USC Takes Sweet Time Before Losing

For Arizona, it was easier than taking candy from a vending machine.

A devastating 34-5 second-half run made sure of that Saturday as the No. 1-ranked Wildcats turned a close contest against USC into an 86-59 rout.

But unlike a listless performance at Arizona State two nights earlier, in which USC showed little heart and was embarrassed by 30 points, the Trojans played hard in the nationally televised game.

In fact, before Arizona’s run, the Trojans had thrown a scare into the vocal McKale Center crowd of 14,584.

“We played defense,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said. “Up until that time, we stopped them.”

Offering full-court pressure and limiting Arizona to two field goals in the opening five-plus minutes of the second half -- outscoring the Wildcats, 13-5, in the stretch -- the Trojans had closed to within 50-48 with 14:48 to play.

Doubt had begun to creep into the Wildcats; even the smirk on Arizona senior forward Luke Walton’s face was gone.

Perhaps the only other time in recent weeks that things looked so grim for the Wildcats was in the days following their trip to Kansas in late January, when they were accused of ransacking a vending machine at their hotel for sweets and cash.

And though the Wildcats’ two playmakers, Walton and senior point guard Jason Gardner, had been hit with their third fouls with more than 15 minutes remaining, Coach Lute Olson left both in the game, practically daring the officials to assess a fourth.

Neither would be called for another foul.

“Oh yeah, the crowd was getting quiet, they were slowing the game down and trying to figure things out,” said Trojan power forward Gregg Guenther, who had his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

“After that, we couldn’t hit a shot. That was the worst possible time for that to happen.”

And it was the worst shooting drought of the season for the Trojans (10-11 overall, 5-7 in Pacific 10 Conference play). After closing the gap to two points, they could manage only one field goal over nearly 13 minutes.

By the time Desmon Farmer, who led USC with 11 points, made a short jumper at the 1:55 mark, Arizona (20-2, 12-1) had used the 34-5 run to go up by a game-high 31 points, 84-53.

The Trojans shot a season-low 30.6% from the field, including 28% in the second half, when they were 0 for 7 from three-point range.

“We were getting good looks,” said sophomore guard Errick Craven, who had seven points on three-for-10 shooting. “We just couldn’t score. It’s as simple as that. They were changing shots in the post.”

Arizona sophomore center Channing Frye took advantage of USC’s zone defense, finishing with career highs in points (25) and rebounds (14) to go along with three blocks and two steals.

“We were trying to get the ball in the post and get [Frye] into foul trouble,” Craven said. “But the refs weren’t calling anything. The refs weren’t too good today either. We’ve just got to get used to it. It’s the same thing all year.”

Bibby, on Pac-10 probation for criticizing officials, steered clear of commenting on the physical nature of the game.

“I don’t know if it was a dry spell or if it was just [a result of] playing the No. 1 team in the nation,” Bibby said.

Said Frye: “We’re getting better, but we still need work. We played about 35 minutes of Arizona basketball. We’re working toward that 40-minute mark.”

If the Wildcats get there, they’ll be like kids in a candy store.