It’s Hackett show for USC

Daniel Hackett made a three-point basket from the corner and then authoritatively drove the lane for a layup. It was only two minutes into the game and it seemed as if the sophomore guard was not only back but better than ever.

After missing USC’s upset loss to Mercer in its opener while recovering from a broken jaw, Hackett packed a wallop in his return, leading the Trojans to a 74-47 victory over the Citadel on Thursday night at McAlister Field House.

A surprise addition to the starting lineup, Hackett scored a career-high 21 points in 29 minutes and fueled the Trojans’ game-opening 22-2 run that proved insurmountable. He made nine of 12 shots and had three assists and three steals.

“It took a weight off my shoulder,” said Hackett, who joined a reconfigured starting lineup that also included redshirt freshman Kasey Cunningham in addition to regulars Taj Gibson, O.J. Mayo and Dwight Lewis.

USC Coach Tim Floyd said he wanted deposed starter Angelo Johnson, a freshman, to learn from Hackett’s ability to “get games established on the road.”

“He’s an experienced guy who understands how we’re attempting to play, and I thought he settled us down,” Floyd said of Hackett. “He understands staying within himself right now.”

Mayo also turned in a more restrained effort than in his first college game, when he needed 27 shots to score 32 points. The freshman guard had 16 points on six-for-12 shooting to go with seven rebounds and five assists.

“I think there’s a tremendous amount of pressure on the young guy to go out there and try to be Babe Ruth and hit it out of the park every night,” Floyd said. “Your picture’s on the cover of Sports Illustrated, you’ve got a USA Today feature in the last three days, and I don’t think it’s affected him at all.”

Mayo said he wanted to get other players involved. “We’re a team,” he said. “There’s more than just me on the floor.”

Hackett had already scored 10 points by the time USC (1-1) opened its big early lead, thanks in no small part to the Citadel’s awful shooting. The Bulldogs (1-2) missed their first 15 shots and made only 32.1% of their shots.

Coming off an embarrassing home loss to Mercer, USC found the perfect road opponent in the Citadel, a team that might be one of only a few in the nation younger than the Trojans. The Bulldogs have one senior, one junior, no sophomores and 13 freshmen, or “Knobs” as they’re known here because of their clean-shaven heads as dictated by military custom.

The blowout let Floyd use a wide array of players, including freshman guard Marcus Simmons, who did not appear in the opener because he hadn’t mastered the plays after missing significant practice time because of an ankle injury. Simmons went scoreless in nine minutes.

Highly touted freshman forward Davon Jefferson has yet to play, but Floyd continued to say it was because he also lagged in his conditioning and understanding of team concepts. Floyd and Jefferson disputed a report that Jefferson had been suspended for two games.

“If I was suspended,” Jefferson said, “I wouldn’t even be on the trip.”

ben.bolch@latimes.com