LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Chris Hernandez scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half and Dan Grunfeld also had 20 to lead Stanford past Southern California 78-70 on Saturday for its fourth straight victory.
Stanford, coming off 75-64 win at UCLA on Thursday, has won eight of 11 after dropping its first three conference games. The Cardinal have won the last three meetings with USC, five of the last six, and will have a chance to even the all-time series at 113 wins apiece when they host the Trojans on Feb. 17.
Matt Haryasz added 18 points for Stanford (10-7, 4-3 Pac-10), offsetting a career-high 23 points by USC freshman guard Gabriel Pruitt.
USC (9-10, 2-6 Pac-10) made only one field goal during a 5½ minute span down the stretch as Stanford pulled out to a 72-62 lead with 1:14 left. Hernandez ignited an 11-0 run with a 3-pointer that put the Cardinal ahead to stay with 5:24 left, then added eight free throws in the final 2:03.
The lead changed hands seven times over a 4:18 span before USC ran off seven straight points to pull ahead 52-46 with 12:04 to play. But Haryasz responded with a dunk and a 16-footer, starting an 8-0 run that put Stanford back in front 54-52 with 9:36 left.
Grunfeld scored 12 of Stanford's first 17 points _ including a 3-pointer and two free throws in a 16-5 USC run. Pruitt helped fuel the Trojans' rally with a pair of 3-pointers, and Rory O'Neil capped it with a 17-footer that gave them a 23-17 lead with 6:24 left in the first half.
The Trojans never trailed by more than three points over the first 11 minutes, but didn't take their first lead until Pruitt's 3-pointer put them ahead 15-12 with 8:59 left in the half. USC's reserves outscored their Stanford counterparts 16-0 in the half and 34-3 overall.
