Nightmare Over, USC Can Dream

It’s over ... and they’re in.

USC’s nightmare seven-game losing streak, its longest in five years, came to a resounding close Saturday night at the Sports Arena, the Trojans clinching a spot in the eight-team Pacific 10 Conference tournament with an 86-68 rout of Washington State.

The Trojans (11-16 overall, 6-12 in conference) finished in a tie for sixth place with Oregon State and UCLA but will be seeded seventh based on tiebreakers.

Their reward is a first-round game Thursday against No. 17 Stanford, which has already beaten USC twice by a combined 14 points.

“We have our confidence going now,” said Desmon Farmer, who found his trademark headband and his shooting touch, finishing with 27 points. He had played the previous game without the headband after misplacing it.

“We’re coming in and thinking about knocking off some people.”

Even a team that swept the Trojans in the regular season?

“It doesn’t matter,” said Jerry Dupree, who had 14 points, on seven of eight shooting, with eight rebounds, two blocked shots and three steals in 29 minutes of a rare start. “We owe ... them.

“We needed a win to get a boost. Like I said earlier, we’ve been trying to find our ‘mojo.’ We just wanted a win, needed to win. It was do or die.”

It wasn’t that easy, though, not even against the last-place Cougars (7-20, 2-16).

With the crowd of 4,287 growing uneasy, USC found itself down, 45-38, early in the second half to Washington State, which was threatening to win its first road game since Feb. 8, 2001.

But rather than wilt under the pressure, as the Trojans had been doing since their losing streak began Feb. 13, they refocused and began emphasizing a ball-hawking defense. USC had 14 steals and forced 21 turnovers.

It helped that Robert Hutchinson had replaced an erratic Derrick Craven at the point for USC. Hutchinson’s calm approach did wonders for the Trojans.

“This is my senior year, my last game at the Sports Arena, so I don’t want to go out a loser,” said Hutchinson, who had nine points, one assist and two steals in 29 minutes.

“It always starts with the point guard, so I thought if I stepped up my game then everyone else would follow my lead.”

The Trojans, who shot 60.6% from the field in the second half, used an 11-2 run to go up, 49-47, with 14:34 to play and, four minutes later, used a 12-2 spurt to go up by nine, 63-54, with 8:06 remaining.

The Cougars, who were led by junior center Ezenwa Ukeagu’s 15 points, never got closer than five the rest of the way, and USC scored the game’s final 11 points.

“We played defense,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said. “We defensively rebounded the ball the second half. If you play defense, you’re in all ballgames.”

The Trojans had four players score in double figures, with reserves Rory O’Neil (16 points) and Errick Craven (12 points) joining in.

“Errick Craven coming in fresh [as a substitute] is probably better than any other player coming in fresh,” Bibby said.

Unless that other player is Sam Clancy, last season’s Pac-10 player of the year and a second-round draft choice of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Clancy, who’s been inactive this season because of an injured knee, was in town for today’s game against the Lakers. He addressed the Trojans after the game.

“Sam told us we shouldn’t take things for granted,” Dupree said.

Such as thinking that the victory would give USC confidence for a run in the conference tournament?

“Who knows?” Bibby said. “Hopefully, it works miracles.”