To get some inside information on the USC men’s basketball team, Daily Bruin Sports reached out to the Daily Trojan – USC’s student news publication – and asked its men’s basketball beat writer Keith Demolder a few questions about the Trojans before their upcoming game against the Bruins on Saturday. Read more...

Photo: UCLA and USC faced off three times last season, with the Bruins claiming a victory in two of the games. The Trojans came out on top in the first regular season game between the crosstown rivals, but UCLA went on to win the second regular season matchup and a game in the Pac-12 tournament. (Michael Zshornack/Photo editor)

This post was updated Jan. 27 at 10:55 p.m. This time the lead was large enough. UCLA raced out to a double-digit advantage for the second time against Stanford this season, but there would be no Cardinal comeback Saturday night. Read more...

Photo: Freshman guard Kris Wilkes threw up 18 points Saturday night, second only to junior guard Aaron Holiday’s 21. Wilkes shot six-of-seven from the field, sunk both of his 3-point attempts and nailed all four of his free throws. (Kristie-Valerie Hoang/assistant Photo editor)

This story was updated Jan. 25 at 10:58 p.m. Things looked bad. Already in the midst of a three-game losing streak, UCLA men’s basketball (14-7, 5-4 Pac-12) was trailing by double digits midway through the first half against the Pac-12’s last-place team, California (7-14, 1-7), when senior center Thomas Welsh headed to the locker room with a sprained left knee. Read more...

Photo: Freshman guard Jaylen Hands finished second on the Bruins with 14 points in Thursday’s content, shooting just 4-of-12 from the field but knocking down 5 of 6 free throws. (Owen Emerson/Daily Bruin senior staff)

Bill Walton called his alma mater’s basketball team soft in the middle of a nationally televised drubbing last weekend. It was an assessment that UCLA coach Steve Alford agreed with. Read more...

Photo: UCLA men’s basketball will welcome California to Pauley Pavilion on Thursday night for the second matchup between the two teams this season. In their first meeting, the Bruins caught fire for a season-high 107 points en route to the 23-point road victory. (Michael Zshornack/Photo editor)

Ball movement and ball security – one team exhibited both of those traits Saturday night, and it wasn’t UCLA. Oregon (13-7, 3-4 Pac-12) assisted on 19 of its 32 made field goals, including all but two of its 3-pointers, and held off a late UCLA comeback for a 94-91 win in Eugene, Oregon. Read more...

Photo: Coach Steve Alford’s bunch looked at a 1-point deficit multiple times late in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t find a way to take the lead in the game’s final minutes. (Mackenzie Possee/Daily Bruin senior staff)