CSUN Returns to Action on Wednesday at USC

GAME NOTES

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Men's Basketball (7-3) returns to action for the first time in 11 days on Wednesday evening to face USC at the Galen Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. Ghizal Hasan and Alan Zinsmeister have the call in an audio broadcast at GoMatadors.com/Radio.

FOR STARTERS
CSUN resumes non-conference action after playing the past two games against Big West opponents. The Matadors' road test at USC is their final road non-conference game before wrapping up December with home tilts against Chicago State this Saturday and La Sierra on Dec. 28. When the calendar turns to 2025, CSUN will set its sights to Big West action once again starting with a road matchup at Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 2.

LAST TIME OUT
CSUN has not played in over a week since competing in a pair of Big West games. The Matadors split their first two conference matchups as they fell in heartbreaking fashion to UC Riverside at home, 68-64, on Dec. 5 before bouncing back with a high-scoring road win at Cal Poly, 102-91, on Dec. 7.

CSUN led for the entire first half against UC Riverside before the Highlanders rallied for an early second-half lead. Down the stretch of the game, the lead changed hands nine times as CSUN took a 64-63 lead with 33 seconds left on a Keonte Jones free throw. However, UCR scored on its next possession and ended the game on a 5-0 run to take the contest. In defeat, Scotty Washington poured in a team-best 22 points.

The Matadors would score a season-high 102 points at Cal Poly as CSUN led for nearly the entire game. PJ Fuller II scored a season-high 22 points, one short of a career high, while Grady Lewis produced his first career double-double as a Matador with 17 points and 14 rebounds and Marcus Adams Jr. added 17 points in just 17 minutes off the bench. CSUN held a 24-point lead in the second half before the Mustangs roared back to pull to within three with less than four minutes to go. However, Jones countered with a clutch three-point play and the tandem of Adams and Fuller hit threes to secure a CSUN win. The 102 points scored on the night were the most points recorded by a Matador team against a Division I opponent since totaling 108 points versus Long Beach State on Feb. 1, 2017.

ADAMS OFF THE BENCH
Sophomore transfer Marcus Adams Jr. has come off the bench over the last nine games and in the process, led the team in scoring in six of those games. Adams tops the Matadors in scoring average through 10 games this season, posting 15.2 points per game on 53.9 percent shooting. He is also second on the team in rebounds per game (5.0) and 3-point field goals made (17) on the campaign. A BYU transfer, Adams previously played in just one game as a freshman in 2023-24.

KEONTE FILLING UP THE STAT SHEET
Senior forward Keonte Jones has been a big part of the Matadors' early success this season as he leads CSUN in a host of categories including rebounds per game (8.4), assists per game (3.9), blocks per game (1.9) and steals per game (2.0). Jones' rebounding average and block average are also best in the Big West entering play this week. In addition, Jones is second on the team in scoring average at 14.9 points while he is shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from 3-point range (8-of-15). After posing five double-doubles all of last season, Jones has already matched that mark with five in 10 games this season.

NEWCOMERS MAKING AN IMPACT
Many new faces on the team have already made a significant impact this season. Junior Scotty Washington leads CSUN in 3-point field goals made with 18 on 40.9 percent shooting while he is third in scoring at 14.3 points per game. Senior guard PJ Fuller II is right behind in scoring, averaging 9.0 points to go with 3.3 assists per game. Other newcomers include junior Grady Lewis who is averaging 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds while senior Tyler Beard is dishing out 3.1 assists with 4.4 points per game.

TOPPING THE BIG WEST
Much like last season, CSUN's success has relied on its defense and rebounding thus far in 2024-25. The Matadors top the Big West in both opponent field goal percentage (37.5) and rebounds per game (41.5) on the season while they are second in blocks per game (3.6) and third in steals per game (8.3). CSUN's opponent field goal percentage also ranks 10th-best in the nation. On the offensive side of things, CSUN paces the conference in assists per game (16.2) and ranks second overall in scoring average (82.1).

SCOUTING USC
The Trojans are 7-4 on the season and coming off impressive double-digit wins over Washington (85-61) and Montana State (89-63). USC also holds a 1-1 mark in Big Ten Conference play with its victory coming on the road at Washington. On the year, USC has won six of eight games played at the Galen Center. USC is currently in its first season in the Big Ten as well as its first season with Eric Musselman as head coach. As a team, the Trojans average 74.6 points on 47.8 percent shooting from the floor. Desmond Claude leads the team in points per game at 14.1 on 52.5 percent shooting while Chibuzo Agbo is scoring 11.7 points per game. On the glass, Saint Thomas is pulling down a team-best 5.6 rebounds.

Series History: The Trojans have won eight of nine all-time meetings including the previous four matchups with CSUN. The teams last played in Nov. 2021 with USC coming out on top 89-49. CSUN's only win in the series was an 81-76 overtime win on Nov. 20, 2005.

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CSUN Returns to Action on Wednesday at USC

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Players Mentioned

Marcus Adams Jr.

Tyler Beard

PJ Fuller II

Keonte Jones

Grady Lewis

Scotty Washington