Trojans Upset by Irish : College basketball: No. 23 USC makes only 37.7% of shots as Notre Dame scores second victory, 64-58.

USC Coach George Raveling says he was leery of playing Notre Dame even though the Irish had lost five of their first six games under new Coach John MacLeod.

“This was a game I agonized over all week,” Raveling said. “I told everybody that would listen that they were a better basketball team than their record showed. They have three guys on their starting team that could play for anybody in America and start in (Elmer) Bennett, (Daimon) Sweet and LaPhonso Ellis.”

Raveling’s concerns were justified as the Irish overcame a nine-point second-half deficit and defeated the 23rd-ranked Trojans, 64-58, Monday night before 5,493 at the Sports Arena. The loss ended USC’s seven-game winning streak.

“It was just a game where we didn’t have it,” Raveling said. “It was unfortunate because we had a great opportunity to finish the preseason 9-1.”

Sweet scored 23 points, including 15 during the second half, and Ellis had 21 points and 15 rebounds. Bennett had six points, seven assists and two steals.

“I thought Sweet played a great game,” Raveling said. “I think Ellis is one of the truly outstanding players in the country.”

USC made only 37.7% of its shots overall and scored only 26 points during the second half. Notre Dame also outrebounded USC, 40-29.

“It was a great effort for us,” MacLeod said after the Irish held the Trojans to their lowest point total of the season. “Any time you hold your opponent to 37% shooting from the floor and outrebound them like we did, those two factors are a good sign.”

Trailing by 49-43 with 12:42 remaining, Notre Dame went on a 14-3 run to take a 57-52 lead with 3:38 left.

The Trojans scored only one basket in 9:04 as the Irish took control of the game. USC had four turnovers and missed four of five shots during that span.

“We were never able to sustain any kind of offense at all,” Raveling said. “When we hold a team to 64 points, I think we should be able to win, because under normal circumstances we should be able to put more points than that on the board.

“Some of it was was Notre Dame’s defense and some of it was ineptness. It was one of those nights where we just didn’t shoot the ball well. None of our guards shot the ball well. We never got an inside game going and we were able to get the ball in there freely because they were worried about our outside shooting.”

Trojan guards Harold Miner, Duane Cooper and Phil Glenn combined to make only 13 of 32 shots. Miner, who had 24 points, missed 11 of 20 shots, and Cooper missed five of seven shots.

“We got good shots, but they just didn’t fall,” Cooper said. “It was just one of those nights. We couldn’t get it going offensively.

“Notre Dame just played a good game. They played hard for 40 minutes and out-executed us. You have to respect their schedule and downplay their record.”

USC center Yamen Sanders missed nine of 11 shots, including his first seven.

However, Raveling thinks the loss might help USC (8-2) going into Thursday night’s Pacific 10 opener at Arizona, which has won 70 consecutive home games.

“I don’t think this is going to set us back at all,” Raveling said. “If anything it might serve as a wakeup call for conference play. I feel badly that we lost, but I feel good about our team.”

Miner had 14 points in the first half as the Trojans took a 32-28 lead at the break despite having made only 36.7% of its shots, missing 19 of 30 shots.

Trojan Notes

Harold Miner, who had 24 points, became only the third Trojan to score more than 1,500 points. Miner has 1,523 points and ranks third on USC’s career scoring list, one behind Wayne Carlander and 204 behind the school record of 1,727 points held by Ronnie Coleman. . . . USC’s previous low point total this season was 74 against Kent. The Trojans were averaging 85.7 points coming into the game.