LOS ANGELES_Elijah Stewart couldn't miss.
The senior guard knocked down five consecutive three-point shots and threw in a couple alley-oops Saturday as USC cruised to a 72-59 victory over Oregon State at the Galen Center.
"You just hit this kind of mood," Stewart said after the game. "Where everything just feels good."
The Trojans improved to 19-9 and 10-5 in the Pac-12 Conference to maintain a share of second place with UCLA (19-8, 10-5) in the standings.
USC played without forward Bennie Boatwright, who suffered a knee injury last Thursday and is sidelined for the season.
Stewart said that in Boatwright's absence, "Someone had to pick up the slack."
Stewart scored a season-high 28 points, making eight consecutive shots _ including five from three _ before a jumper bounced off the rim.
"I don't think he knew he made eight shots in a row," Jordan McLaughlin said.
Stewart finished 9 of 10 from the floor.
"He shot the ball great," coach Andy Enfield said before crediting McLaughlin for getting players "wide-open shots."
McLaughlin finished with 13 points and 11 assists, several of which were lobs that Stewart and Chimezie Metu dunked.
USC got off to a rocky start in the first half, shooting 44 percent, as Jonah Mathews' three-point shots missed their mark and a Metu dunk attempt bounced off the rim.
Defensively, there were lapses, but the Trojans played well enough to maintain a lead through most of the half as Oregon State shot 46 percent, often forcing off-balance shots or not getting one off at all as the shot-clock expired.
Oregon State guard Stephen Thompson Jr. completed a three-point play to tie the game, 16-16, with 8:54 to play in the first half then the Beavers took their first lead, 20-18, behind a Gligorije Rakocevic jumper.
"We weren't getting stops," McLaughlin said. "That's what we talked about at halftime and in the huddles, being aggressive."
Stewart sparked an 8-2 run when he knocked down a three-point basket and USC took a 32-30 lead into halftime.
Out of the break, Stewart knocked down another three and USC pulled away.
The Trojans opened an eight-point lead behind a Stewart dunk, Metu layup and Jordan Usher put back.
Metu finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Usher scored seven.
Mathews, making a second-consecutive start, never found a rhythm and missed all five of his three-point attempts.
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