USC To Take On No. 20 Wichita State In AdvoCare Invitational Opener

With VanVleet and Shamet both likely to miss today’s matchup, oddsmakers from online sports book BetDSI have installed Wichita State as a 2.5-point favorite over USC. “We’ve got to capitalize on our runs”. But 14 turnovers in the first 20 minutes, along with the Trojans scoring just a single field goal in the final 7:48 of the half saw Wichita State go to the break down a single point, 30-29.

“We’re going to have to do the little things”, Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said. It’s the Trojans best start since winning their first eight games in the 2000-01 season.

Boatwright made another three-pointer, and then had a steal before Katin Reinhardt made a three to extend the USC advantage to 70-62. Xavier was only up three points at the half, but pulled away in the second half for the easy victory. After Julian Jacobs hit of one of two free throws, Wichita State’s Zach Brown had a potential game-tyng shot from near mid-court hit off the back of the rim.

His third of the second half threes capped off a 12-0 run for the Shockers, who opened up their largest lead of the game, at 49-43.

USC responded and went up 61-54 with 7 minutes left on 3-pointers by Boatwright and Elijah Stewart. USC shot 52 percent from three-point range and held Wichita State to just 35.1 percent from the field.

LET ME ASSIST YOU – USC has averaged 3.6 more assists per game than turnovers this season (18.2 to 14.6 per game).

USC led for the majority of the game and also took a 30-29 lead into halftime.

No. 11 Arizona 75, Santa Clara 73: FULLERTON, Calif. – Gabe York scored seven of his 11 points in overtime, and Arizona escaped with a victory over winless Santa Clara in the opening round of the Wooden Legacy.

MAKING A POINT – USC has scored 442 points in the first five games of the season, its most to start a season since scoring 446 in the first five games of the 1992 season. Xavier is outrebounding teams by an average of 14.8 per game; F James Farr leads the way with 9.4 per contest.2.

Nikola Jovanovic had 10 points and 10 rebounds, Jacobs had career highs in rebounds (11) and assists (10), and Bennie Boatwright had 12 points.

STRONG IN THE CLASSROOM – Last spring the men’s basketball team set the USC record for grade-point average by the basketball roster, then during the summer it established the summer-session GPA record for the basketball program. Xavier is averaging 77.4 points per game while giving up 63.8 points per game. – Justin Robinson scored 22 points, including two free throws with 3.6 seconds left, and Monmouth upset Notre Dame in the first round of the AdvoCare Invitational.

BREAKING DOWN XAVIER – Xavier improved to 5-0 with a 64-45 win against Alabama in an AdvoCare Invitational first-round game yesterday.