USC had four players score in double figures Thursday afternoon against Cal. None was named Nikola Vucevic.

Yet, even with their leading scorer having a rare off-night, the Trojans (19-13) still dominated Cal (17-14) winning 70-56 in the quarterfinals of the Pacific Life Pac-10 Tournament at Staples Center.

"I told one of the officials thanks for giving Nik his third [foul early in the second half] because he's not playing worth a damn today," USC coach Kevin O'Neill said. "We played better defensively without him because of Marcus [Simmons]' quickness."

USC started out extremely sluggish, scoring only three points in the first seven and a half minutes. Then Vucevic picked up his second foul with just over eight minutes left in the first half, sending him to the bench for the remainder of the opening half. 

Kevin O'Neill simply trusted Simmons' ability to guard the No. 4 position and went with a small, but quick lineup against Cal.

Primarily utilizing a four-guard lineup, USC went on an 18-4 run keyed by the Trojans' ability to get into the lane against Cal's surprising man-to-man defense and USC's defensive effort, in particular Simmons, who guarded 6-foot-10 Richard Solomon.

Simmons also knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the first half and give USC an eight-point lead at halftime.

USC added an 11-2 run to begin the second half, pushing their lead up to 17. Cal did not threaten the rest of the game.

 -- BREAKING IT DOWN --

By the Numbers

• 5 - Alex Stepheson and Maurice Jones both upped their scoring averages to just over 10 points per game. The Trojans now have five guys that are averaging double figures.
• 17-2 - USC is now 17-2 this season when they shoot a higher percentage than the opposition.
• +7 - The Trojans also are now 15-4 when they grab more boards than their opponent. Despite Cal's solid frontcourt, USC outrebounded the Bears 37 to 30.
• 11-1 - Nikola Vucevic may be USC's go-to guy, but Stepheson is the heart of the Trojans' interior play. When Stepheson is successful, the team is successful. USC is now 11-1 when Stepheson records a double-double as he did Thursday.
• 60 - Defense is crucial for this USC squad. The Trojans remain undefeated when holding a team below 60 points, moving to 13-0 this year.
• 2-3 - USC is now 2-3 when Vucevic is held below 10 points. Surprisingly, the Trojans had one other game where four players stepped up in Vucevic's absence and scored double figures. At Tennessee, Vucevic was ineffective the entire game, finishing with just four points. But his teammates picked him up, led by Jones' 15 points.
• 68 - Jones also added two steals to move him into a tie for seventh on the all-time Pac-10 freshman list with 68 steals -- the most by any Trojan since Erick Craven had 73 in 2003.

Top Player: Alex Stepheson.

"Big Al" went into beast mode with his frontcourt mate, Nikola Vucevic, struggling. He recorded his 12th double-double of the season scoring 14 points and tying a career-high with 16 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.

"Stepheson's a monster," Cal coach Mike Montgomery said.

Stepheson also played 39 of the 40 minutes and his defense was instrumental in shutting down Cal's post presence, where starting forwards Harper Kamp and Markuri Sanders-Frison combined for only eight points after scoring 31 and 39 in the first two matchups this season.

"Me and Nik really wanted to come out and play strong against their two big guys becuase their two big guys have been playing well against us every time we met up," Stepheson said.

Unsung Hero: Maurice Jones.

Maurice Jones speed and energy saved the game for USC. After a sluggish start, the Trojans finally got going halfway into the first half. Jones came off the bench and began slicing and knifing his way through traffic, setting up his teammates for a number of open looks. Three times he found Alex Stepheson with no-look passes that resulted in thunderous dunks for the big man down low.

When Jones plays like he did Thursday, USC may be unbeatable in the Pac-10. Jones finished with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. He also dished out four assists and swiped two steals, moving him into a tie for third all-time on the USC single season steals list with 68.

"Step It Up:" Nikola Vucevic.

Vucevic should be well rested for Friday's matchup with No. 16 Arizona. He played 27 minutes -- only the fourth time this season he hasn't played 30 minutesor more.

The junior forward was shut down by Cal's big men down low. He finished with only seven points and five rebounds after leading the conference in double-doubles this season. It was only the fifth time this season, Vucevic hasn't scored in double digits.

Where They Stand:

The Trojans continue their battle to try to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament, but they still have a tough fight ahead of them. USC is currently listed by ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi as being one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament. 

Point guard Jio Fontan said the team wasn't thinking about the NCAA Tournament.

"We're just trying to win the tournament we're in right now," Fontan said.

However, USC probably needs to win against Arizona in the semifinals in order to even be in consideration for the “Big Dance.” The Trojans play the Wildcats at 6 p.m. Friday where they will try to upset the Wildcats for the second time this season.

The Trojans will need strong performances from Vucevic and from Stepheson, who will collectively be tasked with again shutting down Arizona forward Derrick Williams, who had a season-low eight points the last time the two teams met.

To reach Shotgun Spratling, click here, or follow him on Twitter @BlueWorkhorse.

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