Raveling Fumes as USC Finds New Way to Lose

At this point in the college basketball season, USC Coach George Raveling would like to say he can see some improvement in his young Trojans.

Instead, all Raveling sees is the same nightmare, played out in ever more excruciating ways.

Oregon became the latest to turn up the agony for USC, grabbing the lead for the first time with 3:22 to play and riding the momentum down the stretch for a 57-55 Pac-10 victory Thursday night.

The loss was the seventh straight for USC, which fell to 3-13 in the Pac-10 and 8-17 overall. Oregon, hoping to finish sixth or better in the Pac-10 to avoid playing on the first day of the conference tournament, improved to 8-7 and 14-10.

Even though Raveling has seen this scenario before--it was the eighth time this season that USC had lost by six points or less--he was particularly livid this time.

Oregon, still reeling from a last-second loss to Oregon State last week, played poorly for more than three quarters. The Ducks’ leading scorer, guard Anthony Taylor, did not score a point until 13:34 remained as the Trojans built a nine-point lead by halftime, 29-20, and stretched it to 37-25 with 15:36 left.

It fell apart for the Trojans thereafter because Taylor broke loose for 18 points, and because USC committed 11 turnovers in the second half.

“It was pretty much what’s been going on all year long,” Raveling fumed. “The only thing we’ve been consistent at is manufacturing ways to lose. I don’t know when I’ve been more frustrated in my career than I am now.”

The frustration mounted after Taylor hit his first points, a pair of free throws. The Trojans still held a 10-point lead, but forward Derrick Dowell committed his fourth foul, reaching in on Duck guard David Girley a good 40 feet from the hoop.

Dowell, whom Oregon Coach Don Monson called “a man playing with boys,” had carried USC with strong play inside and had 11 points by halftime. His absence suddenly opened the door for Oregon.

The Ducks outscored the Trojans, 11-3, over the next three minutes to close to within 42-40, but a Bob Erbst free throw, a Rich Grande three-pointer and a Dowell muscle job inside had USC back up by 48-42 with six minutes left.

Then came the mental mistakes. Against backcourt pressure, Erbst threw one into the seats and Oregon forward Jesse Nash stole a pass, feeding it to Taylor for a lay-in attempt that counted on a goaltending call.

At the other end, USC guard Brad Winslow, under no pressure from the shot clock, threw an airball. Girley grabbed the rebound and fed Taylor, who flew through the key and jammed over a retreating Winslow. Winslow committed the foul, Taylor converted the free throw and Oregon had its first lead of the night, 49-48, with 3:22 left.

The Trojans weren’t dead when Winslow hit a three-point bomb and Rod Keller nailed the second of two free throws for a 52-51 lead with 1:33 left, but Taylor scored again on a lean-in jumper that Chris Munk swatted away for an obvious goaltend.

Down, 53-52, and inside the final 30 seconds, the Trojans had a superb opportunity to retake the lead. But Winslow lobbed a lazy, cross-court pass to Grande that Oregon’s Nash picked off, took the length of the court and fed Taylor for another jam, foul on Keller and ensuing free throw. Trailing, 56-52, with 22 seconds left, USC was out of luck.

“Losing is one thing, but to lose under these conditions is sinful,” Raveling said. “It hurts like hell to lose a game the way we lost it tonight.”