Nov 21, 2008 - 1:54 AM
0 shoutsSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Ticker) -- Jeremy Hazell scored 15 points - including a go-ahead 3-pointer late - as Seton Hall upset No. 20 Southern California, 63-61, in the Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic on Thursday.
Hazell, who shot 6-of-16 from the floor, drilled a 3-pointer that made it 62-59 with 1:30 to play. Daniel Hackett airballed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Eugene Harvey scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half and added 18 rebounds for the Pirates (3-0), who rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit and will play Memphis in the semifinals on Friday.
"Our kids showed so much heart, courage and determination," Seton Hall head coach Bobby Gonzalez said. "We thought if we could get into single digits in the final minutes, we could steal it."
The Pirates had only seven scholarship players available due to the two-game suspension of Robert Mitchell.
"Our kids are in great condition," Gonzalez said. "We thought we could wear down their legs."
Taj Gibson scored 19 points and 18 rebounds for USC (2-1), which shot less than 25 percent (7-of-29) from the floor in the second half.
The Pirates took advantage of the poor showing.
Seton Hall opened the second half with a 21-9 run and tied it at 59-59 with 1:37 left, when Hazell dunked Harvey's missed layup. Hazell then put the Pirates ahead for good seconds later by drilling a 3-pointer from the left corner.
It was Seton Hall's first lead since a 13-11 edge early in the first half.
Gibson's layup cut the deficit to one with eight seconds left, but Harvey hit one of two free throws to make it 63-61 with five seconds to play. Hackett's 3-pointer was short and Gibson's dunk came after the buzzer.
The Pirates were able to climb back into the game thanks to a woeful effort from USC, which went ice cold after shooting 62 percent in the first half.
Gibson scored 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting for the Trojans, who closed the half on a 10-1 run and took a 43-28 lead into the break.
However, USC managed just 18 points in the second half.
The Trojans, who were off to their first 2-0 start since 2001-02, will play Chattanooga in the losers' bracket on Friday.
Seton Hall picked up its first win over a ranked team in six tries. The Pirates had been 0-5 vs. top-25 teams after beating No. 23 Virginia early last season.
