University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, February 15
Los Angeles, CA
3:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Southern California
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Travel West For LA Swing vs. USC and UCLA
2/12/2025 2:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
TV: BTN (Guy Haberman (play-by-play) and Don MacLean (analyst)
Tip Time: 3:07 p.m.Â
Radio: KFAN (100.3 FM) or iHeart App (Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
SERIES INFORMATION*
Seventh Meeting (4-2 all time)
Last Game: Dec. 8, 2012 (MN W, 71-57)
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball program hits the road for a two-game stretch in Los Angeles, starting first against Southern California on Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. CT. The Golden Gophers and Trojans have only faced each other six previous times. However, this marks the first as Big Ten Conference opponents. Minnesota's previous games ranged from 1960-2012, as the Gophers last played USC on their home court in 2012.Â
• This road trip marks the third and fourth meeting against the new Big Ten teams this season. The Gophers defeated then-No. 15 Oregon on Jan. 25, 77-69, but fell to Washington on Feb. 1, 71-68 at Williams Arena. The conference expanded to 18 teams in July 2025, including the Ducks, Huskies, USC, and UCLA.Â
• Minnesota won its last game against the Trojans when Andre Hollins led four players in double figures for a 71-57 win on Dec. 8, 2012. Rodney Williams followed with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Trevor Mbakwe had 12 points. The 2012 match-up marked the first trip to play USC in Los Angeles since 1980.Â
• The Gophers are looking to get back into the win column after a 95-74 loss to then-No. 23 Illinois on Feb. 8. Illinois shot a stifling 73 percent in the second half and 63 percent for the game to win. Minnesota had three double-digit points in Lu'Cye Patterson (24 points), Femi Odukale (22 points), and Dawson Garcia (12 points). The Gophers had just three turnovers in the loss, which tied for their season-low. They also had three versus Yale on Nov. 16. They only had five against Morgan State earlier this season. Minnesota also had five blocks in the game, all in the first half.Â
• Both Patterson and Odukale scored their Minnesota-best marks against Illinois. Patterson had 24 points, while Odukale added 22. It was Patterson's 14th double-digit scoring output, including his third game with 20 or more points. It was Odukale's sixth double-figure scoring game this season, including his fourth in the past six games.
SCOUTING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAÂ Â Â
• Southern California played Wednesday night and defeated Penn State, 92-67 at the Galen Center. The Trojans (14-10, 6-7 Big Ten) jumped back into the win column after dropping a pair of road games at Northwestern and at Purdue last week.
• Desmond Claude returned to the Trojan lineup after a missing games due to injury on Wednesday. He averages a team-best 16.2 points, while Wesley Yates III is at 12.5 ppg. In all, USC has five averaging double digits. Chibuzo averages 11.9, while Terrance Williams II is at 10.6 and Saint Thomas is averaging 10.1 points, a team-best 102 assists and 6.0 rebounds. Minnesota and USC have the most seniors on its teams with 10.Â
• As a team, the Trojans have the fourth-best field goal percentage in the Big Ten at 48.4 percent. They also rank sixth in field goal efficiency. USC is shooting 35.6 percent from the arc and averages 31.7 rebounds. They have also committed 277 turnovers.Â
ON THE DOCKETÂ Â Â
• Minnesota continues west coast action when it faces UCLA on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 9:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on FS1.Â
• Mike Grimm and Al Nolen will provide the radio call on KFAN 100.3 FM as well as on the iHeart Media app.Â
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Tip Time: 3:07 p.m.Â
Radio: KFAN (100.3 FM) or iHeart App (Mike Grimm, Al Nolen)
SERIES INFORMATION*
Seventh Meeting (4-2 all time)
Last Game: Dec. 8, 2012 (MN W, 71-57)
* - excludes vacated games
STARTING FIVE
• The University of Minnesota men's basketball program hits the road for a two-game stretch in Los Angeles, starting first against Southern California on Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. CT. The Golden Gophers and Trojans have only faced each other six previous times. However, this marks the first as Big Ten Conference opponents. Minnesota's previous games ranged from 1960-2012, as the Gophers last played USC on their home court in 2012.Â
• This road trip marks the third and fourth meeting against the new Big Ten teams this season. The Gophers defeated then-No. 15 Oregon on Jan. 25, 77-69, but fell to Washington on Feb. 1, 71-68 at Williams Arena. The conference expanded to 18 teams in July 2025, including the Ducks, Huskies, USC, and UCLA.Â
• Minnesota won its last game against the Trojans when Andre Hollins led four players in double figures for a 71-57 win on Dec. 8, 2012. Rodney Williams followed with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Trevor Mbakwe had 12 points. The 2012 match-up marked the first trip to play USC in Los Angeles since 1980.Â
• The Gophers are looking to get back into the win column after a 95-74 loss to then-No. 23 Illinois on Feb. 8. Illinois shot a stifling 73 percent in the second half and 63 percent for the game to win. Minnesota had three double-digit points in Lu'Cye Patterson (24 points), Femi Odukale (22 points), and Dawson Garcia (12 points). The Gophers had just three turnovers in the loss, which tied for their season-low. They also had three versus Yale on Nov. 16. They only had five against Morgan State earlier this season. Minnesota also had five blocks in the game, all in the first half.Â
• Both Patterson and Odukale scored their Minnesota-best marks against Illinois. Patterson had 24 points, while Odukale added 22. It was Patterson's 14th double-digit scoring output, including his third game with 20 or more points. It was Odukale's sixth double-figure scoring game this season, including his fourth in the past six games.
SCOUTING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAÂ Â Â
• Southern California played Wednesday night and defeated Penn State, 92-67 at the Galen Center. The Trojans (14-10, 6-7 Big Ten) jumped back into the win column after dropping a pair of road games at Northwestern and at Purdue last week.
• Desmond Claude returned to the Trojan lineup after a missing games due to injury on Wednesday. He averages a team-best 16.2 points, while Wesley Yates III is at 12.5 ppg. In all, USC has five averaging double digits. Chibuzo averages 11.9, while Terrance Williams II is at 10.6 and Saint Thomas is averaging 10.1 points, a team-best 102 assists and 6.0 rebounds. Minnesota and USC have the most seniors on its teams with 10.Â
• As a team, the Trojans have the fourth-best field goal percentage in the Big Ten at 48.4 percent. They also rank sixth in field goal efficiency. USC is shooting 35.6 percent from the arc and averages 31.7 rebounds. They have also committed 277 turnovers.Â
ON THE DOCKETÂ Â Â
• Minnesota continues west coast action when it faces UCLA on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 9:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on FS1.Â
• Mike Grimm and Al Nolen will provide the radio call on KFAN 100.3 FM as well as on the iHeart Media app.Â
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Highlights: Gophers 60, FDU 43
Monday, December 29
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Beat Fighting Camels
Tuesday, December 23
Highlights: Gophers 78, Campbell 50
Sunday, December 21
Cade Tyson's 38 Point Performance
Tuesday, December 16