USC gets it right, over time

For all the early success it’s had in its new building, USC still needed to find a way to close its openers.

The Trojans had extended South Carolina to overtime before losing in the first game played at the Galen Center and then watched Washington wipe out late deficits in the final seconds of regulation and overtime in the first Pacific 10 Conference game in the facility.

Finally, USC found an answer -- two, actually.

Gabe Pruitt and Nick Young made back-to-back three-point shots midway through the second overtime Thursday night to lift the Trojans to an 86-79 victory over the No. 14 Huskies before a rollicking crowd of 5,355.

“I’ve never been in a game like this,” said Young, the junior swingman who scored 23 of his game-high 25 points in the second half and overtimes.

Pruitt, the junior guard who had been all but invisible last week in his first two games back from academic ineligibility, broke a 75-75 tie with 2 minutes 49 seconds left in the second overtime on a three-pointer as the shot clock expired.

After the Huskies lobbed the ball inside to freshman center Spencer Hawes for an easy basket, Young made a three-pointer from the wing to make it 81-77.

Washington would pull to within a basket when Hawes scored underneath for the last of his 24 points. But after Young extended the Trojans’ lead by making one of two free throws, Hawes missed inside and USC made its final four free throws to notch its second consecutive victory over a ranked opponent.

“Our goal is to make it to the [NCAA] tournament,” Pruitt said, “and I think these two games get us that much closer.”

Pruitt, who had gone scoreless Saturday during the Trojans’ victory over then-No. 8 Wichita State, scored 18 points and had six assists as USC (11-3) won its ninth consecutive home game and ended a five-game losing streak against the Huskies (10-2).

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Pruitt hugged Young and sophomore forward Keith Wilkinson, later calling it “probably the highest point of my career at USC.”

Freshman forward Taj Gibson had 22 points and 10 rebounds despite requiring intravenous fluids at halftime because of food poisoning. The same illness afflicted freshman point guard Daniel Hackett, who was limited to six minutes.

The Trojans looked as if they were headed for victory in the first overtime when Wilkinson made one of two free throws with 17 seconds left to extend USC’s lead to 73-70.

Washington guard Ryan Appleby, who had 15 first-half points on five-for-six shooting from behind the three-point arc, missed a three-pointer and the ball went out of bounds to the Huskies with one second remaining.

Washington freshman forward Phil Nelson inbounded the ball to the 7-foot Hawes, who buried a three-pointer from just to the left of the top of the key, prompting the Huskies to rush him in celebration.

“My mouth just dropped,” Young said. “I’ve never been in that situation. I was tired and didn’t think I would be able to go on.”

The Trojans also had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but Pruitt’s off-balance shot along the baseline clanged off the rim. Appleby bumped Pruitt before he got the shot off, but no foul was called. USC Coach Tim Floyd, visibly agitated, walked to half court and glared at the officials but did not say anything.

Two free throws by Gibson had given the Trojans a 64-62 lead with 1:48 left in regulation before Washington sophomore forward Jon Brockman answered with two free throws to tie the score with 5.8 seconds left.

“We really had a chance to feel sorry for ourselves at the end of regulation and the first overtime,” Floyd said. “But we responded to adversity. I’m proud of that.”

*

ben.bolch@latimes.com

*

UP NEXT FOR USC

Saturday vs. Washington State, Galen Center, 3 p.m., FSN Prime Ticket -- Washington State has been the biggest early-season surprise among Pacific 10 Conference teams, upsetting Gonzaga in what was supposed to be a rebuilding season under first-year Coach Tony Bennett. Junior Derrick Low averaged 15.5 points for the slow-it-down Cougars before their conference opener against top-ranked UCLA on Thursday.

-- Ben Bolch