Good fortune, and whistles, calling on USC, UCLA

From out of nowhere it swooped, a stunning, mind-blowing, season-changing hand from the heavens.

Jeff Pendergraph of Arizona State flew in from the foul line and slammed the loose ball toward the basket and, with the crowd swooning and scoreboard blinking, there it was.

Not the dunk, but the whistle.

Not the basket, but the loose-ball foul that nullified the basket.

What was a tie game became an end game.

From out of nowhere it swooped, a horrible call with 16 seconds remaining Thursday that led to USC’s 59-55 victory over the Sun Devils in a Pacific 10 Conference tournament quarterfinal.

A loose-ball foul on a guy who was five feet above everyone else?

A contact foul on a guy who seemingly soared above all contact?

“I thought it was clean,” said Sun Devils Coach Herb Sendek.

A dirty shame is what it was, the foul sending USC’s Davon Jefferson to the opposite free throw line for two shots that iced the game.

A filthy way to possibly end a season, with the Sun Devils now left to beg the NCAA for a tournament spot with a 19-12 record.

As one of the referees departed Staples Center late Thursday afternoon in street clothes, he was accosted by a Sun Devils official.

“Your bad call probably cost us an NCAA tournament bid!” the official reportedly shouted.

“The game wasn’t decided on one play!” the referee reportedly shouted back.

I thought I had never seen anything like it.

Then I realized, every Southland college basketball fan has seen something like it.

Last Thursday, when UCLA was handed an overtime period against Stanford on a phantom foul call.

Last Saturday, when UCLA was handed a victory over California on an illegal game-winning shot.

Three bad calls, leading to three big wins, leading to possibly two bigger tournament seedings for the locals.

Who would have thought?

The Pac-10 referees like us, they really like us.

We were used to getting every good call during the Lakers dynasty of the early 2000s, just ask the Sacramento Kings.

But we always thought that smacked of conspiracy, the NBA desperate to have Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant playing on television in June.

What would explain this?

In a conference where it seems the quaint fellas from Pullman and Eugene usually get the love, what would explain this sudden affection for two goliaths?

The NCAA tournament executives don’t need the Los Angeles teams for ratings. March Madness is caused by pixies, not powerhouses.

The Pac-10 executives would have probably been cheering louder for Arizona State Thursday, the more dancers the merrier.

So why the sudden show of affection?

Could it be that the two local head coaches cast an imposing figure on the sidelines? Um, have you seen Tim Floyd’s shirt?

Could it be that the two local histories cast an intimidating image in the referees’ minds? Well, it’s been 13 years since UCLA won a title, and it was a 16-point lead that USC blew last year against North Carolina.

So, hmm, could it just be luck?

Nah. College basketball fans in these parts don’t want to believe in luck.

On the verge of what has annually become the three most purely fun sports weeks in the Southland, we don’t much fathom luck.

UCLA should get to another Final Four, and I’ll probably pick the Bruins to win it all, and luck has nothing to do with it.

Ben Howland is the best coach in the country, Russell Westbrook has had the biggest breakout season in the country, and can anybody remember a more unselfish, unassuming freshman star than Kevin Love?

With two consecutive Final Fours under their blue waistbands, the Bruins lead the country in experience under pressure. With their commitment to defense and rebounding, there is seemingly no deficit they cannot -- or have not -- overcome.

“That experience doesn’t guarantee anything, but it certainly helps,” said Howland after the Bruins’ 88-66 victory over Cal in another Pac-10 quarterfinal.

Then there’s USC, which should get to another Sweet 16, and the Trojans won’t blow a 16-point lead this time, and luck has nothing to with it.

Few teams in the country have more athletic starters. Few teams play better pressure defense down the stretch -- the Trojans did not allow a field goal in the final 9:35 Thursday. And O.J. Mayo is finally becoming O.J. Mayo.

Their biggest issue is their youth, although guys like Mayo and fellow freshman Jefferson look and play old.

“This feels exactly like last year,” said forward Taj Gibson. “Guys locked in. Guys focused. Guys stepping it up.”

So, yeah, forget the luck.

Those three lousy calls, they surely meant something, right?

Maybe destiny?

All questions which will make it very confusing tonight, when USC plays UCLA in the postseason for the first time in history.

Look for plenty of bad calls. Or good ones.

--

Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Plaschke, go to latimes.com/plaschke.