USC Victory Is Twice as Nice : Basketball: The Trojans beat UCLA, 83-79, for a share of Pac-10 lead and their first sweep since 1985. Miner scores 29.

USC owns Los Angeles.

Harold Miner scored 29 points and grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds as the Trojans beat fourth-ranked UCLA, 83-79, Thursday before a sellout crowd of 15,517 at the Sports Arena.

USC, which defeated the Bruins, 86-82, last month at Pauley Pavilion, swept the two-game series for the first time since 1985 and moved back into a first-place tie in the Pac-10 with UCLA.

“Everybody makes a big deal out of losing to SC in football, but losing to SC twice in basketball hurts just as much,” Bruin guard Darrick Martin said. “I mean, even if we go on and beat Duke this weekend, losing to SC twice this year hurts a lot.”

USC guard Duane Cooper, who had 13 points and passed off for four assists, was overcome by emotion after the Trojans, 20-4 overall and 12-2 in the Pac-10, swept UCLA (21-3, 12-2).

“You really can’t put it into words,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long, long, long, time. I can’t find the words that really fit how I feel. It’s just unbelievable.”

Miner made 11 of 24 shots, including a three-point shot, and made six of nine free throws as 13th-ranked USC beat UCLA for the third consecutive time and the fourth time in their last five games.

“UCLA has such a great program, and for our team to beat a team the caliber of UCLA is unbelievable,” Miner said.

“I know it’s a longshot that we would beat them twice, but our team comes out and fights and we always believe we can win in any situation.”

Miner electrified USC’s largest home crowd ever with three acrobatic moves.

He drew raves from the fans with a reverse slam dunk in the first half, and even Magic Johnson--who was sitting several rows behind the Trojan bench--winked after Miner drove through the Bruin defense for a dunk in the second half.

Miner gave Johnson a thumbs-up sign after his second dunk. He also made a move in which he switched the ball from his left hand to his right and back to his left in midair as he drove for a shot.

“I was pointing at Magic because when I dunked in the first half he winked at me and I winked back,” Miner said. “It was definitely a big thrill to have Magic in the stands.

“I was just going out there trying to have fun and trying to give our team any kind of boost I could. I was looking to create something spectacular, and that’s what happened tonight.”

The Trojans were motivated by a comment that Bruin forward Don MacLean made after last month’s loss to USC: “To lose to a team like this, in our own gym, is a joke. And there’s no way that that should happen. On their best day, they shouldn’t be able to beat us.”

The Trojans wore T-shirts under their jerseys with MacLean’s statement printed on the front and “beat UCLA” on the back.

“Just give us a little respect,” said USC guard Rodney Chatman, who had 14 points in a reserve role. “We beat UCLA at their place and that’s hard to do. I think Don MacLean hates USC, and that’s the bottom line. Coach (George) Raveling gave us the shirts, and it was very inspirational for us.”

Said MacLean: “That’s just how I felt after the last game, and that’s what I said. If they want to make it a big deal and put it on T-shirts, that’s fine.”

MacLean, who had shot only 40% in three previous games against the Trojans at the Sports Arena, making only 16 of 40 shots, was three for 11 in the first half. He wound up six for 17, scoring 18 points.

Trailing, 19-10, after UCLA sank eight of its first 11 shots, USC outscored the Bruins, 38-19, to open a 48-38 lead before Martin made a three-pointer at the end of the first half. Chatman played a key role in the spurt, scoring eight points and sinking two three-point shots.

USC built a 14-point second-half lead before UCLA outscored the Trojans, 22-18, to cut the lead to 77-75 on MacLean’s three-point shot with 1:56 remaining.

After Miner missed a jump shot, Chatman made a follow layup with 1:26 remaining to give USC a four-point lead.

The Trojans, who made 19 of 31 free throws, sank four of six free throws in the final 28 seconds to hold off UCLA.

“It’s frustrating to try to explain how we do what we do,” USC Coach George Raveling said. “I’ve decided that the thing to do is just to enjoy it rather than explain it. I have no doubts that we’re not one of the four best teams in the league, but we play hard and we play together.”

USC-UCLA Notes

UCLA Coach Jim Harrick said the game was decided by rebounding, in which the Trojans held a 39-29 advantage. . . . Three Bruins fouled out, including starters Gerald Madkins and Tracy Murray. Guard Darrick Martin also fouled out.