A PREDICTABLE ENDING USC'S STUMBLE AGAINST WASHINGTON EXTENDS STREAK TO 7 WASH. 95, USC 89.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

Maybe when USC skipped practice to go see the movie ``Old School'' on Wednesday, the Trojans thought they watched ``Fold School.''

USC let another game slip away at the end during a 95-89 loss to Washington in front of 3,473 at the Sports Arena on Thursday night, the Trojans' seventh consecutive defeat.

``Who knows? We might take the team and go on a picnic (today),'' USC coach Henry Bibby said, asked whether the Trojans might go see another movie.

Anything would be better than watching the conclusion of Thursday's game film.

USC was tied with the Huskies at 87 with 1:20 left but guard Desmon Farmer shot an airball on a 3-point attempt with 43 seconds remaining and guard Roy Smiley stepped on the baseline with 17 seconds left to thwart any chance of pulling out a victory.

``That's the way the year is going so far,'' Bibby said. ``They wanted it more than we did. They played harder. They deserved to win the basketball game. They took it to us.''

As usual, the Trojans went cold in the final minutes.

``We can't play at the end,'' point guard Derrick Craven said. ``I just felt ashamed. We're just not getting it done for coach.''

USC (10-16, 5-12) controls its destiny for a berth in the Pacific-10 Conference tournament. If the Trojans defeat Washington State or UCLA loses to Washington on Saturday, USC makes the tournament.

``I guess we hope Washington wins on Saturday,'' Bibby said, not sounding too confident about the Trojans' chances. ``We're at home Saturday, hopefully we'll be ready to play.''

As the Trojans' frustration grows, players are grasping for optimism.

``Our mojo is gone, but we still have hope out there that we still have a little run,'' forward Jerry Dupree said.

Dupree was involved in one of the game's most controversial plays. After his dunk tied the game, 61-61, he was assessed a technical foul that allowed Washington (10-16, 5-12) to quickly retake the lead.

``After the tip dunk, I was running back and looked at the dude (Washington point guard Will Conroy),'' Dupree said. ``I guess it was an unsportsmanlike look.''

While USC football coach Pete Carroll might have grinded his teeth the past year when he lost two-sport stars Marcedes Lewis (a freshman at UCLA) and Evan Moore (a freshman next year at Stanford), who preferred the basketball programs at other schools, he might have gotten some measure of revenge Thursday.

Washington guard Nate Robinson tormented the Trojans with 18 points. Robinson originally committed to USC last year to play football before the Trojan coaching staff backed off, concerned he might favor basketball over football.

``I just look forward to playing (USC),'' Robinson said. ``They wanted me to just play football and I wanted to play both. I wanted a shot at both.''

He certainly would help the Trojans' basketball team. Robinson's three-point play with 11:19 left gave Washington a 73-64 lead.

He was also a teammate of twin guards Lodrick and Rodrick Stewart at Rainier Beach (Wash.) High. The Stewart twins signed with USC in November.

After the first seven minutes, the game was played tightly, befitting two teams fighting for postseason survival.

The Trojans started off in a daze, falling behind 13-2. They then went on a 13-2 run to tie the game at 15, with Robert Hutchinson hitting a 3-pointer to tie the score.

Hutchinson scored six points in the first half, in his first game since taking a three-game leave of absence from the Trojans.

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Photo:

USC's Desmon Farmer lands at the feet of Sports Arena spectators after trying to keep the ball in bounds in the first half.

Chris Pizzello/Associated Press