McLaughlin, Julian Jacobs and Elijah Stewart are averaging a combined 53 points, 19 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game.
New Mexico is already 3-0, with wins over Texas Southern, New Mexico State and Loyola Chicago.
Elijah Brown leads the Lobos with a scoring average of 17.7 points per game. Cullen Neal, whose father, Craig, is New Mexico’s coach, is a childhood friend of UCLA’s Bryce Alford. Neal is second in scoring at 16.3 points per game.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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