The old Young is good for USC

The endearing smile that seemed permanently etched on Nick Young’s face had disappeared during the season’s early going, and so had the production that made the USC swingman an All-Pacific 10 Conference selection as a sophomore.

The absence of slain teammate Ryan Francis and close friend Gabe Pruitt, who was academically ineligible, had taken an emotional toll on Young, and his game had suffered as he tried to bear too much responsibility for his team’s fortunes.

So it was good for Trojans fans Tuesday night to see the athlete they had remembered making plays and enjoying himself again during USC’s otherwise slipshod 74-58 victory over the Citadel before 3,733 at the Galen Center.

Young located the verve that had been missing from his game, scoring 24 points on eight-for-nine shooting in 25 minutes.

“I haven’t been myself out there lately,” said Young, the Pac-10’s returning leading scorer who had been only the third-leading scorer on his own team before Tuesday.

“I haven’t been smiling and enjoying the game of basketball. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. There has been a lot going on.”

Young said his teammates and family members had cheered him up before the game, so give them an assist. After making a three-point basket shortly before the halftime buzzer, Young thumped his chest with his hand in a spirited display.

He had 19 points by halftime and came out for good with 10:47 left, the outcome long decided.

“He showed everyone his game hasn’t changed,” said senior guard Lodrick Stewart, who had 12 points.

“It’s gotten better.”

This might have been a ballgame had USC not found itself playing the lords of disarray.

The Citadel committed 23 turnovers, pretty much business as usual for a team that had lost by 32 points to Michigan State, by 22 points to Iowa and by 24 points to Notre Dame.

Of course, the Trojans didn’t take care of the ball either -- they had a season-worst 26 turnovers -- but it didn’t matter against an overmatched opponent.

“Too many turnovers. Too many fouls. Sloppy with the ball,” Coach Tim Floyd said of his Trojans (2-1), who did manage to outrebound the Bulldogs (1-5), 30-18.

Freshman forward Taj Gibson and freshman guard Dwight Lewis had 10 points apiece for USC.

Sophomore guard Sead Odzic, who watched in street clothes after appearing in neither of the Trojans’ first two games, has decided to redshirt, Floyd said.

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UP NEXT

Friday vs. Long Beach State, Galen Center, 7:30 p.m., FSN Prime Ticket -- The 49ers (2-1) are averaging 75 points, down from the 83 that led the nation last season. They lost by a point to an Air Force squad that gave USC fits in a scrimmage.

ben.bolch@latimes.com