Column: Sloppiness down the stretch costs USC in 81-70 loss to Oregon

Fans in the lower bowl of Galen Center were on their feet, screaming and clapping. Fans in the upper level waved and roared as USC, which had trailed No. 5 Oregon by 11 points late in the first half Saturday, pulled two points ahead early in the second half. The Trojans would expand their lead to four points nearly seven minutes in, on a layup and free throw by forward Bennie Boatwright.

It was loud. It was energizing. “It was electric,” Boatwright said.

It didn’t last.

The Trojans were swamped by a 16-4 Oregon run, and although they clawed back within three on a three-pointer by Elijah Stewart with 2 minutes 40 seconds left, they didn’t have enough energy or poise to mount another rally. The effort was visible in an 81-70 loss to the Ducks but the execution was sloppy, ruining their chances of earning another statement win to go with their victory over UCLA on Jan. 25.

“You have to play a little better against this type of team,” Coach Andy Enfield said of Oregon. “You have to make winning plays in the last three, four minutes. They made the plays tonight. We’ve made them most of the time all year long but tonight we couldn’t.”

That lack of sharpness down the stretch was just one of many areas in which the Trojans (21-5, 8-5 in Pac-12 Conference) were off their game. That’s separate from the fact that, as Enfield noted, “Oregon is a very good team. Maybe they had a lot to do with that.”

Quite a lot: Two of the Trojans’ worst turnover totals this season have come against the Ducks, with Saturday’s 16-turnover performance following a 17 -turnover effort in an 84-61 loss at Eugene on Dec. 30.

Point guard Jordan McLaughlin committed five turnovers Saturday. Stewart and De’Anthony Melton made four each. The Trojans missed at least three dunks, botched several inbounds plays, and missed more open three-point shots than Enfield could understand. Boatwright was one for nine from three-point range and three for 15 overall in 34 minutes.

“It wasn’t like we were taking bad, contested shots,” Enfield said. “Even early in the game Jordan missed a dunk in transition and they went on a seven-point run. It just seems like that’s the key. We missed two or three open shots and they come down and score.”

By committing so many unforced and mental errors the Trojans undermined their perpetual fight for respect and a top-25 ranking. The polls seem to punish them more harshly for losses and reward them less for wins than other teams, but voters couldn’t have ignored them if they had beaten Oregon on Saturday. That they competed closely for most of the game seemed to console them.

“To know that they’re a top-five team in the nation and how close we were really shows our growth,” Stewart said. “And just shows we can play with anybody now.”

But can they beat anybody? That’s not a given, though Stewart called the team underrated. “USC is like the Harry Potter of the Pac-12,” he said. “People say we’re a football school. I came in as a freshman and it’s been a total turnaround ever since my freshman year. We’re just going to keep on building, keep getting good recruits and hopefully change the culture.”

Better results won’t come through wizardry.

“I think they know they can compete with anybody, as far as schedule,” Enfield said. “I think a game like this, when they watch the film, they’ll see the little things make a big difference. The extra possessions: Oregon had 14 offensive rebounds and we only had 12, so two possessions there. We turned the ball over a couple more times. And when you miss shots, you have to try to steal possessions. We did block eight shots and had three steals. We did our job there as far as being active and forced them into 13 turnovers, but they’ll see a few things that they need to work on, especially in the crucial moments in a game.”

Boatwright began his work immediately. Wearing headphones to mute distractions, he headed to the practice court soon after the game had ended, hoping extra shots would help him regain his shooting touch and his legs. Saturday’s game was his toughest physically and emotionally of the four he has played since he returned from a knee injury that idled him for 15 games. The adrenaline he initially felt has worn off.

“The first two games I didn’t feel it as much. I was exhausted the whole game [Saturday],” he said. “I’ll play through it and get in the gym and get in shape, work on it.”

The loss to Oregon, he said, proved the Trojans are not far from becoming an upper-echelon team. “We have a lot of things we have to improve on but we’re getting better each and every day. Personally I feel like I have a lot to work on myself,” he said. “We’re going to get in the gym and get better.”

If they do, maybe they will again hear the noise and the cheers that serenaded them for a few precious moments Saturday. “You want to thank the fans for coming out,” Boatwright said. “We’ll pull it out next time.”

helene.elliott@latimes.com

Follow Helene Elliott on Twitter @helenenothelen