USC squandered a big lead, but Chimezie Metu and Jordan McLaughlin made big plays to help the 22nd-ranked Trojans remain unbeaten with a 70-63 victory over Oregon State in a Pac-12 Conference opener Wednesday night at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Ore.

Metu posted 19 points and eight rebounds for USC (14-0, 1-0 Pac-12), which is enjoying its best start and its longest winning streak since going 16-0 to begin the 1970-71 season.

Metu made 5 of 9 field-goal attempts and 9 of 10 free throws on a night when the Trojans did not shoot well. Jordan McLaughlin had 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals for USC, and Jonah Mathews also scored 10 points.

Stephen Thompson Jr. scored a career-high 24 points for Oregon State (4-10, 0-1). Drew Eubanks added 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Beavers, who drew a lengthy critique from coach Wayne Tinkle after losing for the sixth time in seven games.

"Tough loss," Tinkle said. "We kind of came out flat and waited until we got down to show some fight and some intensity, and that's been a little bit of a marker for this group. We challenged the guys in the locker room. We've got to find some guys to show some leadership out there and get guys fired up.

"It's just been kind of the same old song and so we challenged our guys that, if it's important, we'll find a way to be more intense, more communicative out there, and become way more selfless. Anybody can show a little bit of fight when it's desperation time. We need guys who are ready to fight coming out of the locker room."

Oregon State managed to keep it close over the first eight minutes. The Beavers trailed 11-9 following a basket by Kendal Manuel, but then the Trojans widened their lead.

A dunk by Metu sparked a 13-0 run that put USC up 24-9. Jaquori McLaughlin's 3-pointer and a basket by Eubanks helped the Beavers prevent the deficit from growing much larger, but the Trojans still carried a 34-17 advantage into the break.

The Trojans went up by 19 early in the second period, but the Beavers battled back behind 19 second-half points from Thompson. Oregon State staged an 8-2 run to cut USC's lead to 13 and later got within 11 on a 3-pointer by Thompson.

The Beavers finally cut the deficit to 10 on a turnaround jumper by Thompson with 4:18 to go. They got within eight on another basket by Thompson and trailed by six after Eubanks scored with 30 seconds remaining, but they couldn't get any closer.

Jordan McLaughlin and Metu both made a pair of free throws in the waning seconds to help the Trojans hold on.

USC won despite shooting just 37.3 percent from the field and making just 5 of 18 from 3-point range. The Trojans got to the free-throw line more often and converted from there, making 27 of 33.

Oregon State shot 39 percent from the field. The Beavers made just 4 of 17 from beyond the arc and 13 of 24 free-throw attempts.

NOTES: USC's 14-game winning streak is the fifth longest in school history. ... USC has a 70-64 lead in the all-time series against Oregon State, but the Beavers had won seven in a row against the Trojans at Gill Coliseum. ... Oregon State will take on two Top 25 teams during the first week of conference play for just the third time since the 1948-49 season. No. 2 UCLA will visit Corvallis on Friday. ... The Beavers are seeking a win over a Top 25 team for the third consecutive year.