Little things are adding up to a lot for Lewis

The box scores don’t do Dwight Lewis justice. The freshman guard is averaging 6.3 points and 2.4 rebounds but was a big reason USC recently completed its first season sweep of the Oregon schools in 10 years.

Lewis made a three-point shot to trigger an 11-0 second-half run after Oregon State tied the score, then made another as time expired in the first half against then-No. 9 Oregon. His biggest strides, however, have come on defense.

“He’s been defensively far better than he was the first 14 games of the year, and that’s why he’s getting more minutes in bigger games,” Coach Tim Floyd said of Lewis, who is averaging 20.5 minutes and has started six of the last nine games. “There’s been games where he’s taken two shots and helped us win. There’s been games where he’s made shots to help us win. ... He’s been fearless on the road and he’s played with poise.”

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After out-rebounding their previous two opponents, USC took a giant step back against Oregon. The Ducks had 23 offensive rebounds and a 41-20 advantage overall.

USC often collects fewer offensive rebounds than opponents because its guards typically retreat to prevent fastbreak opportunities.

But the Trojans had a season-low two offensive rebounds Saturday and were outscored, 19-1, in second-chance points.

“A lot of it’s anticipation, a lot of it’s want-to, and we’ll address both of those areas,” Floyd said.

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The Trojans are ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press poll and No. 21 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll. The USC-UCLA game at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday will be the first meeting with both teams ranked since No. 15 UCLA defeated No. 24 USC, 67-65, on Feb. 6, 2002, at Pauley.

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USC senior guard Lodrick Stewart did not attend practice Monday after learning that his great-grandfather, Pompie Randle, had died at 98. Stewart is expected to return to practice today and play Wednesday before returning to Aberdeen, Miss., for the funeral on Saturday. Randle had helped raise Stewart on his Mississippi farm, said Lodrick’s father, Andrew “Bull” Stewart.

ben.bolch@latimes.com