IT'S NOT THE END, IT'S A BEGINNING.

Byline: KAREN CROUSE

PHILADELPHIA - The point guard sat in the somber locker room after his first NCAA Tournament was history, wearing culpability for the loss like a black cloak.

On Saturday, it was Brandon Granville bearing the burden of USC's 79-69 loss to Duke in the East Regional final at the First Union Center. A year ago, Jason Williams was in the same wretched state, ruing his play in Duke's third-round loss to Florida.

Williams didn't stay depressed, he got determined; he worked off 11 pounds - including that sizable chip on his shoulder - over the summer. In front of 20,270 at First Union Center, the sophomore put the lead in the Trojans' hearts, sinking a basket every time the Blue Devils needed a lift.

As soon as Granville can bear it, he should replay Saturday's game, if only in his head. He should freeze the frame where Williams sinks the 3- pointer to give the Blue Devils their first lead, at 9-8. And the one where Williams chases his own layup with a 3-pointer to give the Blue Devils their first cushion, at 16-12.

And Granville should blow up the image of Williams sinking a 3-pointer right after USC junior Sam Clancy's putback had closed the Blue Devils' margin to 48-45 in the fifth minute of the second half.

Granville should make a poster-sized print of that last shot. Not so he can throw darts at it, but so that it might serve as a reminder to do something every day between now and when the Trojans reconvene in October to get smarter and stronger and surer-handed with the basketball.

The Blue Devils, the No. 1-ranked team in the land, are two victories from their third national championship because Williams practiced and practiced and practiced being clutch until he was.

Life is full of detours that necessitate taking one step back to move three steps forward. Life would be pretty boring, otherwise.

The Trojans, led by Granville, made huge strides this year. There's no shame in not being able to sidestep a Duke team that appears to be made of steel.

Granville shouldn't let his gut ache too long because he had one point and five turnovers instead of the other way around.

The only pity would be if all the returning Trojans who logged minutes Saturday - Granville, David Bluthenthal, Clancy, Richard Hutchinson and Desmon Farmer - stand still the next few months, the better to admire their new elite membership in college basketball.

They all would be wise to listen to departing senior Jarvis Turner. It's a wonder Turner had any voice left at the end of the game, given the running stream of encouragement he was hollering to his teammates during every stoppage in play.

Granville is the Trojans' designated leader but Turner was the one who acted the role on this day. He played four minutes in the first half and made the most of it, just as he has his entire college experience, collecting six points, one rebound and a steal.

He ought to have been credited with an assist in the second half for what he did with under a minute left. While Duke's Mike Dunleavy was finishing off the scoring with two free throws, Turner put his right arm around the freshman, Farmer, on the bench and whispered solemn-somethings into his ear.

Turner told Farmer that opportunities to reach the Final Four don't happen very often (USC has gone 47 years since its last appearance in one) and that he needs to remember how great it feels to get this far and how bad it feels to get no farther on those days this summer when the beach or the mall seems more appealing than the weight room or the gym.

``To be the best,'' Turner concluded before squeezing Farmer's shoulders, ``you've got to work hard every day, whether you feel like it or not.''

It was something Turner said he figured out the hard way. Next to the 9-19 season the Trojans posted in Turner's sophomore year, a 10-point loss to Duke after reaching the Elite Eight is relatively painless, as far as lessons go.

There was no telling Granville that. He was still crying 15 minutes after the game, when the locker-room doors swung open to reporters. It was the first time he had shed any tears for basketball since he was a little kid, Granville said.

``To be so close to reaching the Final Four and to not know if you'll get this chance again and for me to play so poorly,'' Granville said, sniffling.

His voice trailed off.

He didn't need to finish the thought.

Of course it hurt.

Senior Jeff Trepagnier was in so much pain, he couldn't bother to be polite. After the final buzzer sounded, Trepagnier made a beeline for the locker room, not slowing to shake a single Duke player's hand.

``I should have shook their hands. I was wrong,'' Trepagnier said, the admission, if not the heat-of-the-moment-act, a testament to how much he has grown in four years.

USC grew in stature this year, and for that all the Trojans should stand a little taller. They'll be fine, so long as they don't stand still.

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Photo: Shane Battier and Duke were too much for Brian Scalabrine and USC on Saturday, but lessons for the Trojans can be learned.

Chris Gardner/Associated Press