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BOSTON (AP) — Freshman Elijah Stewart is already in the USC record books, going 10 for 10 from the field against Boston College on Sunday to tie a school record.
Coach Andy Enfield is equally impressed with what his freshman guard did when he wasn't shooting.
"When you go 10 for 10 from the field, it's a pretty good game," Enfield said after Stewart was perfect from the floor, adding four rebounds and two blocked shots to help the Trojans beat BC 75-71. "But he did some things today he couldn't do a month ago."
Stewart's perfect 10 shooting performance tied Taj Gibson, who also went 10 for 10 against Boston College in the NCAA tournament on March 20, 2009. Nikola Jovanovic added 16 points and nine rebounds for USC, which had never played in Chestnut Hill before.
The Trojans (7-4) won for the fifth time in six games, bouncing back from an overtime loss to Army last week.
Aaron Brown had 18 points for BC (6-4), which trailed by nine with 22 seconds left before scoring seven straight points in only 11 seconds. Olivier Hanlan had 15 points and eight assists, but he missed a 3-pointer that could have made it a one-point game in the final seconds.
"When they went up seven, they thought the game was over and there were 20 seconds left," Enfield said of his players.
Dennis Clifford scored nine with nine rebounds for the Eagles, who had been unbeaten at home.
The Trojans led 72-63 with 22 seconds left when BC rallied. Patrick Heckmann hit a 3-pointer, and Hanlan stole the ball in the backcourt and made a layup. Katin Reinhardt made 1 of 2 free throws, then Brown made a 3 to make it a two-point game.
Reinhardt made two free throws with 11 seconds left, and Hanlan missed a 3-pointer with five seconds left that could have cut the deficit to one point.
"They outhustled us, which hasn't happened to us," BC coach Jim Christian said. "That's our only chance to win — against anybody, not just USC."
BC forced 12 turnovers in the first half and led 45-41 early in second, giving up 14 of the next 17 points before Hanlan ended the run with a 3-pointer that made it 55-51 with 12 minutes left.
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TIP INS:
Boston College: Guard Dimitri Batten left the game in the first half clutching his right hamstring. He returned in the second. ... Hanlan came up limping in the second half but remained in the game.
USC: Stewart was 2 for 2 from 3-point range and missed all four free throw attempts.
SHOOTING THE LIGHTS OUT:
USC shot 70 percent from the field in the first half, including 67 percent from 3-point range. They were a more earthly 45 percent in the second and they missed all five 3-point attempts. "We let them get comfortable early," Christian said. "When you do that, the tough shots get easier."
SCHOOL SPIRIT:
Boston College was going for a sweep over USC, having beaten the Trojans football team this fall. USC was ranked ninth in The Associated Press Top 25 when the unranked Eagles won 37-31 on Sept. 13. "I think it was good for the USC alumni on the East Coast," coach Enfield said. "I was hoping for a better outcome than our football team."
UP NEXT:
USC hosts Vermont on Dec. 30 to finish its nonconference schedule.
BC plays Massachusetts-Lowell on Dec. 29 to complete a six-game homestand.
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