USC basketball: Trojans blow 20-point lead, fall to Nebraska, 60-58

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USC jumped to a 20-point lead in the first half Saturday against Nebraska at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Then the Trojans allowed the Cornhuskers to make a short run before halftime, and then two huge runs after intermission, and Nebraska, in turn, handed the Trojans a 60-58 loss in USC’s first true road game of the season.

The game was played as part of the soon-to-be-discontinued Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, and for USC (4-3), this is the second close loss to Nebraska (4-2) in as many seasons.

The Cornhuskers beat the Trojans, 51-48, last season in Los Angeles.

USC had a last-second chance, but freshman guard Maurice Jones missed a three-point jumper as time expired.

USC led 43-27 early in the second half, but Nebraska responded with a 17-3 run.

Then, after USC scored a pair of buckets, the Cornhuskers went on another run, this one a 10-4 gashing that gave them their first lead of the game, 56-55, with 4 minutes 47 seconds left. Nebraska didn’t lose their lead, unlike USC.

After shooting 56.7% (17 for 30) in the first half, USC shot only 27.6% (eight for 29) in the second, including missing on eight of nine three-point shots.

Nebraska, meanwhile, shot 41.7% (10 for 24) in the first half and 58.3% (14 for 24) in the second.

USC was led by seniors Donte Smith and Alex Stepheson, who each scored 14 points. Joneshad 10 points, seven in the first half, and five assists. Junior forward Nikola Vucevic shot only two for 15, scoring five points.

Nebraska was led by forward Jorge Brian Diaz, who scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half.

Using exceptional ball movement that led to wide open shots that USC did not miss, the Trojans started the game hot and stayed that way for almost the entirety of the first half, twice leading by 20 points.

Nebraska went on a 9-3 run, including consecutive three-point jumpers from guard Caleb Walker, to finish the half and make it somewhat close, but before that it was all USC.

Cornhuskers Coach Doc Sadler tried to slow the avalanche by calling four timeouts in a span of seven minutes. All that standing around and talking did little good.

In fact, the Trojans were playing so well that Coach Kevin O’Neill put in walk-on junior guard Eric Strangis with 1:45 left in the first half, which for O’Neill is a move that’s as rare as spotting a four-leaf clover.

USC, which is playing four of its next six games on the road, heads to Fort Worth, Texas, next to face Texas Christian (4-2) on Monday night. This will be the first meeting between the schools.

-- Baxter Holmes in Lincoln, Neb.