Bruins Rumble, Trojans Crumble

Although the Trojans have been losing games, they always stayed close, sometimes to the final second.

Top-ranked Stanford wasn’t interested in giving USC a moral victory Thursday, however. Instead, the Cardinal handed out an old-fashioned beating, running up a 111-68 total before a sellout crowd of 7,391 at Maples Pavilion.

Stanford rang up the most points in a regulation game against a Pacific 10 Conference opponent and the most points against USC in 213 games between the schools. It was also the third biggest victory by Stanford over a conference opponent at Maples.

It was the most points USC has ever given up in a game.

“I don’t thing we competed tonight, and that was the thing I was most disappointed about,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said.

“We didn’t really execute the offense tonight, something we haven’t done lately. We got down by 10-11 points early and tried to do things individually.

The win, coupled with Arizona’s overtime loss to Oregon State, moved the Cardinal (25-1, 14-1 in the Pac-10) into sole possession of first place in the conference. It was their 13th consecutive victory since losing to Arizona on Jan. 8.

USC, losing for the eighth time in 10 games, fell to 14-13 and 7-8. It is tied with UCLA for fifth place in the conference. California, the Trojans’ opponent Saturday, is one game behind.

It was the Trojans’ worse loss of the season, easily surpassing an 82-65 drubbing against North Carolina at the Maui Classic on Nov. 22.

And it happened with the force of a tsunami. By halftime Stanford was breezing, 57-30. A 19-7 run to open the second half made the final 16 minutes of the game garbage time.

“It felt like a nightmare,” Bibby said. “The kind you want to wake up from real fast.”

As well as Stanford is playing, it’s too bad the NCAA tournament doesn’t start next week.

But Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery can wait.

“We still feel we have things to improve on, although there’s not much I can complain about tonight,” he said. “We still have the goal to win the conference. That comes first.”

Who’s going to stop them? Trojan forward David Bluthenthal, who led USC with 17 points, said Stanford is “definitely better than they were three weeks ago” when the Cardinal defeated the Trojans, 67-57, at the Sports Arena. “They are a much more confident team. They know they can go out and pound on people.”

About the only good news for USC was that Sam Clancy, who had missed the past 11 games because a broken right foot, returned to action. He played 18 minutes, scored four points and had five rebounds.

“It felt good out there. I’d really missed not playing,” Clancy said. “In the beginning I tried not to do too much, but when we were down by so many points I just let it go.”

But that was counterbalanced by an injury to Brian Scalabrine, who scored only four points. Scalabrine injured his right hip and was limping noticeably the last seven minutes of the first half. He sat out the second half.

Bibby sounded hopeful that Scalabrine would be able to play Saturday against Cal. Then Bibby said half-kiddingly, “He has to play Saturday.”

USC tried everything it could to slow Stanford.

On defense it used full-court pressure and zone traps.

Bibby substituted as freely as possible, including sending in Clancy at the 8:07 mark of the first half.

Bibby also drew his first technical of the season protesting a foul call on Jeff Trepagnier.

Even Jarvis Turner, recovering from a broken ankle, went as far as grabbing Jacobsen’s shorts as the Stanford guard tried to make a move in front of the Trojan bench. Turner was called for a technical.

“That’s never happened to me and I’ve never heard of it happening anywhere else,” said Jacobsen, who led all scorers with 23 points. “I got the ball on the wing, went to make a move and I couldn’t go anywhere.

“Luckily, the ref saw it. I would have been real upset if they missed it.”

Jacobsen said Jarvis apologized after the game.

Said Bibby: “We certainly don’t condone that. It was uncharacteristic of Jarvis, but he did it. I let him have it at halftime, and told him he would have a ticket home if it ever happens again.”

The Cardinal shot 52.9% from the field in the first half and outrebounded the Trojans, 24-15.

Stanford’s 57 first-half points were the most by a Trojan opponent this season.

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PAC 10 STANDINGS

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Conf. Overall Team W L W L Stanford 14 1 25 1 Arizona 13 2 24 5 Oregon 11 5 20 7 Arizona St. 8 7 16 11 UCLA 7 8 16 11 USC 7 8 14 13 California 6 9 15 12 Oregon St. 5 11 13 14 Washington 4 11 9 18 Washington St. 1 14 6 19

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Thursday’s Results

Stanford 111, USC 68

UCLA 83, California 62

Oregon St. 70, Arizona 69 (OT)

Oregon 76, Arizona St. 74

Saturday’s Games

UCLA at Stanford, 1

USC at California, 5

Arizona at Oregon, 3

Washington St. at Washington, 3

Arizona St. at Oregon St., 7