ANOTHER COMEBACK FOR USC
Now 26-9, Southern California one win from reaching Sweet 16 (11) USC 66, (6) SMU 65
For the second consecutive NCAA Tournament game, Southern California overcomes a doubledigit deficit in the second half to win. This time, the Trojans upset the SMU Mustangs 66-65.
tulsa, okla.» For the second consecutive NCAA Tournament game, Southern California overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half to win.
Elijah Stewart hit a late 3-pointer for No. 11 seed USC as the Trojans upset sixth-seeded SMU 66-65 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
USC trailed SMU by 10 in the second half. The Trojans trailed Providence by 17 in the second half of their First Four game Wednesday night before winning 75-71.
Apparently, they don’t know how to quit.
“We just had to keep fighting back,” Stewart said. “We’ve been in those positions before. So we’re kind of seasoned to it. And you just can’t stop. You just got to keep going.”
Stewart had 22 points for the Trojans (26-9), including the game-deciding 3 with only 37 seconds to play.
“We ran the play previously before, and I was open,” Stewart said. “And then we had the media timeout. We discussed it. We ran the same play again, and I was open, and I just let muscle memory take place.”
Bennie Boatright and Chimezie Metu each added 14 points for USC, which advanced to play third-seeded Baylor in the second round of the East Regional on Sunday.
SMU’s Shake Milton missed a floater at the final buzzer that would have won it for the Mustangs.
“There used to be a show on TV when I was little talking about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat,” SMU coach Tim Jankovich said. “I think it was ‘Wide World of Sports.’ I can certainly relate to that show right now.”
Stewart noticed that SMU wasn’t sure what it was going to do during the final sequence. “I noticed that two players were arguing about who was going to take the last shot,” Stewart said. “Usually, when something like that happens, like whoever shoots it, it just messes with you. The floater was short, and I felt like if — like it could have went either way, honestly. I was just — I had my eyes closed.”
Semi Ojeleye had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Sterling Brown had 17 points for SMU (30-5), which had won 16 consecutive games. The Mustangs’ last loss had been Jan. 12.
SMU was in the NCAA Tournament after being banned from postseason play a year ago for multiple violations, including academic fraud and unethical conduct.
“Today is obviously an incredible heartbreak,” Jankovich said. “If ever there was a team to deserve some great things, some more great things to happen, particularly this time of year, it was these guys.”