Spanich Works the Clutch and Brakes

USC Coach Henry Bibby had said he was looking for someone to rely on for scoring in the tense, late-game moments when the Trojans need a basket.

He might have found his man Friday night in Adam Spanich. The junior forward made a 19-foot jump shot to put USC ahead with 24 seconds left in the game and the Trojans, who led by 19 at one point, held on to defeat Loyola Marymount, 92-88, before about 2,600 at Gersten Pavilion.

With the score tied, 86-86, Gary Johnson had driven to the basket, and as the Lions’ defense collapsed around him Johnson found Spanich open near the baseline for the shot.

Spanich, who scored 13 points in 19 minutes, has shown a tendency to hit big shots, usually from three-point range, at crucial times.

“He missed some open baskets tonight,” Bibby said of Spanich, who was two for seven on three-point shots and five for 11 from the field. “We wanted Johnson to penetrate and kick the ball out to our shooters. We have confidence in Adam shooting from outside.”

After trailing at intermission, 45-44, the Trojans (2-1) started the second half with a 9-0 run. Led by junior guard Elias Ayuso’s outside shooting and post play by senior Gary Williams, the Trojans led by 19 points with 10:26 left. Williams scored 23 points and Ayuso had 14.

But the Lions (0-2) roared back, led by 6-foot-7 forward Ben Ammerman and 6-11 center Peter Cornell. Using their superior size--no Trojan is taller than 6-8--Loyola controlled both ends of the court, and hit its foul shots. S During five consecutive possessions, the Lions made six of eight free throws.

USC’s youth showed at a crucial time. With 6:08 remaining and the Trojans leading, 78-65, Greg Lakey went in for an easy dunk and for the second time in the three Division I games he has played, missed. Worse still, he was assessed a technical foul for holding on to the rim.

Said Bibby: “It changed the momentum. Any time that kind of thing happens it kills your offense.”

After Spanich hit his shot to break the tie, Ammerman, who scored 26 points, missed a three-point shot from the corner with :33 showing on the clock, and USC took possession.

“He takes that shot 100 times, he makes it 90,” Loyola Coach Charles Bradley said. “I will live and die with that shot.”

Junior guard Haywood Eaddy a 5-4, 140-pound transfer from Baltimore, scored a career-high 22 points.

“There is a lot to be proud of with this team,” Bradley said. “They played tough and stayed in the game when the favored team went up by 19.”

Bibby credited his seniors for the win and singled out Johnson, who played 34 minutes and stole the basketball with the Trojans leading, 90-86. Johnson, forced to play for so many minutes because backup point guard Kevin Augustine was ill, finished with 15 points and eight assists.

USC had 16 steals and forced 23 turnovers while committing only 11 of its own. The Trojans made 18 of their 19 foul shots while Loyola was 26 of 36 from the line.

Notes

Freshman guard Kevin Augustine was suffering from dizziness and was kept out of the game. Augustine said he felt exhausted but that doctors didn’t think he had flu. “They have taken all kinds of tests but they’ve all come back negative,” Augustine said. “I don’t know what it is or when I’ll be ready to play.” . . . Things didn’t go well for any of the freshman players Friday. Forward Greg Lakey, who started the game, finished with four points and two rebounds and Jeff Trepagnier had two points and played only eight minutes.