Technically, a Win for USC

This game left everyone in a foul mood.

USC eventually pulled out an 80-68 victory against Arizona State on Thursday in front of 3,506 at the Sports Arena. It was the fifth consecutive home victory for USC against Arizona State and gave the Trojans, 17-6 overall, 7-4 in the Pacific 10 Conference, a sweep of the season series.

Brian Scalabrine had 26 points for USC. David Bluthenthal added 23, his biggest output since scoring 25 against Washington on Jan. 6.

“Brian was the one who came to play for us tonight,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said. “He kept us in the game. And David hit some big shots for us.

The two biggest shots were consecutive three-point baskets that gave USC a 58-49 lead with 10:37 left in the game. It was a deficit the Sun Devils, who shot only 33.8% from the field, could not overcome.

But Arizona State (11-12, 3-9) had plenty of fight until leading scorer Alton Mason (16 points) fouled out with 7:53 to play. He was one of three Sun Devils to leave early. Chad Prewett and Tommy Smith also had five fouls.

USC, which shot 49% from the field, had its biggest advantage at the free-throw line, where it made 30 of 39 attempts. Arizona State was only 14 of 27.

But the game was memorable for other reasons.

The USC bench was charged with two technical fouls. The first was assessed to Bibby, courtesy of referee Richie Ballesteros with 1:31 left in the first half. The second came at the 19:02 mark in the second half as assistant coach Dave Miller was cited by referee Jim Giron. Bibby was asked to leave after the second technical foul, but he returned at 14:44 when it was determined that only one of the two technicals had been called on him.

A coach is to be ejected if there are two technicals called against him, or if there are three technicals against his bench.

Rob Evans didn’t miss out on the fun. The Arizona State coach received a technical early in the game.

“The whole scenario was unbelievable. I’ve never seen a game like this,” Evans said.

Ballesteros told a pool reporter that “[the referees] called two technical fouls, one on Henry Bibby and another on assistant Dave Miller. When we ejected Bibby, we misapplied the rule. . . . We ejected [Bibby] by mistake.

“I realized [the error] shortly afterward. After discussing it with the other officials and explaining it to Coach Evans, we got word to Bibby that he could come back. We waited for the first dead-ball situation to correct it.

Bibby said afterward USC would file a report on the matter with the Pac-10 office.

Bibby had plenty to say about the circumstances.

“Someone in authority needs to review the game,” Bibby said. “It was a fracas. A travesty. The fans came to watch the game, not watch officiating.

“I felt [the officials] had it in for me all night. Richie was looking at me and smiling at the half. He kept watching me in the second half. They took me out of the game. I could see us losing an NCAA bid for this, because every game is very important now.”

When asked if he expected any action, Bibby smiled. “Probably not as Richie is considered one of the best officials in the Pac-10. Is there a double standard? Well, I don’t think Arizona or Stanford get these kind of calls.”

One of the biggest questions facing the Trojans was how to get motivated for a team they beat by 19 points less than a month ago.

USC broke to a 16-4 lead and extended it to 26-11. But Arizona State went on a 14-2 run over a seven-minute stretch. USC was, in part, a different team when Sam Clancy went to the bench (for what turned out to be the rest of the half) with two fouls.

But the Sun Devils eventually caught USC at 31 after the Bibby got the technical from Ballesteros.