At this time last week, USC wasn’t even sure if it had done enough to make the NCAA tournament.
Now the Trojans are headed to the second round for the first time in eight years.
Elijah Stewart sank a go-ahead corner 3-pointer with less than a minute remaining on Friday to propel USC to a surprising 66-65 upset victory over sixth-seeded SMU. The Trojans only reached the round of 64 by rallying to defeat Providence in a First Four matchup in Dayton on Wednesday night.
That USC is in the second round of the NCAA tournament is a massive accomplishment considering all the talent that left the program after last year’s breakthrough season that culminated in an NCAA tournament berth. Six upperclassmen bolted with eligibility remaining including starters Julian Jacobs, Nikola Jovanovic and Katin Reinhardt.
With only two returning starters and no seniors in its rotation, USC has managed to advance farther in the NCAA tournament than last year’s team did. The Trojans have leaned mostly on junior guards Stewart and Jordan McLaughlin and sophomore big men Bennie Boatwright and Chimezie Metu.
Behind by as many as 10 points midway through the second half on Friday, USC mounted a comeback fueled by coach Andy Enfield’s decision to switch to zone from man-to-man. An SMU team that boasts the 10th-most efficient offense in the country scored only 12 points over the final 11 minutes of the game, giving USC time to rally.
Boatwright, Metu and McLaughlin each had key baskets during USC’s final charge, but it was Stewart whose 22 points did the most damage. His corner 3-pointer was the game’s biggest shot, but the Trojans had to make a defensive stand to hold on.
SMU had two chances to win the game but let both slip through its fingers. Ben Moore missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 14 seconds left. Then after a missed foul shot from Metu, Shake Milton could not convert a contested layup at the buzzer.
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