TROJANS' VICTORY OVER OREGON IS FANTASTIC HOME CROWD HELPS USC STAVE OFF RALLY USC 71, OREGON 68.

Byline: MATTHEW KREDELL Staff Writer

Taj Gibson sprinted over to the yellow-clad student section, pointing to the crowd in appreciation.

Daniel Hackett and Dwight Lewis followed, clapping their hands in the students' direction. Then big 6-foot-11 center Abdoulaye N'diaye did them one better by leaping into the first few rows.

Galen Center was the scene of a mutual love-fest Saturday following USC's 71-68 victory over No. 9 Oregon in front of 8,119 fans, showing how much the first-year arena has made an impact on the program.

The game moved USC (18-6, 8-3) ahead of last year's win total and set up a showdown with rival UCLA for first place in the Pacific-10 Conference on Wednesday.

The last time USC beat a team ranked so high at Galen Center, the students stormed the court to celebrate downing No. 11 Arizona on Jan. 18.

This time, perhaps influenced by the public address announcer's plea and the extra security, the students remained at their seats. So a group of players came to them.

``I was pointing to them like, `It's all you guys,''' said Gibson, who scored a game-high 18 points. ```You guys give us momentum. You guys keep us in the game.' They help us out so much. I was just telling them thank you.''

The students were jumping up and down behind the Oregon basket when Aaron Brooks, the Pac-10's leading scorer, broke free from Gabe Pruitt on a screen, shook away from Gibson and got a good look at a 3-pointer that would have tied the score at the buzzer. Brooks made a similar shot to beat UCLA earlier this season but, perhaps bothered by the crowd's commotion, his shot was short and off to the left this time.

``We would have lost this game at the Sports Arena a year ago because we wouldn't have had that homecourt advantage late,'' USC coach Tim Floyd said.

With two ranked opponents coming up on the road in No. 5 UCLA and No. 20 Arizona, USC needed to defend its home court. But the Trojans knew that beating Oregon a second time wouldn't be easy. The Ducks wanted revenge for the 84-82 loss the Trojans pinned on them early last month in Eugene that spoiled a 13-0 start to the season.

Oregon (19-4, 7-4) stormed back from an 11-point halftime deficit by scoring the first seven points coming out of the locker room. The Ducks tied the score at 60 before a crucial series of events gave USC the victory.

First, Nick Young swished a straight-away 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down. Young, the team's leading scorer, scored 13 points on seven shots.

Then Gibson came away with a spectacular block on a dunk attempt by Malik Hairston that led to a fastbreak layup for Hackett and a five-point USC lead. Gibson had four blocks, moving him up to third on the school's single-season list with 49.

``It was one of those plays where I got my teammates' back, no matter what,'' Gibson said. ``Either he's going to finish the play and dunk on me or I'm going to get a shot block. I just told myself I'm not going to let him get no easy baskets.''

After Brooks got to the hoop for a layup, Hackett knocked down just his fifth 3-pointer on 17 attempts off an assist from Young.

Oregon got back within two but Gibson made the second of two free throws with 16.4 seconds left to force the Ducks to shoot a 3-pointer for the tie.

Brooks, who scored 31 points against USC in Eugene, is a tough matchup for Pruitt as a smaller point guard with lightning quickness. But Pruitt was up to the challenge, holding Brooks scoreless over the first 12 minutes.

Brooks finished with 16 points, 2.9 under his average.

``I just kept to my game plan to not let him catch the ball,'' Pruitt said. ``When he has the ball in his hands, he can make a lot of things happen. So to limit his touches was my whole focus in this game.''

The last time USC had a better start to the season through 24 games was 1992.

It's the fifth victory over a ranked team for the Trojans, who figure to return into the Associated Press Top 25 on Monday after falling out this week.

Big victories are starting to become commonplace for a USC team that took another step toward its first NCAA Tournament berth in five years.

``I thought they were going to storm the court,'' Young said of the fans, ``but they're getting used to it.''

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USC's Daniel Hackett, foreground, and Oregon's Adam Zahn battle over a loose ball during Saturday's game.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer