Another Foul Exhibition by Trojans : USC: Raveling cites poor free-throw shooting as the difference in 65-60 loss to Washington.

Coach George Raveling studied the statistics sheet and underlined the Trojans’ free-throw shooting percentage in a 65-60 loss to Washington Saturday.

“The whole game came down to foul shooting,” Raveling said. “The stats are amazing. They made 25 field goals and we got 25 field goals. We shot 16 free throws and they shot 16 free throws. But they made 13 and we made eight. That’s the difference in the game right there. It was the same thing at Pullman.”

Indeed, USC’s inability to execute at the foul line has been its Achilles’ heel in its first two Pacific 10 games this season.

Making only 11 of 22 free throws, the Trojans were beaten by Washington State, 68-67, Thursday night.

With USC trailing, 60-56, Trojan forward Calvin Banks stole the ball from Mike Hayward and was fouled by Hayward with 44 seconds remaining. But Banks missed the front end of a one-and-one and that was it for USC.

“It’s a lack of concentration,” said forward Ronnie Coleman, who missed three of five free throws against the Huskies. Coleman is USC’s worst free-throw shooter, hitting just eight of 22 this season. The Trojans (1-2, 0-2) have made 36 of 66 free throws this season.

“I miss a large portion of our free throws because I don’t shoot enough,” Coleman said. “The last week I took about 50 free throws in practice. I think I’m going to try to shoot 100 a day and I think that will make a difference.”

Free-throw shooting aside, USC played well enough to beat Washington.

Trailing 52-37, the Trojans went on a 12-0 run to cut it to 52-49 with 5:30 remaining.

After a timeout, Dion Brown hit a 19-foot jump shot from the left baseline to increase Washington’s lead to five.

Center Chris Munk brought USC within two, hitting a 10-foot jump hook in the key and adding a foul shot. But that was as close as the Trojans could get.

Raveling was encouraged by the comeback.

“I felt we took some significant steps forward today,” Raveling said. “To be honest with you, I’m more encouraged than discouraged about this team. Other than the first 10 minutes, I don’t think we played that poorly. I felt we played an excellent second half.”

But that couldn’t erase a first half in which the Trojans shot 37% from the field, hitting 10 of 27 shots. USC trailed, 33-24, at intermission.

“I thought it was amazing we were only down nine at halftime when they shot 60% and we shot 37%,” Raveling said.

Dissatisfied with the play of freshman guard Harold Miner, Raveling benched him at the start of the second half, inserting Cordell Robinson.

“I just didn’t feel Miner was making a meaningful enough contribution, especially as a freshman,” Raveling said. “If he were a junior or a senior you might say, ‘Let’s stay with him,’ but he needed to sit down and see the game from a different perspective.”

After changing his perspective on the bench, Miner sank two consecutivet three-point shots to help ignite the Trojan rally.

Munk also played a key role in the 12-0 spurt, scoring four points. Munk, who had a career-high 21 points and 14 rebounds against Washington State, continued to play well, getting 11 points and 12 rebounds.

“That’s the best two games Chris has put together back-to-back since he’s been at USC,” Raveling said.

Munk said he’s playing better because he’s a senior.

“Now I’m starting to play the way I should have been doing all along,” Munk said. “I’m playing more relaxed. Being a senior, I have to step it up.”

The Huskies (2-1, 1-1) seem improved under new Coach Lynn Nance.

“Washington has got a nice basketball team,” Raveling said. “Lynn’s done a nice job with them. The thing that’s immediately obvious to me is that they bring a sense of purpose to the floor. Last year I didn’t always think they were in harmony on the floor. Later in the season, they’re going to be tough.”

USC Notes

If someone had told USC Coach George Raveling before the season that the Trojans would be tied with Arizona after the first two conference games, he’d have been amazed. Yet USC and Arizona are tied--for last place after losing their first two conference games.

How did Raveling feel about playing conference games in the first week of December? “In some ways it might be an advantage,” he said. “Now our players have a perception of what’s going to happen down the road. So when I tell them in practice what it’s going to be like in conference, they’re going to believe me.” . . . Ronnie Coleman led USC with 20 points, and guard Eldridge Recasner led Washington with 21 points.