USC vs. Kentucky Game Notes
March 22, 2001 | Men's Basketball
March 22, 2001
With the win, USC has won three games in an NCAA Tournament for the first time ever. The Trojans entered the 2001 NCAA Tournament 6-12 all-time.
The last time USC was in the round of eight was in 1954, when USC had to win two games to get there. The other time was in 1940, when the Trojans began the tourney in the round of eight. Both of those years, USC lost in the national semifinal game.
USC improved to 24-9, tying the school record for wins. The other three USC teams to win this many were the 1971 team (24-2), the1974 team (24-5) and the 1992 team (24-6).
The Trojans' 8-of-14 effort from three-point range (.571) was their best effort of the season percentage-wise.
Junior forward David Bluthenthal's six three-pointers was a career-high. Now, junior guard Brandon Granville and Bluthenthal have 64 and 63 three-pointers, respectively, good for the sixth and seventh best USC season efforts ever. Bluthenthal now has 107 for his career, 11th best all-time at USC.
Bluthenthal's 24 points marked the fifth time this year he's had at least that many this season. His season and career high is 29 points (twice this year).
USC's 19-point first-half lead was its third-largest of the season (29 vs. Oklahoma State, 21 vs. Washington) and the 24 first-half points allowed was the third lowest of the season (21 vs. Oregon State, 19 vs. Oklahoma State).
USC's nine steals in the first half were a season high, and its 56.7% first-half FG% was the third time in the tournament they've shot better than 50% in the first half.
With his four steals, senior guard Jeff Trepagnier now has 204 for his career, four shy of tying USC career steals leader Stais Boseman.
With his 13 points, senior forward/center Brian Scalabrine moved into sixth place on the Trojans' all-time scoring chart. He now has 1,428. Senior guard Jeff Trepagnier had 14 points and moved into 16th place with 1,117 points. Junior guard Brandon Granville had seven points and remained in 23rd with 1,029 and junior forward Sam Clancy had 17 points and moved into 24th with 1,027. Junior forward David Bluthenthal's 27 points gives him 901 career points.
With his four blocks, Sam Clancy now has had at least three blocks in a game 15 times this year. He extended his USC season block record to 77 and his USC career block record to 143.
