USC 77, Loyola Marymount 61: Freshman point guard Jordan McLaughlin had 18 points, seven assists and three steals as the Trojans beat the visiting Lions for their third straight win.

Julian Jacobs added a season-high 14 points off the bench and Nikola Jovanovic contributed 12 points and eight rebounds for USC (5-3). Katin Reinhardt finished with 11 points and three more steals for the Trojans.

Evan Payne, who came in averaging 21.7 points for the Lions, scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half for Loyola Marymount (3-4). Godwin Okonji was the next-highest scorer with seven points and seven rebounds for the Lions.

Loyola Marymount got off to a fast start and was still tied with the Trojans after 12 minutes but Malik Marquetti made his second 3-pointer of the season to give USC a 19-16 lead and the Trojans were never tied or trailed again. The Lions shot 2-for-19 over the final 11 1/2 minutes of the first half and managed just five points to fall behind 36-21.

Loyola Marymount sank 3-pointers on its first two possessions of the second half, only to be matched by USC baskets on the other end. The closest the Lions could get in the second half was 10 on Payne’s three-point play with just over five minutes left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Trojans held the Lions to 36.8 shooting from the field and have limited six of eight opponents under 40 percent this season. … The Trojans have played on every day of the week through eight games. … USC is averaging 11.4 turnovers in its last five games after averaging 18.7 in the first three games.