http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/players/jio_fontan/65971 Recent articles about Jio Fontan en-us USC lost its opening game in the Pac-12 Tournament to Utah Wednesday night 69-66. An emotional Trojan redshirt senior Jio Fontan spoke with FOX Sports NEXT following the game... Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:03:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/fontans_usc_career_comes_to_end/13137643 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/fontans_usc_career_comes_to_end/13137643 Fontan's USC career comes to end... http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/fontans_usc_career_comes_to_end/13137643 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png What a wild game on Senior Day! 'SC dominated yesterdays game until around midway through the 2nd half. Then ASU slowly crept back in. Both teams came out sloppy with USC scoring the first points of the game about three minutes into the game. There were a ton of turnovers as well. It is hard to get a read on this team. Last week the team looked absolutely horrible against UCLA, then they pull out a great win against Arizona. This could be a scary team in the Pac-12 Tournament… USC improved to 7-5 under Cantu, but two days removed from their impressive 11-point victory over No. 11 Arizona, the Trojans narrowly avoided a massive collapse on Senior Day against the Sun Devils. ''At the end of today, I just wanted to smile and walk away with a win, and that's what I got,'' Fontan said. Arizona State entered the game shooting 45.7 percent from the field this season, second-best in the conference, and in the teams' first meeting, the Sun Devils beat USC 98... Sun, 03 Mar 2013 09:09:35 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_squeaks_out_a_win_against_asu/13039453 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_squeaks_out_a_win_against_asu/13039453 USC squeaks out a win against ASU http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/usc_squeaks_out_a_win_against_asu/13039453 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Jio Fontan scored 15 points including a pair of tiebreaking free throws with 6.9 seconds to play and USC pulled out a 71-69 victory over Stanford on Thursday night in the Pac-12 opener for both schools. Eric Wise added 14 points for USC (6-8). Four of the Trojans' losses have come against schools that are currently among the top 20 in the nation including Minnesota, Illinois, San Diego State and New Mexico. Fontan, who sprained his left thumb in the first half of USC's 63-61 overtime win over Dayton on Sunday, shot 5 for 12 from the field. The Trojans finished last season with a school-record 26 losses and were 1-17 in the conference. The only victory came against Utah in the first intra-conference meeting with the Utes after the Pac-10 expanded to 12 schools. Andy Brown had 17 points for Stanford (9-5). Fri, 04 Jan 2013 05:37:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_cal_71_stanford_69/12574111 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_cal_71_stanford_69/12574111 Southern Cal 71, Stanford 69 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/southern_cal_71_stanford_69/12574111 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jio Fontan scored 15 points including a pair of tiebreaking free throws with 6.9 seconds to play and USC pulled out a 71-69 victory over Stanford on Thursday night in the Pac-12 opener for both schools. Eric Wise added 14 points for USC (6-8). Four of the Trojans' losses have come against schools that are currently among the top 20 in the nation including Minnesota, Illinois, San Diego State and New Mexico. Fontan, who sprained his left thumb in the first half of USC's 63-61 overtime win over Dayton on Sunday, shot 5 for 12 from the field. The Trojans finished last season with a school-record 26 losses and were 1-17 in the conference. The only victory came against Utah in the first intra-conference meeting with the Utes after the Pac-10 expanded to 12 schools. Andy Brown had 17 points for Stanford (9-5). Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:40:58 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_wins_pac_12_opener_over_stanford/12574573 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_wins_pac_12_opener_over_stanford/12574573 USC wins Pac-12 opener over Stanford http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/usc_wins_pac_12_opener_over_stanford/12574573 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png USC men's basketball Coach Kevin O'Neill said X-rays showed that point guard Jio Fontan sprained his left thumb in the first half of USC's 63-61 overtime win over Dayton on Sunday and that Fontan will play in the Trojans' Pac-12 Conference opener against Stanford on Thursday with the thumb taped. "He practiced," O'Neill said Wednesday. "He'll be fine. He's doing great." O'Neill also was full of praise for fifth-year senior forward Aaron Fuller, who played two seasons at Iowa before transferring to USC. He's in his second season under O'Neill and against Dayton on Sunday had 12 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double as a Trojan. "He's doing a great job," O'Neill said of Fuller, who is averaging only 3.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Fuller started only his second game of the season against Dayton. O'Neill said Fuller will start against Stanford. "While we're searching for the right mixture, Aaron has Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:25:23 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/injury_wont_keep_uscs_fontan_out_of_pac_12_opener/12563476 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/injury_wont_keep_uscs_fontan_out_of_pac_12_opener/12563476 Injury won't keep USC's Fontan out of Pac-12 opener http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/injury_wont_keep_uscs_fontan_out_of_pac_12_opener/12563476 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Jio Fontan and Eric Wise each scored 14 points and USC ended a five-game losing streak with a 70-26 rout of cold-shooting UC Riverside on Saturday. Chris Patton and Chris Harriel had a team-high six points for Riverside (2-8), which shot 19 percent from the field and was 1 of 14 from 3-point range. The Highlanders' starting five - Harriel, Robert Smith, Lucas Devenny, Davin Guinn and Josh Fox - were a combined 4 of 28 for 12 points. The Highlanders eclipsed the previous school record for fewest points in the shot-clock era - set Nov. 14, when Fresno State beat them 39-30. The low-water mark before that game had been a 56-35 loss to USC last season. Riverside made only five of 29 shots in the first half. It was more of the same in the second half, as USC (4-6) opened up a 44-point cushion with an 18-1 burst. Sat, 15 Dec 2012 22:03:25 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_cal_70_uc_riverside_26/12445984 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_cal_70_uc_riverside_26/12445984 Southern Cal 70, UC Riverside 26 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/southern_cal_70_uc_riverside_26/12445984 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jio Fontan and Eric Wise each scored 14 points and USC ended a five-game losing streak with a 70-26 rout of cold-shooting UC Riverside on Saturday. Chris Patton and Chris Harriel had a team-high six points for Riverside (2-8), which shot 19 percent from the field and was 1 of 14 from 3-point range. The Highlanders' starting five -- Harriel, Robert Smith, Lucas Devenny, Davin Guinn and Josh Fox -- were a combined 4 of 28 for 12 points. The Highlanders eclipsed the previous school record for fewest points in the shot-clock era -- set Nov. 14, when Fresno State beat them 39-30. The low-water mark before that game had been a 56-35 loss to USC last season. Riverside made only five of 29 shots in the first half. It was more of the same in the second half, as USC (4-6) opened up a 44-point cushion with an 18-1 burst. Sat, 15 Dec 2012 21:36:25 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_rolls_over_inept_uc_riverside_in_blowout/12445906 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_rolls_over_inept_uc_riverside_in_blowout/12445906 USC rolls over inept UC Riverside in blowout http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/usc_rolls_over_inept_uc_riverside_in_blowout/12445906 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png LOS ANGELES -- While USC got back on track Saturday afternoon at the Galen Center, UC Riverside continued to veer so far off track the Highlanders may have lost sight of it in a 70-26 loss. The last six Highlander points helped UC Riverside narrowly avoid a very dubious honor. The 26 points scored is just six away from the NCAA all-time shot clock era low of 20, set by Saint Louis in 2008. However, the Highlanders scored the fewest points in program history. The previous low was 29 set in 1956. Jio Fontan and Eric Wise led all scorers with 14 points each and Fontan dished out six assists for USC (4-6) in a win that snapped a five-game skid. Chris Patton and Chris Harriel each scored six to lead the Highlanders (2-8). Things just kind of unraveled on us, said UCR head coach Jim Woolridge. We couldnt make a shot, we couldnt make a free throw. So all around just a poor effort. Woolridge, who USC head coach Kevin ONeill called, a hell of a coach, shouldered most of the blame for the dismal play. Bad executi Sat, 15 Dec 2012 21:36:25 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_demolishes_uc_riverside_70_26/12451252 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_demolishes_uc_riverside_70_26/12451252 USC demolishes UC Riverside, 70-26 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/usc_demolishes_uc_riverside_70_26/12451252 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- FOX Sports NEXT caught up with USC point guard Jio Fontan at 2012 PAC-12 Men's Basketball Media Day. Check out the one-on-one interview inside... Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:01:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/fontan_talks_expectations/12149578 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/fontan_talks_expectations/12149578 Fontan Talks Expectations http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/fontan_talks_expectations/12149578 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Hit hard by injuries and a school-record 26 losses last season, the Southern California Trojans are eager to put the ugliness behind them and make a big turnaround led by point guard Jio Fontan. The projected star of the program has mostly been off the court the last two seasons after transferring from Fordham. Fontan played just half a season in his USC debut, then missed all of last season after he tore his ACL during a summer exhibition tour in Brazil. He wasn't the only player to go down. Forward Aaron Fuller, the team's second-leading scorer, hurt his left shoulder and center Dewayne Dedmon, the No. 3 scorer, tore his ACL, cutting their seasons short. By season's end, the Trojans had just six scholarship players available. They finished 6-26 - 1-17 in the Pac-12 - after averaging 53 points and shooting 39 percent from the floor. Now Fontan is healthy and looking forward to finally playing an entire season alongside a mix of transfers and newcomers under coach Kevin O'Neill. '&#39 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:20:01 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_tries_to_rebound_from_26_loss_season/12107452 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_tries_to_rebound_from_26_loss_season/12107452 USC tries to rebound from 26-loss season http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/usc_tries_to_rebound_from_26_loss_season/12107452 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png LOS ANGELES -- The 2011-12 USC mens basketball season ended hundreds of miles away from the USC campus. No, it wasnt during any type of postseason tournament. It was actually during a preseason exhibition in Brazil when star guard Jio Fontan suffered a torn ACL. Last year the feeling around our program went downhill as soon as Jio got hurt in Brazil, said USC head coach Kevin ONeill. It was a long, drawn-out process. It wasnt any fun for anybody. USC finished the season 6-26 and last in the Pac-12. The Trojans have their sights on going from worst to first. Our goal is to win the league and thats something that we want to do, ONeill said. The fourth year head coach feels he has the horses to get it done. Theres not much resemblance between this years squad and last years squad. The 2012-13 edition of the Trojans is one ONeill calls the deepest team hes ever coached. ONeill says he has 14 players he would feel comfortable starting. The same couldnt be said last season. A lot of those guys shouldnt hav Fri, 19 Oct 2012 20:06:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_hoops_a_team_of_second_chances/12008167 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_hoops_a_team_of_second_chances/12008167 USC hoops a team of second chances http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/usc_hoops_a_team_of_second_chances/12008167 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png USC's men's basketball team, hoping for significant improvement after the worst season in school history, will have 29 of its 31 games televised on either ESPN, FOX, CBS or the Pac-12 Network, the school announced Wednesday. The Trojans are coming off a 6-26 season in which multiple starters suffered season-ending injuries. USC finished with only six scholarship players. Coach Kevin O'Neill is hoping that the return of players such as guard Jio Fontan and 7-foot forward Dewayne Dedmon and the addition of transfers such as forward Renaldo Woolridge will make the Trojans contenders for an NCAA tournament berth. The Pac-12 Network will air 14 Trojans games, including the Nov. 9 opener against Coppin State at the Galen Center, which is part of the Maui Invitational. A Dec. 3 game at Nebraska and a Dec. 22 game at Georgia are the only games not scheduled to be televised. The full regular-season schedule: Nov. 9 Friday Coppin State (Maui Invitational) Pac-12 Network Galen Center 8:00 P.M. Nov. 13 Wed, 29 Aug 2012 23:17:27 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_basketball_television_schedule_released/11583649 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/usc_basketball_television_schedule_released/11583649 USC basketball television schedule released http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/usc_basketball_television_schedule_released/11583649 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png