The Oregon men’s basketball team kept knocking on USC’s L.A. Sports Arena door Thursday night, but the No. 25 Trojans wouldn’t let them in, and beat the Ducks 78-74 in Los Angeles.
Oregon (11-5 overall, 2-4 Pacific-10 Conference) made several runs, but couldn’t overcome a three-minute stretch in the first half when USC (14-4, 4-2) turned a one-point lead into a 13-point cushion.
The Ducks cut the Trojan lead to 10 points at halftime, to five with 17:21 left in the second frame and to three points with nine seconds left in the game, but never tied or led in the second half.
“When you can play with the kind of intensity and courage we played with tonight, that tells me a lot,” Oregon coach Ernie Kent told KUGN after the game. “But we didn’t get it done.”
The Ducks’ most valiant attempt to take control of the game came with 4:54 left, when freshman James Davis and junior Bryan Bracey hit back-to-back three-pointers to bring the score to 68-58. After USC forward Brian Scalabrine hit a layup, Davis hit another three and Bracey converted two free throws to cut the Trojan lead to 70-63.
Later, with the Trojans leading 73-67 and 1:39 on the clock, Oregon guard Freddie Jones stole the ball and was fouled while shooting on the fast break. He converted the extra point to bring the Ducks to within three points.
After trading baskets, USC had the ball with 19 seconds left, but there were only five seconds on the shot clock when Oregon’s Davis fouled USC’s Brandon Glanville. After Glanville hit one of his free throws, the Ducks were unable to convert their chances and lost by four points.
“I’m encouraged we fought so hard,” Kent said. “Class is still in session for this team.”
The Trojans were the professors for the Ducks Thursday night, as USC put on an offensive rebounding clinic that was the difference in the game. The Trojans out-rebounded the Ducks 36-18, and USC had 12 offensive rebounds that went for second-chance baskets.
“Rebounding was the worst part of the loss,” Kent said. “We gave them way too many second-chance points in the first half.”
Despite the rebounding difference, Oregon’s big men kept the Ducks in the game all night. Oregon center Chris Christoffersen had eight points on 4-for-5 shooting and two rebounds in only 10 minutes of court time. Forward Flo Hartenstein had three key baskets late in the near-upset.
USC’s big men had big nights. Scalabrine, the Trojans’ carrot-topped forward who had been in a slump until Thursday night, hit 8 of 20 from the floor and scored 20 points. Center Sam Clancy, the Pac-10’s second-leading scorer behind Bracey, netted a team-high 21 points.
“We probably had about 50 mental mistakes out there tonight,” Kent said. “But if you eliminate a third of those, you beat that team. We can play with UCLA.”
The Ducks will face the Bruins Saturday at 5 p.m. in a game televised nationally on Fox Sports Net.