Trojans Show Resolve Against UNC Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Danny Walker’s three-pointer with 1:17 left capped Southern Cal’s comeback from a 20-point deficit and the Trojans defeated North Carolina Charlotte, 65-61, in the consolation game of the Harris Teeter-Pepsi Challenge on Saturday night.

The Trojans (3-1) rallied after going nearly nine minutes without a field goal in the first half.

Stais Boseman had 21 points and Rodrick Rhodes added 15 for Southern Cal, which held the 49ers (2-3) to nine-of-30 field-goal shooting in the second half.

North Carolina Charlotte got 16 points from DeMarco Johnson.

Southern Cal started its comeback with an 11-0 run early in the second half, helping the Trojans tie the score, 49-49, on a pair of free throws by Gary Williams with 5:57 left.

The score was tied twice more before Walker got free on the right wing and hit the jumper that put the Trojans ahead to stay at 59-56.

After Boseman added a pair of free throws, Walker gave the 49ers a chance to get back in it when he was called for traveling with 44 seconds left and then protested, drawing a technical foul. But North Carolina Charlotte’s Roderick Howard missed both free throws.

The Trojans went ahead, 9-5, on a fastbreak layup by Rhodes with 15:02 left in the first half but didn’t make another field goal until the 6:17 mark. By that point, the 49ers had a 26-10 advantage.

Southern Cal broke its 0-for-12 field-goal drought on a hook shot by David Crouse. But North Carolina Charlotte kept pulling away, stretching its advantage to 32-12 before settling for a 35-17 lead after a first half in which Southern Cal made six of 27 shots--22%.