Trojans Top Mustangs to Stay Undefeated USC knocks off defending AAC champ SMU, 78-73

Sophomore captain Bennie Boatwright had his best game of the season to lead USC to a 5-point win on Black Friday.

Boatwright led all scorers with 17 points and hit 4 of 7 three point attempts.

He also slowed down SMU's leading scorer, Semi Ojeleye, who averaged 20.6 PPG entering the game and finished with just 13.

Freshmen De'Anthony Melton and Jonah Mathews were the two other Trojans to finish in double figures.

Melton had a complete game with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while Mathews scored 14 and proved to be USC's most clutch free throw shooter (7/10 on the day).

Averaging 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game, Melton is starting to garner national attention this year.

A Melton layup with 13:42 left in the game gave USC a lead it would never relinquish. After a tight first half in which the Trojans scored a season-low 28 points, the squad went on a 14-0 run and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the second half.

One of USC's season-high 12 threes on the day came from Charles Buggs, who finished with 5 points, 3 rebounds and 3 blocks off the bench for the Trojans.

Check out all the highlights of USC's fifth win of the season:

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