Fifth Time Is the Charm for USC, 70-68 : Trojans: After they fail to make a key last-minute shot in four games, Coleman’s basket beats Oregon State.

After watching his team lose four games by four points or fewer, USC basketball Coach George Raveling told the Trojans that they were the unluckiest team he ever had been associated with.

But USC’s luck finally changed Saturday as forward Ronnie Coleman made a follow shot with 44 seconds to play, lifting the Trojans to a 70-68 victory over defending Pacific 10 Conference co-champion Oregon State before 9,719 at Gill Coliseum.

It marked the first time in five games that USC made a crucial last-minute shot. USC (10-6, 2-5) missed last-minute shots in losses to Arizona, Arizona State, Cal and Oregon.

“Lady Luck finally shined on us,” Raveling said. “I was trying to figure out why she was so upset at us. I try to be an optimist, so I kept thinking the law of averages was on our side.”

Oregon State (11-6, 5-2), which defeated UCLA, 97-96, in double overtime Thursday night, had a chance to send the game into overtime but center Teo Alibegovic missed a three-foot turnaround shot over two defenders with eight seconds to play. Teammate Charles McKinney got the rebound, but missed a shot with two seconds remaining as USC ended the Beavers’ 17-game home-court winning streak.

“Teo got a great shot,” Oregon State Coach Jim Anderson said. “It was his patented left turn inside. That’s his baby. He normally makes it about 90% of the time.”

Alibegovic thought he was fouled on the shot.

“I got pushed around, but either the refs didn’t see it or they didn’t want to call it,” Alibegovic said.

“They double-teamed me, so I turned to the left and shot it a little hard because I jumped. I don’t usually jump when I take that shot.”

Alibegovic, who had scored a career-high 34 points against UCLA, was held to 10 points.

“The key was our defense on Alibegovic,” Raveling said. “I felt we had to make him work as hard as he could to get the ball. We were trying to take him away from the spots on the floor where he likes to shoot the ball.”

Alibegovic failed to score in the second half, missing four shots, as Trojan forwards Keith Greeley, Calvin Banks, Mark Boyd, Coleman and Yamen Sanders took turns guarding him.

“I think Teo got frustrated,” Sanders said. “During the UCLA game they gave him easy position, so our plan was to shut him off.”

The plan nearly worked to perfection, as Alibegovic missed 10 of 14 shots.

There were 24 lead changes and five ties before the Trojans took control.

Trailing, 68-66, after McKinney scored from the right side with 3:41 to play, USC tied the score, 68-68, with 2:26 remaining when guard Harold Miner, who scored a game-high 23 points, made a follow shot after Duane Cooper’s air ball.

The Trojans picked up their defensive intensity, forcing the Beavers to miss their last five shots.

After McKinney missed a jumper with 2:06 to play, the Trojans wasted a chance to take the lead when Sanders missed two free throws with 1:49 remaining after he was fouled by guard Kevin Harris .

Oregon State ran the clock down to 1:09, but guard Will Brantley missed a jumper and Sanders got the rebound. The Trojans worked the ball to Sanders, who shot an air ball from 15 feet, but Coleman put it back in for the winner.

“I saw Yamen shoot the ball and I wasn’t sure if it was going to hit the rim,” Coleman said. “I just tried to go to the board and put it back in.”

Although Oregon State had three timeouts left, the Beavers didn’t use one, instead setting up McKinney for a 14-footer.

But McKinney missed the off-balance shot and Sanders came down with the rebound. Brantley stole the ball from Sanders underneath the basket and Sanders fouled him as he was going up for a shot with 24 seconds left.

Brantley missed the first free throw and never got a chance to take the second as Alibegovic and Coleman were called for a double lane violation. Oregon State retained possession, but Alibegovic and McKinney failed in the clutch, touching off a wild celebration by the Trojans.

Trojan Notes

USC Coach George Raveling got his 100th Pac-10 victory. Raveling has a Pac-10 mark of 100-153 in 16 seasons--11 at Washington State and five at USC. . . . Trojan forward Ronnie Coleman, who had 14 points, moved into second place on the USC career scoring list, passing Derrick Dowell (1,483) and John Rudometkin (1,484). Coleman, who has scored 1,495 points, needs 30 points to pass Wayne Carlander (1,524). Forward Chad Scott had 18 points to lead Oregon State .