USC Teaches Lesson on Division I Game : Basketball: Trojans beat big-time aspirant, Florida Atlantic, 82-56, with early run and three-point shooting.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —  Tim Loomis was having nothing of any sympathy after his Florida Atlantic team had lost to USC, 82-56, on Saturday.

“Just because we’re playing big-name schools doesn’t mean we can accept losing and be happy to compete with people,” Loomis, the Owls’ coach, said. “I know a lot of people would say, ‘Hey, a 10-point game at half. You hung in there and played pretty good.’ I don’t think the score indicated a lopsided type of game, except for a couple of spurts, but we can’t accept that. We can’t accept losing to anybody.”

Loomis is going to have to accept a lot of things, with a hybrid schedule of opponents as Florida Atlantic prepares to move to Division I next season.

One of those things Saturday was USC’s shooting. The Trojans (5-2) made nine of 23 three-point tries, with all 12 of Dwayne Hackett’s points coming from long range.

USC used a 16-1 run in the first half to build a 27-9 lead and was never threatened. The Trojans built a 34-24 halftime lead into an 80-50 margin with 1 1/2 minutes to play and held the Owls (1-7) to two field goals in the final 10 minutes.

Tremayne Anchrum led USC with 15 points and 15 rebounds, his second 15-rebound game in a row.

The Trojans outrebounded Florida Atlantic, 42-27, including a 21-11 offensive rebounding margin.

The Owls led only at 2-0, but they kept things interesting by outscoring USC, 15-7, in the final eight minutes of the first half.

The Trojans went up by 20 points (53-33) midway through the second half, and led, 76-46, with 2:32 left.

USC’s Phil Glenn added 10 points.

Ceasar Yeadon led the Owls with 14 points. Ron Sabb had 12.