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'' 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 loss in a row.

``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, 87-87, 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. USC is 3-8 in games decided by six points or less this season.

``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 next week at Staples Center.

``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 at 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 at losing 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, their biggest lead of the game.

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.

The Trojans started off in a daze, falling behind 13-2 before they went on their own 13-2 run to tie it at 15, with Robert Hutchinson hitting a 3- pointer to tie the score.

``I thought we were ready to play,'' Bibby said. ``They got a lot of easy baskets. You can't give up 95 points and win.''

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

Although Bibby said before the game Derrick Craven would play the majority of minutes, Hutchinson played 13 minutes in the first half and started the second half. He finished with nine points in 21 minutes.

The Huskies led at halftime 45-43, as Robinson had 13 points and no turnovers in 16 minutes.

Farmer led USC with 23 points while Errick Craven added 19 and Dupree had career-highs of 17 points and nine rebounds.

--Notes: Despite the urgency of trying to make the Pac-10 tournament, the crowd of 3,473 was the smallest since the Trojans drew 3,111 against La Salle.

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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