Paye Is on the Money; USC Loses, 61-59

Things are getting so bad for the USC basketball team nowadays that even football players are beating the Trojans.

John Paye, who is more renowned as Stanford’s quarterback, dropped in four clutch free throws in the final 56 seconds as the Cardinal held on to defeat the Trojans, 61-59, Thursday night at the Sports Arena.

It was even more embarrassing for USC because Paye was shooting 44.4% from the foul line going into the game--and he shoots his free throws the old-fashioned way, underhanded. But he earned them.

So the Trojans continue to slide as the season winds down. USC has now lost seven straight conference games, not winning since it beat Arizona State on Jan. 18.

The Trojans aren’t quite in the league cellar, though, with its 3-10 record. Oregon has that distinction at 3-11.

Stanford, a hustling team, is faring much better. The Cardinal is 7-6 in the Pac-10 and 13-12 overall.

The caliber of Pac-10 basketball has been criticized this season--for good reason--and Thursday night’s game won’t enhance the league’s image.

It was a grubby affair, one of missed opportunities for both teams, particularly USC.

The Trojans led by as many as 11 points, 33-22, with 4:09 remaining in the first half. But they had to settle for a 36-32 halftime lead, and then the Cardinal slowly caught and pulled away from USC in the second half.

It has been a season of lows for the Trojans, and the Stanford game would rank right down there with any of the games.

USC scored only 23 points in the second half while shooting 37%. Stanford was slightly better at 40.9%.

Stanford was in control in the waning minutes as USC struggled to send the game into overtime.

Paye provided Stanford with a 57-51 lead with 56 seconds left by making two free throws. USC center Hank Gathers quickly countered with a short jump shot, and the Trojans called time out.

When play resumed, Stanford freshman guard Todd Lichti, an 83% foul shooter, missed on the front end of a one-and-one with 34 seconds to play.

Forward Derrick Dowell then converted two fee throws to pull USC within 57-55. Once again, the Trojans called time out.

USC guard Rich Grande then fouled Stanford’s Novian Whitsett, who made two free throws with 21 seconds remaining.

Seven seconds later, Grande scored on a driving jump shot, and USC called its final timeout.

The plan apparently was to foul Paye. The percentages were bound to catch up with him.

So, the Trojans tried, but they had a hard time catching him. He eluded USC players trying to foul him in the backcourt and wasn’t tagged until Tom Lewis sacked him in the front court.

Paye went reeling to the floor but got up to swish in two free throws with nine seconds left. Lewis just made it closer with a 14-foot shot in the lane in the final second.

“Someone on our bench said John Paye was a 37% free-throw shooter (actually 44.4%),” USC Coach Stan Morrison said. “He was 100% tonight. He was very tough, and we missed some critical free throws down the stretch. We were in the one-and-one early but weren’t able to cash in.

“Our slow start in the second half was crucial. They caught up, and that was disturbing. Their pressure defense didn’t wear us down. But we did have some turnovers (17 in all, to Stanford’s 16).

“We didn’t get the ball inside hardly at all. I don’t know if a guy wasn’t open, or if we weren’t throwing the ball to the open man. Stanford plays that zone so packed in. Stanford’s offensive board play in the second half was a key.”

Lewis, USC’s freshman forward, led the Trojans with 18 points on 8-of-18 shooting. Dowell, who didn’t start because he was late to practice early in the week, got 13 points but grabbed only 2 rebounds in 23 minutes.

The Pac-10 is loaded with skilled freshmen, and the Stanford’s 6-4 Lichti is certainly one of them. He got 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting and surprised the Trojans with a slam from a set offense to give his team a three-point lead with 2:50 to play. He also grabbed 8 rebounds from his guard position.

Another Cardinal freshman, center Howard Wright, was also effective. He scored 13 points and pulled down 7 rebounds.

Stanford has been a troublesome team for USC. The Cardinal has now beaten the Trojans four straight times, and a sweep last year prevented USC from winning the conference championship outright, forcing them to share it with Washington instead.

Stanford Coach Tom Davis divides playing time among 10 players, and his athletes never stop hustling--on offense or defense. It isn’t a pretty team to watch, but it’s an effective one.

“USC is a good, young, tough team. We got the roll at times and we made our shots and free throws in the stretch,” Davis said. “At times, we struggled but we got back under control in the second half. Lichti played well throughout the game, and his dunk really got us up.”

Stanford took the lead for good at 44-42 with 10:34 remaining. Then, the Cardinal protected leads of two to six points the rest of the game.