Freshman Carries Cal Past USC, 63-60

California’s Shareef Abdur-Rahim may be only a freshman but he showed USC that he is experienced and talented enough to carry a team as he led the Bears to a come-from-behind 63-60 victory over the Trojans Thursday night before 5,067 at the Forum.

With his teammates shooting only 22.7% from the floor, Abdur-Rahim finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds as Cal, which improved to 8-3 overall, took advantage of USC’s inability to rebound and make open shots down the stretch to remain undefeated in the Pacific 10 Conference with a 3-0 record.

The Trojans, who dropped to 8-6 and 1-2, definitely had their chances in the second half.

After blowing a 15-point first-half lead, USC took a 60-59 lead with 52.3 seconds remaining on a three-point play by Brandon Martin, who rebounded a Stais Boseman miss with a layup and a free throw.

“I thought that play would have done it,” said Martin, who had 13 points and six rebounds. “But they came right back down and scored.”

Abdur-Rahim, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds in the second half, made the basket for the Bears when he drove the baseline around USC’s Jaha Wilson and banked a soft four-foot jump shot with 36 seconds remaining.

On USC’s next possession, Cameron Murray drove to the basket with 13 seconds left but missed an open layup and, in a battle for the rebound, Boseman fouled Abdur-Rahim with 11.2 seconds remaining.

The Trojans, who were outrebounded in the second half, 28-19, then had their biggest breakdown of the game when Cal guard Randy Duck was able to sneak inside and rebound Abdur-Rahim’s missed free throw before getting fouled with eight seconds left.

“The game was won in the second half on the boards, particularly on missed free throws,” USC Coach Charlie Parker said. “They’d shoot and go get it and shoot and go get it.”

USC had one final opportunity to send the game into overtime following two free throws by Duck, but Boseman’s last second three-point shot fell short.

“Tonight, we didn’t play well, but we found a way to win,” Cal Coach Todd Bozeman said. “We did an excellent job in the second half with our defense. We were able to stay close and work through the problems we were having.”

For the first 15 minutes of the game, USC dominated play. The Trojans made 50% of their first-half shots and outrebounded the Bears, 28-16, going into halftime.

Behind Wilson, who had 11 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, the Trojans led, 36-21, and appeared ready to pull off an upset. Cal, however, needed only to look for Abdur-Rahim, who scored 12 points in the final 1:37 of the first half and the first six minutes of the second, as the Bears outscored USC, 23-7, to take a 44-43 lead.

“He’s our go-to guy,” said Cal’s Jelani Gardner, who had 11 points. “He can get us points in a hurry and do it with good percentage shots.”

Abdur-Rahim, a 6-foot-10 quick leaper, made 12 of 27 shots from the field and came up with a key defensive play with 2:21 remaining and the scored tied at 57.

While guarding USC’s Avondre Jones near midcourt, Abdur-Rahim stole the ball and was fouled by Jones, who fouled out on the play.

“He’s probably the best player in the Pac-10,” Martin said. “When he gets the ball, everybody is really at his mercy.”

USC will play Stanford Sunday at the Sports Arena.