The new-look USC Trojans open their 2011-2012 college basketball season Friday night at Galen Center against the Cal State Northridge Matadors. Maurice Jones is the lone returning starter from last year's squad that lost to VCU in the play-in round of the NCAA Tournament.
Jones set a freshman record at USC with 69 steals last season, and averaged 9.9 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per contest. head coach Kevin O'Neill joked at Pac-12 media day that if Jones got hurt there wouldn't be any reason to watch the Trojans this year. "It'll be ugly. Don't show up. If we don't have this guy, it'll be very difficult for us to be competitive in major college games," O'Neill quipped.
USC will likely start two freshmen guards in Alexis Moore and Byron Wesley, as well as redshirt sophomore Dewayne Dedmon, a transfer from Antelope Valley College.
The Trojans have won three consecutive home openers. USC is 4-1 all-time against Northridge but lost in their last matchup on November 20, 2005.
Friday night's 8 p.m. PST game will not be televised, but is available to watch on USCTrojans.com. For more Trojans basketball information, be sure to read Conquest Chronicles.