This is more than the almosts.

Byline: JOHN CONRAD Register-Guard Sports Editor 

LOS ANGELES - Oregon would have this thing all wrapped up if the Ducks had just taken care of business at Washington and if Stanford's Tony Giovacchini hadn't hit an improbable three-pointer at the end of regulation.

But USC would be sitting on top if the Trojans hadn't lost two conference games on last-second three-point shots.

Everybody is going to have horror stories during a season in which six teams go into the final weekend with a mathematical chance for at least a share of the Pac-10 title.

So, if the 13th-ranked Ducks are going to win their first Pac-10 Conference men's basketball title, they'll have to do it the hard way starting tonight with a showdown against 19th-ranked Southern California at the Sports Arena. The Trojans are 3 1/2 -point favorites in the 7:35 p.m., showdown, which will be televised on the Fox Sports Network.

Oregon (20-7, 12-4) holds a one-game lead over the Trojans (19-7, 11-5), Arizona and California and can clinch a tie for the league crown and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a victory. To win it outright, or to salvage a co-title if they lose tonight, the Ducks will have to win at UCLA on Saturday.

It's a tall order, given that USC is 10-1 at home this year and the Ducks haven't won at UCLA since 1984.

UO coach Ernie Kent has attempted to impress upon his players what is at stake by showing them the Pac-10 Conference trophy and the rings UO football players got for winning their title in the fall. But throughout the season his mantra has been: "Let's have fun and see how far we can take this."

Is that possible for the Ducks, playing on the road and in the biggest game of their lives?

At least one thinks so.

"The way we've handled the pressure all along is because we're having so much fun," Frederick Jones said. "We look at this game as one that's going to be a lot of fun. USC plays a style we like and we've had a lot of great games with them. It's going to be physical, there's going to be pressure, but we have to step up and be men.

"We all enjoy our teammates and playing basketball together, so why shouldn't this be fun? I've never been in a position to do the things we have a chance to do, and that's really exciting."

What a game this will be, with all the marbles on the table, if it is anything like the game between the two in Eugene on Feb. 2. Oregon finally won, 73-69, thanks to Luke Jackson's three-point play in the final minute, and it was then that the Ducks took sole possession of first place for the first time. If they can beat the Trojans again, they'll be there to stay.

"That is going to be an NCAA tournament-type game because both teams are very physical," Arizona State coach Rob Evans said. "USC is the most physical team in the league, and Oregon is the toughest to guard. It's going to be who stays out of foul trouble and who shoots the ball. Both those teams are Final 8 material (in the NCAA Tournament)."

"That's a game I'd be watching if we weren't playing," Oregon State coach Ritchie McKay added. "The home court gives USC an edge, and if the game is in the 70s I'd give USC an edge because they are so physical. But if Oregon can get it in the 90s they have a really good chance, and I love their team. They have great chemistry, ability and they are well-coached."

If there is a key player in this game it could be USC's David Bluthenthal. The 6-foot-7 forward can be almost unstoppable as he was in scoring 29 against Oregon in Eugene last year, or he can disappear as he did in getting just four points in the game here this year. In USC's last nine games, Bluthenthal has scored 20 or more four times and been in single digits four times.

If he's on his game, and you would expect him to be in a game of this magnitude, the Trojans are extremely tough. They have the best experience in the league with seniors Sam Clancy, Brandon Granville and Bluthenthal, three key players on the USC team that went to the NCAA Elite Eight last year. Clancy has 17 double-doubles this year, and Granville has had four double-doubles and is among the league leaders in steals and assists. If Bluthenthal helps with the scoring and rebounding, given that freshman Errick Craven has been in double figures the last four games, the Trojans are going to be a tough matchup.

But Oregon has tremendous firepower on the perimeter with Luke Ridnour, Jones and Jackson, plus Anthony Lever and James Davis off the bench. Chris Christoffersen, Brian Helquist and Robert Johnson need to neutralize the Trojans inside.

"Chris could be the unknown factor," Kent said. "He's so much bigger than everybody else out there. He can have a big impact if he brings his game."

"You can't ignore the pressure in a game like this," Johnson said. "It's not just another game. We want it and they want it, and we've got to go out and take it because we can't hope they are going to give it to us. That takes defense. I think it will come down to whichever defense is most effective."

Ridnour believes the Ducks, a relatively young team compared to the Trojans, can handle the pressure of the game and playing it in a hostile environment.

"We're a pretty humble team," he said, "so hopefully we'll be able to control our emotions. But we still have to play with a lot of energy. It will come down to whoever makes the most stops on defense. But we're anxious to play. This is something you dream about as a kid and it never happens for a lot of players."

Not many Ducks, that's for sure. These have the opportunity to do something that would set this UO team apart from almost every other. But they'll have to do it the hard way.

UO Outlook

Men's basketball

OREGON AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

OREGON (20-7, 12-4) STARTERS

Luke Ridnour, 6-2 So. (15.1 ppg, 5.1 apg)

Frederick Jones, 6-4 Sr. (18.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg)

Luke Jackson, 6-7 So. (16.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg)

Robert Johnson, 6-8 Jr. (7.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg)

C. Christoffersen, 7-3 Sr. (8.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (19-7, 11-5) STARTERS

Brandon Granville, 5-9 Sr. (12.8 ppg, 5.5 apg)

Errick Craven, 6-2 Fr. (11.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg)

David Bluthenthal, 6-7 Sr. (12.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg)

Sam Clancy, 6-7 Sr. (18.9 ppg, 9.8 rpg)

Gregg Guenther, 6-8 Fr. (0.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg)

TIME

7:35 p.m. PST.

RADIO/TV

KUGN-AM (590). Live television on Fox Sports Net.

WATCH: David Bluthenthal is streaky for USC. He had 31 points against Arizona, one against Stanford. He scored just four at Oregon, and had six and 29 against Ducks last year.

THE DUCKS: Bidding for first Pac-10 title ever and can finish no worse than tied for third ... Are 5-1 against Top 25 teams ... 3-7 on the road overall, 3-4 in Pac-10 ... Need 49 points to break UO scoring record of 2,415 in 1999 ... Lead the Pac-10 and third nationally in scoring (87.7 ppg) ... Frederick Jones needs four points for 1,500 in his career and has averaged 25.0 in his past seven games.

THE TROJANS: Bidding for first title since sharing crown with Washington in 1985 ... Brandon Granville will become USC career leader in games played (119) with this outing ... Sam Clancy is third in USC career scoring list with 1,538 points and is among top six in Pac-10 in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks.