USC Gets 67-65 Win Over Cal : Trojans: Glenn’s free throws in the final second are decisive. Kidd impresses Raveling, West.

You never know which USC team will show up on a given night.

On Saturday, the Trojans played their worst game of the season.

But when Phil Glenn made two free throws with six-tenths of a second left on Thursday night at the Sports Arena, the Trojans completed their finest effort with a 67-65 victory over California before 5,543.

The Trojans, improving to 10-4 overall and 3-2 in the Pacific 10 Conference with their 15th victory in a row at the Sports Arena, had an eight-point lead with 4:31 to play. They blew it, and with 40 seconds left, had a tie and the ball.

They ran the clock down to 6.4 seconds, then called their last timeout. The plan was to get Rodney Chatman open in the corner and they did. Chatman’s shot rimmed out, but Glenn darted in for the rebound and was fouled by freshman Jerod Haase with less than a second to play.

It was an unhappy ending for Haase, but he and fellow freshman Jason Kidd showed that the Bears have a bright future.

Haase had 19 points, including seven late in the game. It was his basket inside on a pass from Kidd that tied the game, 65-65, with 1:07 to play.

Kidd had only six points and seven assists, but he seemed to have a hand on many of the Trojan passes.

The game was similar to one at Berkeley last year when Harold Miner made two free throws for a two-point victory with eight seconds to play.

The Trojans were only seven for 39 on three-point shots in games against Oregon and Oregon State last week, but Glenn and Dwayne Hackett made three-pointers to open this game. The Trojans made 11 of 29 for the game.

“Shades of last season,” Coach George Raveling said. “Just like last season, we played hard, were hanging in there and found a way to win it. I just can’t say enough about these guys.

“Cal played great, too. The Bears played just as hard as we did. They are going to be a great team.

“Jason Kidd is going to be a real star. He’s been built up like the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl often doesn’t live up to the ballyhoo. If people leave him alone, he’ll show them how great he is. He was always breaking up our passing.”

Both teams shot well in the first half, which ended with the Bears making the last four points to take a 43-40 lead. In the second half, the defenses were tougher.

The Bears opened by making their first five shots, and with sophomore Lamond Murray scoring 14 points, they led, 19-9.

Burt Harris made a couple of three-pointers to get USC back in the game, but then the Trojans resembled the team that played against Oregon during a six-minute spell that began with 3:47 left in the first half. During that time, they went scoreless and went from a point in front to seven behind.

USC rallied to take a 63-55 lead, but then had more trouble.

Chatman, after making seven free throws in a row, missed two in the late going and so did Glenn.

Murray, stymied in the second half, led all scorers with 20 points. Chatman and Hackett had 15 to lead the Trojans.

Laker General Manager Jerry West watched Kidd with interest.

“He has a great feel for the game,” West said. “At this point, his offense leaves something to be desired. But it is easy to see he will be an outstanding player.”