For Bibby, Victory Came From Above

If USC had written the script for Thursday night’s 85-84 comeback victory at Oregon, no one would have bought it.

“It was heaven-sent,” Coach Henry Bibby said. “It’s not supposed to fall into place like that.”

The Ducks made only three of nine free throws in the final minute. At one point, they let USC roll an inbounds pass to midcourt, keeping the clock stopped. With 2.8 seconds remaining, Oregon called a timeout when the Trojans had none.

That let Bibby diagram the three-point shot Adam Spanich made to pull USC within 84-82 with 0.8 of a second left. It also let Bibby call the defense for the ensuing inbounds play.

The Ducks lofted a weak pass that was intercepted by Spanich, perhaps the only Trojan who could beat them from half court, and perhaps the clock started a tick late. Spanich had time to corral the loose ball, dribble once and shoot.

“Everything happened our way,” Bibby said.

Spanich’s game-winner was the final blow in his running duel with the Oregon students. Throughout the game, they chanted his name and he glared back. Afterward, he jumped on the scorer’s table and gestured toward his throat.

“I was playing with them a little bit,” Spanich said. “Coach tells us not to think about the crowd, but it gets me going.”

TONIGHT at Oregon State

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* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Site--Gill Coliseum.

* Records--Trojans 10-2, 2-1; Beavers 7-5, 1-2.

* Update--The Beavers upset UCLA on Thursday night. Now it is USC’s turn to find an answer to their zone defense and deliberate, slow-down offense.