Trojans men's basketball thumps Cal Poly in solid season-opening performance

USC opened its new campaign on Monday night with a dominant 94–64 win over Cal Poly at the Galen Center.

The Trojans (1-0) pulled away in the second half after taking a 37–31 lead into the break, outscoring Cal Poly 57–33 in the second half. Sophomore forward Jacob Cofie led the charge with a career-high 23 points and added 10 rebounds to notch his first double-double of the season.

Offensive Takeaways

Cofie set the tone offensively for USC throughout the night, but he wasn’t alone in the scoring effort. Four other Trojans finished in double figures, including junior guard and Maryland transfer Rodney Rice, who tallied 21 points and a team-high eight assists for the Cardinal and Gold. Ezra Ausar, Chad Baker-Mazara, and Jaden Brownell also contributed double-digit performances to round out the balanced attack.

Defensive Takeaways

The Trojans held a slim lead at halftime, largely due to early adjustments within the system and some first-game jitters. However, their defense set the tone as the game went on, holding Cal Poly to just 33% shooting from the field and 9-of-33 from beyond the arc. USC’s defensive pressure also forced 22 Mustang turnovers, which translated into 21 points off turnovers and 17 fast-break points for the Trojans.

Final Takeaways

The Trojans never trailed in the matchup and used a decisive 13-point run in the second half, their largest of the night to pull away from the Mustangs. Freshman Jerry Easter II made his USC debut, contributing four points and seven rebounds, while Rodney Rice logged a team-high 34 minutes on the floor.

What's Next?

The Trojans will be back at the Galen Center on Sunday, Nov. 9, to host the Manhattan Jaspers. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. PT, with coverage available on B1G+ and audio streaming on USCTrojans.com or the USC Gameday App.