LOS ANGELES_In 111 seasons of basketball, USC has completed an undefeated nonconference schedule just four times, and just once since the moon landing.
By Saturday evening, when USC defeated Troy, 82-77, it appeared to be closing in on a fifth. USC (10-0) had already cruised past the three significant tests on its schedule: Texas A&M, Southern Methodist and Brigham Young.
USC could realistically carry a flawless record into Pac-12 play _ so long as it avoided a major letdown. With the exception of No. 94 Wyoming, a potential opponent in the New Orleans Classic tournament next week, no remaining opponent in the nonconference schedule ranks in the top 200 of the Ratings Percentage Index.
Troy (6-5) wasn't very close to cracking that plateau, but by halftime of Saturday's game, it was giving USC trouble. As the clock wound down at the end of the first half, Jeremy Hollimon pulled up from atop the key and splashed a three-pointer through the net. With the basket, Troy recaptured a lead it had held for most of the first half.
USC trailed, 40-38, at the break, just the second time it has trailed at the break this season.
USC was one of just six undefeated teams in the nation, out of 351, by Saturday. USC appeared in the Associated Press top 25 for the first time this season last week, at No. 24.
Troy hadn't played a ranked team in more than five years.
But Troy took an early lead with a barrage of first-half three-pointers. It made eight of 18 attempts. Guard Wesley Person alone made five of 10 attempts.
Troy led by as many as nine points. USC tied the score on Shaqquan Aaron's stutter and scoop with less than five minutes remaining in the period. The teams traded scores until Hollimon's three-pointer beat the buzzer.
The first 20 minutes against Troy represented USC's worst offensive half since it lost forward Bennie Boatwright to injury.
"I think we'll still score the same amount of points," Coach Andy Enfield said at the time. "It's who's going to step up?"
Thus far, it had been Elijah Stewart and Jordan McLaughlin. In USC's win over BYU, McLaughlin scored 24 points. Against Pepperdine, he made seven of seven field goals for 18 points to go with six assists.
Stewart, meanwhile, carved up Pepperdine with seven three-pointers, scoring 26 points along with four blocks. Against BYU, he scored 16.
USC averaged 80.6 points in games when Boatwright played. In the two games since, it scored 91 and 93.
McLaughlin led USC in scoring in the first half on Saturday, with nine points.
