![[Trending News] Penn State at USC Preview: Here Goes Nothing!](https://i1.wp.com/cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/j_n9luNIA7IG3pCzbq5rVREncso=/0x0:5916x3097/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25869805/usa_today_25373506.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "[Trending News] Penn State at USC Preview: Here Goes Nothing!")
Penn State will look to snap its woeful five-game losing streak tonight against USC. The Nittany Lions fell 78-54 to UCLA on Saturday in the first leg of their California road swing.
Opponent Preview
USC has had a wildly inconsistent Big Ten stretch, with wins over Illinois, Nebraska, and Michigan State but losses to Iowa and Northwestern. The Trojans are 13-10 entering tonight’s game and, like Penn State, are currently far outside most NCAA Tournament projections.
The Trojans boast five double-digit scorers, including a team-high 16.2 points per game from guard Desmond Claude. Wesley Yates (12.5), Chibuzo Agbo (11.5), Terrance Williams II (10.6), and Saint Thomas (10.2) are the other four top scorers.
Offensively, USC ranks 53rd in efficiency per Kenpom. The biggest weakness on that side of the ball is the team’s offensive rebounding percentage, where USC ranks #266 in the NCAA.
On defense, the Trojans are fairly mediocre, ranking #86 in efficiency on Kenpom. This is an average defense at forcing turnovers, rebounding, and opponent field goal percentage. In their last 10 conference games, just two teams failed to reach 70 points against USC.
What to Watch For
- Offense- This is Penn State’s best chance to break its recent funk on offense. With a struggling USC defense, if the Lions cannot turn things around on offense, when will they?
- Ball Control- The UCLA game was an atrocious display of ball security from Penn State, as the team committed 18 turnovers to just 3 for the Bruins. If Penn State can hold on to the ball, this is a winnable contest.
- Wearing Down- Losing 9 of the last 10 games is certainly not easy on the psyche of this Penn State team. Will they find a second wind or fold?
Prediction
This is certainly a winnable game if the Penn State team we watched before the calendar flipped to 2025 walks through the door tonight. USC has had several quality wins in conference play, and the overall talent level in this game favors the Trojans. With the threat of missing the Big Ten Tournament imminent, this feels like a game Penn State must win to avoid that fate. Unfortunately for us, the Lions have not won this type of game this season, and it’s hard to see that changing tonight.
USC 79, Penn State 71