Page One

Bears can’t shake Trojans’ hex, fall to season sweep

The Associated Press
Monday March 05, 2001

Lampley held to 11 points in loss 

 

LOS ANGELES – Brandon Granville scored 22 points, including four free throws over the final 1:34, as Southern California defeated California 74-69 Saturday to keep alive its hopes of an NCAA tournament bid. 

The Trojans (19-9, 9-7) moved within a game of the Golden Bears (19-9, 10-6) for fourth place in the Pac-10 with two games remaining. 

The victory gave USC a season sweep of Cal, which lost for the first time in four years at the Sports Arena. The Bears were swept on their trip to Los Angeles, having lost to No. 12 UCLA on Thursday. 

Sam Clancy added 16 points for the Trojans, who had gone 2-4 since beating Cal 80-66 a month ago. Clancy had 25 points in that game, but had slumped to an 11.2 average over the last six games. 

USC built a 16-point lead with 6:13 remaining on the strength of a 21-7 run in which Granville hit two 3-pointers and David Bluthenthal added one. 

But the Bears came back with three 3-pointers in a 17-5 spurt that drew them within four with 2:16 to play. Brian Wethers hit two 3-pointers and finished with 18 points to lead Cal. 

Granville hit two free throws to keep USC ahead 70-64. Joe Shipp cut Cal’s deficit to four with two free throws. 

Jeff Trepagnier missed a corner jumper for USC, but Wethers was called for an offensive foul in the final minute. That gave the Trojans possession, and Granville got fouled. He made both free throws to give USC a 72-66 lead with 27 seconds left. 

Cal’s Sean Lampley, the Pac-10’s leading scorer at 20 points a game, hit a 3-pointer to make it 72-69 with 18 seconds left. He finished with 11 points. 

Shantay Legans missed a 3-pointer and Trepagnier grabbed the rebound, got fouled and made one of two free throws with 3.5 seconds left to seal the victory.