[0] OREGON SHOOTS DOWN USC NO CLANCY IS DIFFERENCE IN THE END OREGON 67, USC 65.

Byline: Scott Wolf  Staff Writer

They filled the Sports Arena as never before this season, but any USC fan who paid to see Trojans star forward Sam Clancy definitely felt cheated Thursday night.

Although Oregon defeated USC 67-65 on guard Frederick Jones' five-foot runner with one second left in front of 11,505, the Trojans really lost the game when Clancy picked up his fourth foul with more than 10 minutes left.

Clancy's questionable decision to try to block Oregon forward Luke Jackson's shot from behind on a layup forced him to miss nearly five minutes, and the Ducks used the time to erase a seven-point deficit.

``I don't think it was a foul,'' Clancy said. ``That one was bad. Not when you're playing for the Pac-10 championship. I was getting hit worse than that and not getting fouls called.''

Not surprisingly, USC coach Henry Bibby also disputed the call.

``I thought it was a pretty good play,'' Bibby said. ``It was a questionable call.''

The Trojans blew a chance to clinch at least a share of their first Pacific-10 Conference championship since 1985.

Oregon (21-7, 13-4) broke a 65-65 tie when Jones zipped past forward David Bluthenthal and hit a floater in the lane. USC guard Brandon Granville attempted a three-quarter-court shot at the buzzer that banked off the rim.

``That play has to be a drive to the basket,'' Bibby said. ``We talked all year about guys beating us on the dribble and that's where you have to play guys one on one.''

But nothing overshadowed Clancy's fourth foul.

Clancy fouled Jackson with 10:13 remaining for his fourth foul of the contest. Jackson had a certain layup until Clancy came from behind and swatted the ball away, a risky play considering he had three fouls.

USC (19-8, 11-6) led 53-46, and Bibby replaced Clancy with forward Jerry Dupree.

Not surprisingly, Oregon outscored USC 10-2 in Clancy's absence and took a 56-55 lead as Jackson scored five points. Clancy returned with 5:32 left, but the Trojans had lost their momentum with him on the bench.

With Clancy on the floor, Jackson scored again and Luke Ridnour made two free throws to boost the Ducks' lead to 60-55 with 4:11 remaining.

Although the Trojans cut the lead to 60-59, Ridnour hit another 3-pointer to make it 63-59. It was a six-point lead before Errick Craven made a 3-pointer with 1:25 left.

Before Clancy's fourth foul, he had a done a nice job playing in foul trouble. He had picked up his third foul with 19:34 left in the game, but it didn't seem to affect him for more than nine minutes. He had 21 points with more than 14 minutes remaining and helped the Trojans build a 46-39 lead.

Although Bluthenthal struggled, scoring only two points up to that moment, and Granville also had scored just one basket, the Trojans' freshmen made up the difference. Craven had 14 points and Rory O'Neil eight as USC built a 50-39 lead with 13:17 left.

Craven's 3-pointer gave USC a 53-42 lead with 10:58 remaining, and he finished with 17 points.

Both teams were tight in a sloppy first half. In one sequence, Oregon center Chris Christoffersen missed an alley-oop dunk and Craven followed with an airball on a 3-pointer.

Oregon reserve guard James Davis scored a surprising eight points in the half, and leading-scorer Jones had nine.

The Ducks shot 37 percent; the Trojans were slightly worse at 36.6. But Oregon was atrocious on 3-pointers, making 3 of 15 attempts, and had 14 turnovers.

Craven and Clancy carried the Trojans in the first half, with Clancy scoring 14 points an Craven 12. Clancy took 14 shots and made six. Bluthenthal had only two points and missed both 3-point attempts.

USC trailed 30-25 before closing out the half with an 8-0 run as Clancy and Craven supplied all the points to give the Trojans a 33-30 advantage.

Granville, who had been bothered with flu-like symptoms, started but came out with 13:44 left in the half and was replaced by freshman Derrick Craven, who apparently moved ahead of usual backup Robert Hutchinson.

--Notes: Bibby started freshman forward Nick Curtis for the first time since Dec. 4 instead of freshman Gregg Guenther, who started both games last weekend. Curtis had two fouls in the first 95 seconds, was replaced by freshman O'Neil and did not return. In the second half, Bibby started O'Neil.

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Photo:

(color) USC's Sam Clancy tries to keep possession of the ball Thursday as Oregon's Chris Christoffersen, left, tries to swipe it away.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer