By JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jio Fontan scored 15 points including a pair
of tiebreaking free throws with 6.9 seconds to play and USC
pulled out a 71-69 victory over Stanford on Thursday night in
the Pac-12 opener for both schools.



Eric Wise added 14 points for USC (6-8). Four of the Trojans'
losses have come against schools that are currently among the
top 20 in the nation including Minnesota, Illinois, San Diego
State and New Mexico.



Fontan, who sprained his left thumb in the first half of USC's
63-61 overtime win over Dayton on Sunday, shot 5 for 12 from the
field.



The Trojans finished last season with a school-record 26 losses
and were 1-17 in the conference. The only victory came against
Utah in the first intra-conference meeting with the Utes after
the Pac-10 expanded to 12 schools.



Andy Brown had 17 points for Stanford (9-5).