Miner Problems Slow Trojans, 74-70 : USC: Freshman has an off day as Cal sweeps through Southern California and takes sole possession of third place in the Pac-10.

Harold Miner, USC’s extraordinary freshman guard, had an ordinary game in the Trojans’ 74-70 loss to Cal Saturday at the Sports Arena.

The top freshman scorer in the Pacific 10 Conference with a 20.2 average, Miner went 0 for the first half, missing five jumpers, including two three-point shots. It was Miner’s worst half since he scored one point in the second half against Portland two months ago.

Although it has become standard for USC’s opponents to use a gimmick defense to stop Miner, Cal didn’t assign anyone to chase Miner around the court. Miner was no match for Cal’s two-three matchup zone because he was unable to penetrate. Stricken by the flu, Miner appeared listless in the first half.

Patient that his shots would fall, Miner finally started hitting and wound up with 15 points. He hit six of 10 shots in the second half, including two three-pointers.

Miner refused to use the flu as an excuse.

“I didn’t play nearly as well as I could play, so the flu didn’t have anything to do with it,” Miner said. “I got a couple open shots (in the second half), but I didn’t make the ones that counted, so it really doesn’t matter.”

Did USC Coach George Raveling think Miner missed nine of 15 shots because he had the flu?

“I don’t like to get into that (making excuses),” Raveling said. “There’s a little too much of that going around this town. One thing I’ve learned at SC is how to be a good loser.”

Cal Coach Lou Campanelli said: “I thought we did a pretty good job on Miner. Six-for-15 shooting is as good as you’re going to do against Harold Miner. He’s a great offensive player.”

Keith Smith, Cal’s senior guard, is a fine offensive player, too.

After scoring 22 points in the Golden Bears’ 79-71 victory over UCLA Thursday night, Smith scored a career-high 27 points against the Trojans.

“The whole game came down to Keith Smith,” Raveling said. “We were not able to stop him.”

Smith hit 10 of 14 shots, including a three-pointer, and made six of seven free throws as Cal (19-6, 10-4) won its fifth game in a row and took sole possession of third place in the Pac-10.

“Smith really played an outstanding game,” Raveling said. “I think one of the hallmarks of a great player is that he finds a way to win for his team. Smith took all the big shots for them. And they weren’t easy shots. Most of them he was under pressure and he made them. My hat’s off to him.”

With Cal leading 60-58, Smith made a jumper from just inside the three-point line. After Ronnie Coleman cut the deficit to two with a dunk, Smith hit a three-point shot to give Cal a five-point lead.

“I got into the flow and they started running plays for me,” Smith said. “The shots were there. I got hot, so I kept taking them.”

Guard Ryan Drew also made some pressure shots down the stretch, scoring seven of his 15 points in the final six minutes. He hit two three-point shots and sank a free throw.

After USC center Chris Munk dunked a missed free throw by Miner to cut the deficit to 70-68 with 2:51 remaining, Drew hit a three-point 25-footer with 2:13 remaining to give Cal a five-point lead.

“I turned square and shot the ball,” said Drew, “but I really didn’t know how far back I was until the ball left my hand. It’s one of those shots where if I made it, everything’s fine, but when you miss them, you know Coach Campanelli is going to be upset.”

USC (9-12, 4-10) didn’t quit after Drew’s shot.

Coleman, who scored a team-high 18 points, made a layin to cut it to three points with 1:48 left. After Smith missed a jumper on Cal’s next possession, Coleman grabbed the rebound and was fouled as he went up for a follow shot with 54 seconds left.

But Coleman missed both free throws, and Cal guard Bill Elleby sealed the game by making a free throw with 33 seconds left.

Although Miner was scoreless in the first half, the Trojans led, 39-35, at intermission as guard Robert Pack scored 11 points and Coleman added 10.

Cal was forced to play the last 10:24 of the first half without center Brian Hendrick, who went to the bench after drawing his third foul. Hendrick’s absence hurt the Golden Bears because Eric McDonough, his replacement, was ineffective. Leading 19-17 when Hendrick left the game, the Golden Bears were outscored, 13-6, in the next six minutes as USC took a 32-29 lead.

Smith, who had 14 first-half points, brought the Bears back, scoring four points in a 6-0 run as Cal took a 35-32 lead.

But the Trojans scored seven consecutive points in the final 1:56 of the first half to regain the lead. Pack hit a three-point shot from the right side to tie the score and Keith Greeley sank two free throws. Rodney Chatman followed a Pack miss with one second left.

Trojan Notes

Center Chris Munk had 12 points and 12 rebounds. It was the fifth time this season that Munk has had double figures in points and rebounds in a game. . . . USC plays Maryland Monday night at 7:30 at the Sports Arena. The Trojans are playing a nonconference game against the Terrapins in the midst of the Pac-10 season because of Coach George Raveling’s friendship with Bob Wade, the former Maryland coach.