USC Remembers How to Win at Home

In an often forgettable season, they have been USC’s forgotten men.

But Saturday afternoon at the Sports Arena, junior center Rory O’Neil and freshman shooting guard Lodrick Stewart carved lasting and memorable impressions.

The two had career games that carried the Trojans to a feel-good 70-60 defeat of California before 5,475. It was USC’s first home victory since Jan. 15.

Stewart, still coming to grips with being a role player off the bench, led USC with 20 points, the most of his career, on seven-for-nine shooting, including a career-best five three pointers, in 18 minutes.

O’Neil, who returned to the starting lineup after a two-game hiatus, had his first double-double of the season, his fifth overall, with 16 points and career bests in rebounds (12) and blocks (six) in 40 minutes.

And USC, which avenged its 63-62 loss at Cal on Jan. 22, improved to 11-13 overall, 6-9 in Pacific 10 Conference play and jumped into seventh place, half a game ahead of idle Washington State with three league games remaining.

Cal, which was led by senior center Amit Tamir’s 20 points, dropped to 11-12 and 7-7.

“I’ve always said the most important people are the bench people,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said. “When they play well and score, more often than not we win.

“That’s so important when we don’t get offensive production from Desmon Farmer.”

Farmer, who entered the game averaging 20.6 points in conference play, was held to eight points, though he did pass Wayne Carlander for fourth place on the Trojans’ career scoring list with 1,525 points.

“It was a big key for us to stop Farmer,” Cal Coach Ben Braun said. “But O’Neil made some big shots and Lodrick Stewart was the difference maker for USC, especially in the first half.”

Having played No. 1 Stanford to the wire two days earlier, USC came out flat and trailed the Golden Bears, 11-3, three minutes into the game.

Bibby looked to make wholesale changes by sending four players -- Nick Curtis, Gregg Guenther and Lodrick and Rodrick Stewart -- to the table to check in.

But after O’Neil made a three-pointer, Bibby summoned back Curtis.

“I was in a good rhythm and getting some good looks and fortunately they fell,” O’Neil said. “I was just shooting the ball when I was open.”

Lodrick Stewart then made the most of his opportunity, knocking down all five of his three-point attempts before the half, slapping hands with courtside fans on his way back down court after a later shot.

“This game, I was just relieved and not worrying about playing,” said Stewart, whose nearly seasonlong gag order was lifted for the day by Bibby. Stewart last spoke to reporters Jan. 9 during the Trojans’ trip to Washington State. “I was just having fun.

“I just want to win. That’s more fun than [scoring] 30 points and [losing].”

USC was in danger of losing when it trailed at the half, 32-30. But considering that starters Farmer, Derrick and Errick Craven and Jeff McMillan teamed for two points, and that the Trojans missed all three of their free-throw attempts, USC was lucky to be behind by only two (Stewart and O’Neil had 26 of the Trojans’ 30 points).

“We know that [Stewart] can shoot the basketball and that’s what we’ve been waiting for,” Bibby said. “He was incredible shooting the ball.”

The Cravens and Farmer got back on track after halftime and USC was on its way, building a game-high 14-point lead, 64-50, on two Guenther free throws with 4:02 remaining in the game.

What had been an Achilles’ heel for the Trojans turned into a strength; they converted 16 of 18 free throws after the half.

Cal missed 13 of its 22 free-throw attempts.

“We played as a team today,” Lodrick Stewart said. “We made the extra passes. That’s what coach wrote on the board, ‘Make the extra pass.’ And that it was a ‘must win.’

“We’re just trying to step up.”

And be memorable.