Miller Misses Clutch Free Throws, and USC Loses to Long Beach, 76-75

The USC-Long Beach rivalry is intact. The 49ers saw to that Tuesday night, capitalizing on the Trojans’ dread of the Long Beach gym and once again defeating the USC women’s basketball team, 76-75.

USC, with its sterling tradition in the sport, has won only once on the 49ers’ home floor. The Trojans can beat almost anybody almost anywhere, but the last time the Trojans won in Long Beach was in 1969.

Tuesday night, USC used its best weapon in an effort to shoot down the jinx, and she fired a blank. Cheryl Miller missed. She missed five free throws in the last seven minutes of the game.

It was the last miss with 22 seconds left that proved decisive and capped a wild end to an emotional roller coaster that both teams rode hard. Long Beach led most of the way, but USC never faded. A tenacious second half put the Trojans in position to win.

USC took a time out with 1:26 left in the game and trailing, 74-71. Miller inbounded the ball, and the Trojans passed it around. Cooper took it, tried to pass it off, then took a shot from the baseline that was good--74-73.

Then Miller struck again. Faye Paige took the ball down court for Long Beach, but Miller knocked it out of her hands. USC controlled the loose ball and called time out with 38 seconds left.

After USC inbounded the ball, Cheryl Dowell fouled Miller and the crowd of 2,252 groaned. Miller, who for four years has come through in the clutch for USC, stepped to the line with her mouth firmly set. Miller eyed the basket, and Miller missed.

“I could almost tell where the ball was going to bounce off the rim,” said Cindy Brown of Long Beach. “I noticed she was tight in the end. She was shooting hard and she was trying so hard. What can I say except, ‘Thank you for missing it.’ ”

It was a favor Miller would have just as soon not have given.

“It’s happened several times (in her career),” Miller said of her missed free throws. “But I have always managed to come back with a steal and ice it. You always hate to lose a close one. It just wasn’t our night.”

Despite her mistake from the free throw line, it was otherwise Miller’s night as she led all scorers with 31 points and 16 rebounds.

“The difference was free throws,” USC Coach Linda Sharp said. The Trojans shot 40% from the free-throw line in the second half and missed 10 chances.

Brown was outstanding, leading the 49ers with 28 points and 20 rebounds. The 6-foot 2-inch center also had three blocked shots and two steals.

“Cindy Brown is not good, Cindy Brown is awesome,” said elated Long Beach Coach Joan Bonvicini.

Bonvicini will likely continue celebrating into next week, as Long Beach (15-2) will probably move up in the polls from No. 7. USC (17-3) can be expected to drop from No. 4.

The first half was close, at least for a while. Miller was a whirlwind--rampaging up and down the court. Her rebounding was the key for USC, as no other Trojan seemed able to gain position underneath.

Perhaps because that’s where Brown was parked. Brown was all over Miller. The two shadow-danced for much of the first half. Clearly, each player had received specific instructions to stay close.

Brown wasn’t under the basket all the time, much to the Trojans’ surprise. USC’s scouting had come up with this: Long Beach feeds to Brown inside.

While the Trojans were busy anticipating a Brown drive to the basket, Brown would simply pull up and dump a shot in from outside. Eight of Brown’s 17 first-half points were from beyond six feet.

Brown was 8 of 8 from the field and 1 for 2 on free throws.