After two scorching hot Trojan performances at Galen Center, No. 16 USC men’s basketball will look to extend its winning streak to 3-0 Tuesday night hosting the UC Irvine Anteaters.

Two games, 167 points. This marks the first time since the 2016 season that the Trojans (2-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their opening two games.

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“We’ve had a good flow sharing the ball,” said Head Coach Andy Enfield in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “We’re averaging about 18 assists a game, so as long as we keep spacing the floor and making the right plays, we should be Ok.”

Boogie Ellis and freshman guard Isaiah Collier, have each knocked down totals of 35 and 37 points, respectively, in the first two games.

For the 2023-2024 season, USC has arguably assembled one of the deadliest backcourt duos in college basketball by pairing together Ellis — the team’s returning All-Pac-12 guard — and Collier, the consensus No. 1 overall high school recruit.

While the duo is expected to spearhead the team’s offense, the Trojans’ impeccable defense remains the heart of their success.

Last season, they ranked 8th in the nation in opponent field goal percentage, holding opponents to just 39.3%. Only twice last year did an opposing team manage to shoot over 50% from the field.

Over the past four seasons, USC has been the country’s top defensive team in stopping two-point field goals and ranks third in overall opponent field goal percentage, holding the opposition to 38.9%.

The team is maintaining its defensive efforts this season. USC held Kansas State (2-1) and Cal State Bakersfield (1-1) to a combined average of 36% field goal percentage and looks to replicate this success against UCI.

“Irvine is very talented offensively. They have guys that can shoot the ball, good post players and they move the ball very quickly,” Enfield said. “We have to be ready to play. We expect our players to give great energy on our home court like we have been.”

The Anteaters are riding the momentum of a 91-74 home victory against the New Mexico State Aggies (1-2) from Sunday. Senior guards Andre Henry and Justin Hohn and junior forward Devin Tillis combined for 51 points, leading UCI’s offensive performance.

“The impressive thing about Irvine is the balance of their team. They have a lot of guys that can score the ball inside and outside,” Enfield said.

USC has a strong record against UCI, winning eight out of the last 10 matchups. The most recent meeting was in 2021, at Galen Center, which resulted in a 66-61 Trojan victory.

USC’s morale is higher than ever heading into Tuesday’s game.

“We always want to win every game by a large margin,” said freshman forward Arrinten Page. “Everybody on our team is competitive, we all want to win collectively.”

The experience of the Trojans’ first game inside Galen strengthened the team’s bond and fueled a further rise in team chemistry.

“[Playing together] was a great team-builder. It helped us get off on the right foot,” said graduate forward DJ Rodman.

Rodman, who hit three three-pointers to his 15-point performance last game, continues to adjust to USC’s playstyle after transferring from Washington State in the offseason.

“You’re a lot more independent here, the coach isn’t going to hold your hand and do everything,” Rodman said. “I’m happy to be here.”

Now in his 11th season as a coach, Enfield has led the team to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in the past three years, matching the program record.

“[The goal] is to compete on a national scale and to compete for elite championships,” Enfield said. “We like our team and we have a big upside with this group, we just have to get healthy.”

Witnessed by a passionate sold-out crowd, the Trojans defeated their opponent by 26 points.

“I realized that we have a very, very electric student section,” Page said. “We have great fans. It was a great experience.”

USC will take on UC Irvine Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Galen Center.