Hackett Goes Home, Leads USC Victory

Dwayne Hackett went home Sunday night and showed his friends how it is where he goes to school.

Hackett, from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., sank seven three-pointers and tied his personal-best with 23 points to lead USC to an 86-66 victory over Miami before 1,319 Sunday night.

It was the Trojans’ fourth consecutive victory, raising their record to 6-2. Miami dropped to 2-5.

“It was one of those Hollywood-type situations: local boy comes home and makes good, “ USC Coach George Raveling said.

The Trojan victory came from long range. They made 14 of 29 shots from three-point range.

“My, my, my . . . 14 of 29. I’ve heard of things like that, but I don’t know that I’ve ever seen it,” Miami Coach Leonard Hamilton said.

The Trojans have connected on at least seven three-point field goals in each of their games. Hackett and backcourt partner Phil Glenn have 81 field goals between them, and 68 have come from three-point range. Glenn scored 16 points, 12 on four three-pointers.

Raveling understands the team’s future. “The reality of it all is we’re one of those teams that will live and die on the three-point shot all year,” he said.

USC’s Rodney Chatman added 16 points.

Steve Edwards scored 16 points and had a season-high 10 rebounds for Miami.

After eight ties in the first half, the Trojans pulled away from 29-29 to go ahead, 47-36, after an 18-7 run. Glenn keyed the spurt with two three-pointers.

USC led, 49-40, at halftime. After Miami narrowed the gap to 49-42 early in the second half, Glenn hit a 19-footer and another three-pointer to lead a Trojan run that boosted the advantage to 56-44, and USC never looked back after that.