USC avoids letdown against Northern Arizona


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After a 17-point win against No. 20 Texas, and with the Trojans set to face three ranked opponents over the next four games, Saturday afternoon’s match-up against Northern Arizona had all the makings of a “trap game.”

“We did not want to overlook [NAU] coming off a big win against Texas,” senior guard Donte Smith said. “We overlooked Rider, and we did not want to do that again.”

Donte Smith

Donte Smith scored a career-high 22 points in USC's win over Northern Arizona. - Mike Lee | Daily Trojan

The Trojans did not initially take the Lumberjacks (7-3) lightly. USC (6-4) held NAU, who entered the game ranked eighth in the country in three-point shooting percentage, to one-of-seven shooting from beyond the arc and only 19 points in the first half.

In the second half, the Lumberjacks made four of their first six three-point attempts, and cut the Trojans’ lead to three with 9:27 left in the game. At that point, Donte Smith caught fire, scoring all of USC’s points during the Trojans’ 14-3 run. Smith finished the game with a career-high 22 points.

“Donte really stepped up for us,” USC coach Kevin O’Neill said. “That is kind of an understatement. What he did tonight won the game for us.”

USC held on to win 60-52.

The Trojans outrebounded the Lumberjacks 41-29, behind 11 rebounds from senior forward Alex Stepheson and 10 from junior forward Nikola Vucevic.

Sophomore guard Gabe Rogers paced the Lumberjacks, scoring 20 points, including six made three-point shots.

The Trojans are about to embark on their toughest non-conference road trip of the season. USC travels to play at No. 4 Kansas on Dec. 18, and at No. 13 Tennessee on Dec. 21 before returning home to play against Lehigh on Dec. 23. Junior guard Jio Fontan, a transfer from Fordham, will be eligible to play for the first time against Kansas and is expected to start and contribute immediately for the Trojans, who have played with only a seven-man rotation this season.

“We are getting better as a team,” O’Neill said. “We have had two good weeks of practice. With the teams we have coming up, we better be getting better as a team.”