TALE OF TWO HALVES USC OVERCOMES HORRID FIRST HALF 20-POINT DEFICIT USC 74, GEORGE WASHINGTON 65.

Byline: MATTHEW KREDELL Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- The Trojans threw up shots more and more quickly, feeling fortunate just to get the ball toward the basket in a first half during which they made five field goals and committed 11 turnovers.

Legendary UCLA John Wooden, watching from the stands, must have been cringing with every play.

But a half as ugly as any coach Tim Floyd said he has ever been involved in turned into a game that could end up the most important of USC's season.

Leaders were made, fortitude established and an identity found -- at least for one game.

Daniel Hackett and Lodrick Stewart sparked the Trojans' comeback from a 20-point deficit to beat George Washington 74-65 Saturday in the Wooden Classic at Honda Center.

``It wasn't about adjustments,'' Floyd said. ``It was about some guys who I think were embarrassed and should have been embarrassed with the way they played in the first half.''

UCLA fans who stuck around after the top-ranked Bruins' game against No. 6 Texas A&M outnumbered the USC supporters in the arena, and the Trojans gave their rivals plenty to jeer at in the first half.

USC (6-2) went without a point for nine minutes, 59 seconds, crumbling under an array of bad shots and worse ball-handling. Taj Gibson was the only player with more than twopoints at halftime, when the Trojans trailed 29-16.

Floyd said it had been a while since he had been that angry at halftime.

He wasn't thinking about winning.

``How about let's not totally get embarrassed and lose by 60?'' Floyd said.

Stewart said: ``Coach gave us a great motivational speech at halftime. He told us we had to come out and play because they were outhustling us.''

There was no indication early in the second half that the Trojans were going to turn the game around. The Colonials (6-2) scored the first seven points to take a 20-point lead.

Then Stewart hit a 3-pointer from the right baseline and followed it with a steal and another jumper. After a miss on the other end, Hackett took a quick outlet pass and drove all the way to the hoop for a three-point play. That was the beginning of an 18-3 run.

The basket seemed spark Hackett, a freshman point guard who left high school a year early to help USC fill the void left by the death of Ryan Francis.

Usually a quiet player, Hackett barked encouragement to teammates and went back on defense pumping his arm after draining a 3-pointer to bring USC within seven points with 12 minutes to go. He finished with a season-best 18 points.

``He's a kid, and he's been afraid to say those things,'' Floyd said. ``He was out there getting us organized and telling people where to be. He grew up this game.''

Stewart, a senior, might have grown up some as well. After scoring two points in the first half, he had 19 in the second to lead the team with 21.

He sunk a 3-pointer to bring the Trojans within a point with 4:33 remaining. After two free throws by Gibson gave USC its first lead since 12-10, Stewart hit another 3-pointer. George Washington never threatened again.

In the past, Stewart has been too busy sulking after bad starts to lead the team back.

``I thought Stewart changed the game,'' Colonials coach Karl Hobbs said. ``I thought he was the difference.''

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USC's Lodrick Stewart, right, reacts to Nick Young's second-half slam dunk against GWU.

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press