Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Nikola Vucevic scored 25 points with 12 rebounds to lead Southern California to a 65-57 upset of No. 10 Arizona on Thursday, snapping the Wildcats' eight-game winning streak. Jio Fontan added 21 points for the Trojans (16-12, 8-7 Pac-10), who have won three games in a row for the first time this season. Alex Stephenson posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Jesse Perry scored 12 points and Kevin Parrom had 10 to lead a threadbare offense for Arizona, which shot just 36 percent from the floor for its lowest point total of the season. The conference-leading Wildcats (23-5, 12-3) hadn't lost since falling at Washington on January 20.
USC has beaten Arizona in five of their last six home games in Los Angeles. The victory was USC's third win over a ranked team this season. The Trojans host Arizona State on Saturday. For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read Conquest Chronicles.
With a win tonight at Galen Center, the USC Trojans will accomplish something they haven't done all season: win three straight games. All they have to do is beat the 10th-ranked Arizona Wildcats, the top team in the Pac-10 Conference. The Trojans lost to Arizona 82-73 on January 29 in Tucson, but they have beaten the Wildcats at home in four of their last five meetings.
Sophomore forward Derrick Williams leads the Wildcats in scoring (19.7 points per game) and rebounding (8.1 points per game). Williams scored 20 points in just 18 minutes in the Arizona win over USC on January 29. Nikola Vucevic led the Trojans with 18 points in defeat, and leads USC with 17.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game this season. Vucevic leads all players in the Pac-10 with 16 double-doubles this season.
Tonight's 7:30 p.m. PST game will be televised on FCS Pacific. It will also be shown on tape delay at 10:30 p.m. on Prime Ticket, and on USCTrojans.com.
For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read Conquest Chronicles.
