[0] TROJANS STUMBLE AT END STANFORD 70, USC 68.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

Brandon Granville's shot to tie the game fell short at the buzzer, just like USC's other chances at a quality victory this season.

The Trojans tried to shock No. 1-ranked Stanford on Thursday, but Granville stumbled and his shot never had a chance as the Trojans lost, 70-68, before 8,379 at the Sports Arena.

After Stanford guard Casey Jacobsen missed a free throw with 6.3 seconds, USC had a chance to send the game into overtime.

Put Granville forced his way through three Stanford players and stumbled, then launched an air ball that fell well short of the basket.

``I kind of lost my balance a little bit and stumbled to the ground,'' Granville said. ``I spinned and I didn't really know how much time was left on the clock. I just tried to throw it up.''

The Trojans (18-9, 8-7) had cut a 16-point deficit down to three (65-62) with 1:50 remaining, after a basket and two free throws from Granville, along with a driving basket by freshman guard Desmon Farmer, who came off the bench to score seven points in the comeback.

Farmer replaced senior Jeff Trepagnier with 17:12 left, and never came out of the game.

Jacobsen answered Farmer's drive, with his own, and gave Stanford a 67-62 lead with 1:30 remaining.

Put Sam Clancy came back with a 15-footer to make it 67-64 at the 1:07 mark. With just 31.4 seconds left, Jacobsen was fouled and converted one of two free throws for a 68-64 lead.

That advantage was trimmed to two points when forward Brian Scalabrine hit a six-footer.

The Trojans fouled Ryan Mendez, who made both free throws and Clancy added a dunk with 7.2 seconds. Jacobsen then missed the first free throw of a one-and-one situation to set up Granville's drive to potentially tie the game.

Since a victory over the nation's No. 1-ranked team was probably a little ambitious the way USC has been struggling, it was important the margin of victory stay respectable.

The Trojans needed to protect their power-rating as much as anything against Stanford (26-1, 14-1), as they continue to fight for an NCAA Tournament berth.

This was just like the nail-biter the teams played last month in Palo Alto, when the Trojans played one of their best games of the season despite losing 77-71.

It didn't look like it would go down to the final possession at the outset of the second half.

The Trojans started cold, scoring just three points and missing eight straight shots in the first seven minutes as Stanford built a 53-37 lead.

Jacobsen's pair of 3-pointers were the biggest blows in the Cardinal's decisive run.

Down by 16, the Trojans made a mini-comeback by scoring six straight points, highlighted by a three-point play by Scalabrine, to cut the lead to 53-43.

But the Trojans still had to play catch-up the entire second half, although .

The larger-than-normal crowd played a factor, albeit a negative one, for USC.

For the second time this season, the Trojans were assessed a technical foul because an object was thrown on to the court with 5:37 left in the first half. The technical came after the crowd had been warned about a minute earlier by referee Dave Libbey, who also called the technical.

It was reminiscent of USC's game earlier in the season against UCLA, when three technicals were called because of items thrown on to the court.

Thursday's technical helped Stanford build its 41-34 halftime lead. Right before the call, Stanford led 29-27, but Mendez converted the technical foul, and the Cardinal outscored USC 12-7.

--Notes: Stanford is a little shorthanded, thanks to the Trojans. The Cardinal are missing sophomore center Curtis Borchart, who suffered a stress fracture in the last game with USC, and is out for the season.

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Photo: USC's Brandon Granville falls while holding position against Stanford's Casey Jacobsen.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer