USC Goes On a Tear and Wins, 76-60 : Trojans Break It Open With 20-1 Run Against Arizona State

USC has usually won this season by staying close to its opponents and then hitting clutch free throws in the closing minutes.

The Trojans became a killer, though, Thursday night against Arizona State at the Sports Arena.

USC broke open the game with a 20-1 burst midway through the second half on its way to a 76-60 victory.

The Trojans led, 50-49, against the accurate, outside-shooting Sun Devils when the game-deciding run began.

Arizona State started missing, the Trojans picked off rebounds and scored on one fast break after another.

It was an impressive performance by USC, which improved its Pacific 10 lead to 1 1/2 games. The Trojans are 10-2 in the Pac-10 (16-5 overall) with Arizona and Oregon State, both 8-3, the primary challengers now.

The Trojans, playing without injured center Clayton Olivier, put on quite a show. But there weren’t many fans present to appreciate it. A crowd of only 4,480 showed up, even though USC is moving toward its first conference championship in 24 years.

More will be known about that Saturday afternoon when USC meets Arizona at the Sports Arena.

USC has won five straight games and nine of its last 10.. Arizona State is 11-12 overall and 6-7 in conference play.

Forward Wayne Carlander started the run with a three-point play. Guard Larry Friend made a layup before reserve wingman Glenn Smith added two free throws.

Then, it was forward Derrick Dowell on another three-point play coming off a fast break. Charlie Simpson, subbing for Olivier, got it going with a blocked shot.

Smith hit two more close-range baskets, Carlander got a 10-footer in the lane, Simpson scored on a follow shot and Dowell got a layup.

The Sun Devils were reeling at this point. They could score only one free throw in 5 minutes 42 seconds. Guard Steve Beck finally got a basket for ASU with 5:53 left, but the outcome had already been determined.

Olivier suffered a broken blood vessel in his right foot in practice. It was believed that he could play up to game time. But he couldn’t make it and Simpson filled in commendably.

So did Smith, who replaced starter Ron Holmes in the second half and was a factor in the 20-1 spurt.

“That was basically good defense,” said Friend of the 20-1 spree. “Coach (Stan) Morrison told us at halftime to make them pass the ball. We tightened up and that generated our offense. We got the ball out and started moving.”

Smith said that USC’s full-court pressure bothered the Sun Devils, causing turnovers and Trojan baskets at the other end.

USC led only, 36-35, at halftime and couldn’t shake ASU in the early minutes of the second half. But then the game changed dramatically.

“USC went through an unbelievable stretch and showed why it is leading the conference,” Arizona State Coach Bob Weinhauer said. “In that stretch, USC played the best basketball in the Pac-10. If that wasn’t a Top-20 effort, I don’t know what was.”

The Trojans, however, are not a Top 20 team.

Carlander, who has been a starter for four years, was at his best again Thursday night. He scored 23 points on 11-of-19 shooting. He is expected to be the school’s all-time leading scorer before the season ends.

He reached a milestone, though, against ASU, breaking Gus Williams’ career record for most field goals. Carlander has 557 field goals in his USC career, topping Williams who had 554 from 1973 through 1975.

Friend is also closing in on another Williams’ record. He had a career-high 13 assists against ASU and needs only six more assists to break Williams’ single-season record of 140.

Simpson, a 6-11 sophomore, got eight of his 10 points in the second half. He also had eight rebounds.

Dowell, the conference’s leading rebounder in league games, grabbed 11 rebounds, while Smith was 6 of 12 from the field for 14 points in the 29 minutes he played.

“I was scared to death of this game,” Morrison said. “Bob Weinhauer had his team playing well with good rhythm. This is no time to celebrate. We play a tough team Saturday in Arizona. They’re the hottest team in the league now.”

He could have included his own Trojans, who improved their home court record to 4-2 in conference play. They’re unbeaten on the road at 6-0.

“There is little doubt that our defense generated our offense in the second half,” Morrison said. “We jarred the ball loose, went on the spread court and got the open shot. There were some brilliant individual defensive plays.

“Glenn Smith’s defense on Beck in the second half was one of the keys, and I can’t say enough about Wayne Carlander.”

He wasn’t only referring to Carlander’s offense but the defensive job Carlander did on ASU forward Eric Holloway, before he switched to freshman forward Chris Sandle. Holloway was shut out in the first half, while Sandle, the former Long Beach Poly star, got only four of his 14 points in the second half.

Weinhauer substituted extensively in the first half with good results. Ron Singleton, a reserve guard, was particularly effective with eight points coming off the bench.

In fact, all of ASU’s guards were productive, making 9 of 12 from the floor in the first half.

The Sun Devils had their last lead at 43-42 early in the second half but stayed close until the Trojans put them away with the 20-1 knockout.

ASU got rattled and committed 9 of its 17 turnovers in the second half, some coming when USC was on its blitz.

The Sun Devils shot 65.2% in the first half but only 40.7% in the second half against USC’s pressure defense. USC shot 50% for the game.

More important, the Trojans owned the boards, getting 38 rebounds to ASU’s 22.