USC’s four-overtime victory over Arizona still resonates a year later

It was a time for celebration, but that required energy, and Jordan McLaughlin, Elijah Stewart and the rest of their USC teammates had none of that.

In January 2016, USC had just scored its biggest victory in years. It had taken four overtimes to defeat Arizona, but the Trojans did it. Afterward, McLaughlin and Stewart went straight from the Galen Center back to their own beds and fell asleep almost immediately.

They awoke to a changed basketball program.

For years, USC did not win many games, and certainly not against top-10 teams. That evening, it vanquished one of the Pac-12 Conference’s best teams in front of a raucous and packed home crowd.

As USC (16-3 overall, 3-3 in conference play) again prepares to host No. 14 Arizona (16-2, 5-0), the spoils of that victory reverberate through the program. The Trojans have gone 23-13 since, their best such stretch in a decade. The Galen Center has filled to respectable levels for their first two Pac-12 home games this season. And, most significantly, USC is no longer a big underdog against Arizona, despite the Wildcats’ place atop the standings and in the rankings.

Last season’s game, USC Coach Andy Enfield said, “came at a time of the season where that win gave us confidence because we knew we could compete at that level. Arizona has been so good for so long.”

Said Stewart: “It’s probably bigger than the three UCLA wins, the Arizona win, because by tradition they just come in here and wreck shop.”

It was also a great basketball game. Its importance to USC was matched only by its entertainment value.

USC controlled most of the game but squandered a 12-point lead late. It missed two potential game-winning shots at the end of regulation. It nearly won at the end of each overtime period, too, but turnovers sunk its first two tries, and a missed jumper sent the game into a fourth overtime period.

Stewart nearly lost his voice. Enfield said he lost track of what period the game had stretched into.

“It’s almost like you’ve played five games,” he said.

Eventually, Stewart made two free throws near the end of the fourth overtime, Arizona missed a desperation heave and USC flooded onto the court.

At some point during the game, McLaughlin said he sensed a team maturing in front of him.

“We played our hearts out that game,” McLaughlin said. “We figured we’d come that far. So why lose the game, you know?”

Boatwright nears return

Starting forward Bennie Boatwright, who has missed 12 games because of a sprained knee, has been more mobile, and Enfield said he is nearing a return to practice.

The swelling in Boatwright’s knee has gone down, Enfield said, but has not gone away completely.

Enfield said Boatwright would begin practicing “soon,” but he added, “I just don’t know what day that would be.”

NEXT UP

USC vs. Arizona

When: 6 p.m. Thursday

Where: Galen Center

On the air: TV: Pac-12 Networks. Radio: 710.

Update: After splitting the mountain road trip, with a blowout loss against Utah and a last-minute win over Colorado, USC dropped out of the Associated Press top 25. The Trojans shot 38% last week. They have made just 58% of their free throws in their last three games. … Arizona usually punishes such performances. It sits atop the Pac-12 standings, tied with Oregon, and has lost only to No. 13 Butler and No. 4 Gonzaga. ... The Wildcats have persevered despite missing guard Allonzo Trier, who averaged nearly 15 points in somewhat limited time as a freshman. He hasn’t played this season for reasons that have not been revealed. … In his absence, freshman forward Lauri Markkanen has developed into a force, averaging 16.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game to anchor a starting five that all average in double figures.

zach.helfand@latimes.com

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