Penn State Men's Basketball takes on USC at 9:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday to finish their stretch on the West Coast.
The Nittany Lions are currently 13-11 and 3-10 in conference play. Penn State is currently on a five-game losing streak and has lost nine of their last ten games. The Nittany Lions also sit dead-last at 18th in the Big Ten standings. Their last win was against Rutgers on January 20th.
USC stands at 13-10 and 5-7 in conference play. The Trojans are currently on a two-game skid with loses to Northwestern and Purdue. On the season though, USC has defeated the likes, of Illinois and Michigan State.
USC is also ranked No. 71 in the NET rankings while Penn State is No. 65.
The Nittany Lions are looking to snap their five-game losing streak and win their first Big Ten road matchup.
Happy Valley Insider gets you primed for the matchup with how to watch, betting odds, and more.
STATS TO WATCH...
USC has shot 34.2% from 3-pt on 152-of-445 shooting. Penn State is shooting 33.9% on 170-of-501 from three.
The Nittany Lions shoot 47.7% from the field and the Trojans also shoot 47.7% from the field.
As for scoring, Penn State scores 80.3 points per game and USC scores 76.4 points per game.
Penn State also shoots more free throws. The Nittany Lions are 504-of-538 (75.1%) from the free throw line and the Trojans are 368-of-498 (72.5%) from the free throw line.
The turnover numbers are high for both team two teams. USC turns the ball over 11.4 times per game and Nittany Lions turn the ball over 12.1 times per game.
Penn State also earns 8.3 steals per game and USC earns 6.0 steals per game.
In total, Penn State forces 14.6 turnovers per game and USC forces 12.5 turnovers per game.
KEY MATCHUPS...
The leading scorer for USC is 6'6" junior guard, Desmond Claude, who is averaging 16.2 points per game. Claude also adds 4.2 assists per game and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Claude has missed the last two games with a leg injury and is questionable again on Tuesday.
If Claude does not suit up for the Trojans, the number one option will become 6'4" redshirt freshman guard, Wesley Yates III. The Washington transfer is tallying 12.5 points per game, 2.4 rebounds per game, 1.3 assists per game, and 1.2 steals per game. Yates III is also shooting 39.2% from three on 31-of-79 shooting.
Whether Claude or Yates III is the number option, they will likely be guarded by Ace Baldwin Jr.
Baldwin Jr. is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, and on the watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy and Naismith Defensive Player of Year Award.
The Baltimore native is adding 13.7 points per game, 7.3 assists per game, 2.7 rebounds per game and 1.9 steals per game.
Another key player to watch for the Trojans is Saint Thomas. The 6'7 Senior forward, is leading USC in rebounds, assists, and steals respectively with 6.1 rebounds per game, 4.3 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, and is scoring 10.2 points per game.
Thomas will likely be guard by 6'8" forward, Zach Hicks.
Hicks adds 11.8 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game, 1.0 steals per game and is shooting 41.1% (58-of-141) from three. Hicks is also tied for second in the Big Ten in three-pointers made with his 58 made threes.
The USC Trojans are relatively big team. While their biggest starter is 6'8", the average height of their starters is almost 6'5"
USC also tallies 31.9 rebounds per game and Penn State collects 34.4 rebounds per game.
HOW TO WATCH...
TV: Big Ten Network – J.B. Long (pxp) & Don MacLean (analyst)
WHO: Penn State Nittany Lions (13-11, 3-10) vs USC Trojans (13-10, 5-7)
WHEN: 9:00 p.m. ET
WHERE: Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA
SPREAD: USC -4.5
SERIES HISTORY....
USC and Penn State have me just two time in history. The Nittany Lions lead the series 2-0. The latest matchup was on November 23, 2014 when the two met in the Charleston Classic (63-61). The first matchup was on March 20, 1954 when Penn State defeated USC in the third-place game of the NCAA Tournament 70-61. 1954 was also the last time Penn State made the Final Four of March Madness.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS....
PROJECTED STARTERS RANKED AS RECRUITS....
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
