USC 72, California 57: Nikola Jovanovic had 20 points and nine rebounds as the Trojans surprised the visiting Golden Bears in their Pac-12 home opener.

Julian Jacobs scored a career-high 17 points as USC played without leading scorer Jordan McLaughlin for a second straight game (sore shoulder). Katin Reinhardt scored 10 of his 16 points in the first half when USC (9-6, 1-2 Pac-12) blew out to an early lead.

Tyrone Wallace scored 12 of his 21 points in the second half for California (11-5, 1-2), which has lost two straight following its upset of then-No. 19 Washington on Friday. Jordan Mathews contributed 17 points for the Golden Bears, who shot 4-for-20 from 3-point range.

The Trojans made their move early, using a 13-0 run surge ahead 17-6. Wallace ended the run with a jumper but six more unanswered points put the Trojans ahead by 15 at the midway point of the first half and they managed to carry a nine-point edge into the break.

Wallace hit another jumper on the second possession of the second half to pull the Golden Bears within seven but they hit another dry spell, passing the next four minutes without a point as USC went back up by double figures. California cut the deficit to seven three more times but the final dagger seemed to be a 3-pointer by Reinhardt that put USC back up by 14 with 9:09 remaining and the Golden Bears wouldn’t get back within single digits.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cal’s bench players combined to shoot 1-for-10 and score three points, while USC’s reserves were 1-for-13 for eight points. USC avoided starting 0-3 in conference play for the third time in the last four seasons. … The Trojans came in shooting 61 percent from the free throw line this season, including 58.8 in the previous nine games, but nailed 17-of-20 against the Golden Bears.