A Miner Change Leads to a Major USC Upset : Trojans: Miner scores 36 points in 87-83 victory over fifth-ranked Arizona. Pack makes four free throws in final 43 seconds.

After scoring a season-low eight points in an 86-69 victory over Cal State Northridge Monday night, USC guard Harold Miner had a heart-to-heart talk with Coach George Raveling.

“I just think Harold had gotten himself into a rut,” Raveling said. “He was doing too much off the dribble, and I think it took him out of his game.”

Motivated by Raveling, Miner scored a season-high 36 points as the Trojans knocked off No. 5 Arizona, 87-83, before 7,913 Thursday night at the Sports Arena.

“I think this win shows we can play with anyone in the country,” Miner said.

Shooting only 37.8% in his last six games, Miner made 12 of 18 shots--including five three-point shots--and sank all seven of his free throws. Miner scored 23 points in the second half, hitting eight of 11 shots as the Trojans, 13-6 overall and 4-5 in the conference, defeated Arizona (18-4, 7-3) for the first time in 12 games.

Miner said he tried to refine his game against Arizona.

“(Raveling) just told me that I was trying to do too much,” Miner said. “He wanted me to just catch and shoot because I was going to wear myself down trying to do too much.”

After hitting his first three shots, Miner felt he was out of his slump.

“When I knocked down my first jump shot I felt my touch was on, and I just kept shooting,” Miner said. “I didn’t let up. A shooter just has to keep shooting the ball.”

Miner impressed Arizona Coach Lute Olson, who was unable to design a defense to contain him.

“Miner went over us, faded back if he had to and did whatever it took to put the ball in the hole,” Olson said. “I thought we did a good job of putting pressure on him the whole night, and he still puts it in. There’s not much you can do about it.”

With the Wildcats trailing by four points with 2:40 remaining, Olson decided to make USC, the Pacific 10’s worst free-throw shooting team, win the game at the line.

Olson’s gamble almost worked when the Trojans missed five consecutive free throws on the way to missing six of seven.

But guard Robert Pack sank four consecutive free throws in the final 43 seconds to seal the victory.

With USC leading, 82-78, Pack hit two free throws with 43 seconds left to give the Trojans a six-point lead. After Arizona center Brian Williams made a follow shot, USC forward Keith Greeley made one of two free throws to increase USC’s lead to 85-80.

Arizona guard Matt Muehlebach sank a three-point jump shot with 18 seconds left, and USC called a timeout to set up a play.

The Trojans wanted to get the ball to Miner on the inbounds play, but he was covered and Pack got the inbounds pass. Wildcat guard Khalid Reeves fouled Pack with 12 seconds left, and Pack hit both free throws to seal the victory.

Raveling paced the sideline as Pack went to the line.

And Pack delivered the Trojans third victory in a row.

“All I was thinking about was hitting the shots,” Pack said.

Raveling, who spent much of the game orchestrating the crowd, urging USC’s student rooting section to increase its cheering, dedicated the victory to the Trojan supporters, who mobbed the players after the game.

“I think this win should be dedicated to our fans,” Raveling said. “I told a guy from the student newspaper that if the students would come out and support us, they could take us to the NCAA playoffs.

“We need those kinds of crowds. They’ve come out twice (the first time in a victory over UCLA last week) and gotten behind us and look at the results. All of a sudden teams are coming in the Sports Arena and they can’t call their signals. They get a headache trying to yell. And the other team’s coach can’t yell at the officials because they can’t hear them.

“I can’t minimize how important the students were today. That’s the largest student turnout since I’ve been here. They must have thought it was a football game.”

USC used a smothering 1-2-2 zone defense to throw Arizona’s offense out of sync in the first half as the Trojans grabbed a 12-point lead. Arizona, which shot only 37.8%, seemed confused by USC’s defense, missing 23 of 37 shots in the first 20 minutes. Arizona missed nine of 11 three-point shots.

Arizona guards Matt Othick and Muehlebach were a combined two for nine as USC took a 39-34 halftime lead.

Chris Mills finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds for Arizona. Sean Rooks had 18 points. Brian Williams had 17 points and 15 rebounds.