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Preview: USC at Dayton
Looking to bounce back after a road loss to in-state rival Long Beach State, USC travels to Dayton on Sunday to take on a Flyers team that has won four of its last five games. The Trojans battled back from 16 points down against the 49ers Thursday but couldn’t hold on for the victory, snapping a three-game winning streak. USC is off to its best start since opening 7-4 to begin the 2010-11 season.
The Flyers have cruised in their lat two wins, rebounding from a loss at Illinois State on Dec. 7 to knock off Central Michigan and Iona by an average of 19 points. Dyshawn Pierre led Dayton with 11 points and a career-high 14 boards in the win over Iona on Thursday. The Flyers look to continue their collective hot hand, having shot 50.2 percent from the floor in their last five games.
TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN3
ABOUT USC (7-4): Leading scorer Byron Wesley, who averages 15.9 points and 6.9 rebounds, allegedly missed the team bus prior to the game against Long Beach State and did not start; USC officials would only confirm that he broke a ream rule. The Trojans rank 36th in the nation in rebounds – averaging 40.2 per game – and are led by Wesley and Omar Oraby, who contributes 6.7 boards per game. Guard Pe’Shon Howard, USC’s second-leading scorer at 11.9 points, has totaled only 16 on 6-of-16 shooting in his last three games.
ABOUT DAYTON (9-2): Jordan Sibert is the leading scorer for the Flyers, averaging 12.8 points, while Devin Oliver contributes 11.7 to go with a team-best seven rebounds per game. Oliver has reached double figures in six of his last nine games, while Sibert has gone for 10 or more in eight of 11 games this season. Sibert’s 48.8 percent shooting from 3-point range ranks first in the Atlantic 10.
TIP-INS
1. USC has enjoyed a distinct advantage down low, outscoring opponents by an average of 7.8 points in the paint.
2. Dayton has scored 80 points or more six times this season and is 6-0 in those contests.
3. The Trojans are averaging 10.8 more points than they did through the first 11 games last season.
PREDICTION: USC 80, Dayton 70
