Inside USC Gameday Live

''Just like football''

2007-01-13T22:08:42Z

That's what UCLA fans chanted after the game. They haven't been able to use that chant in quite some time.
Lorenzo Mata on why UCLA was able to rally from a 10-point deficit: ``We just don't panic. We just fought back.''
Said Arron Afflalo, who had the game-winning shot: ``No matter what the score is, we had 22 seconds to get the job done.''
Afflalo made an offbalance jumper with 4.7 seconds left to win it.

Darren Collison led UCLA with 17 points, and Afflalo had 15. Nick Young had 14 for USC.
Taj Gibson played all 40 minutes for the Trojans and had nine points, four fouls, four blocks, eight rebounds and three turnovers. USC's Abdoulaye N'diaye had four points, seven rebounds and one block in nine minutes,
That's it from the Galen Center.

UCLA wins

2007-01-13T21:36:07Z

USC did not get off a good shot. The Trojans struggled in the backcourt against UCLA's defense and Gabe Pruitt could only get up a long, WAY short attempt from halfcourt.
UCLA 65, USC 64.
What a finish!

Unbelievable finish...and it's not over

2007-01-13T21:31:03Z

Down by three, USC needed a 3-pointer to tie. Young was open on the baseline and made the three, but he was fouled on the play by Darren Collison. His three tied the game with 22.9 seconds left, and Young made the free throw.
USC 64, UCLA 63, 22.9 seconds
Big shot after big shot!
With the clock winding down, Arron Afflalo just nailed a jumper in the lane with 4.7 seconds left.
UCLA 65, USC 64, 4.7 seconds left

Still not over

2007-01-13T21:29:35Z

Gabe Pruitt just made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 63-60.
UCLA fans just started chanting ``U-C-L-A'' during a timeout but the Trojan band has now outdueled them.
USC 63, UCLA 60, 39 seconds left

wow

2007-01-13T21:21:01Z

ucla just went on an 8-1 run, with three of those points by Lorenzo Mata and five by Afflalo.
Nick Young had a one-and-one and he missed the free throw, then stood at the line slamming his arms in disgust. Had he not worried about the miss, he might have got the rebound, but Michael Roll grabbed it just in front of him.
Then Lorenzo Mata had a putback to put UCLA up 63-57 , 51 seconds left

Bonus

2007-01-13T21:12:32Z

With 5:26 left, both teams are in the free throw bonus situation. USC's Daniel Hackett and Taj Gibson each just missed the front end of a one-and-one.
Russell Westbrook had a shot blocked by Taj Gibson. Gibson got the rebound, then Westbrook made a silly mistake and fouled at him trying to take a stab at the ball.
Afflalo just made two free throws.
USC 55, UCLA 55, 3:57 left second half
Check that. Afflalo just came off a screen and hit a 3-pointer from the top of the arc.
UCLA 58, USC 55, 3:48 left second half
It's UCLA's second lead of the game. The first was at 17-16 in the first half.

What?

2007-01-13T20:59:48Z

There have been some interesting calls in this game, to be sure. Bodies have been flying on the court. Lorenzo Mata fell with a thud heard around the stadium. Nick Young just fell, along with Russell Westbrook on an inbounds play.
USC 55, UCLA 52, 7:13 left second half

Run, run, run

2007-01-13T20:57:18Z

USC made a run, UCLA made one and 'SC just made another.
Darren Collison hit back-to-back 3-pointers for UCLA to cut the lead to three points at 42-38. After a Nick Young jumper and two free throws by Collison, Lodrick Stewart nailed a 3-pointer and Ndiaye - who played just five minutes in the first half - scored on a move inside over Mata.
USC 49, UCLA 40, 11:53 second half

Team huddle

2007-01-13T20:49:59Z

Instead of going to the bench to get instructions from their coaches, USC's five players that were in the game huddled near midcourt. They just built a 10-point lead and figured they'd talk about it amongst themselves, until an assistant coach came out to midcourt and hurried them back to the bench for a proper timeout.
USC 42, UCLA 32, 15:16 left second half

Another upset?

2007-01-13T20:45:47Z

USC has a seven-point lead as is on a 7-0 run right now.
UCLA was undefeated and the top-ranked team in the country until a loss at Oregon last week. The Bruins could lose two consecutive games. Remember, USC beat UCLA last year, too. It was a loss that changed the Bruins' season as it went on to win its next 12 games before losing to Florida in the final.
USC 39, UCLA 32, 15:47 second halfCheck that!
USC's Gabe Pruitt hit another 3-pointer - falling down in the process.
USC 42, UCLA 32, 15:32 left second half

Another sighting

2007-01-13T20:30:01Z

Lakers owner Jerry Buss is here, too.

Arron Afflalo hit consecutive 3-pointers to cut USC's lead to one. He picked up his third foul at 18:05 and then missed a 3-pointer.
Lodrick Stewart just faked Michael Roll on a shot attempt, then cruised through the lane and made a shot on a finger roll.
All these fouls really could hurt UCLA down the stretch.
USC 36, UCLA 32, 16:48 left second half

Stellar Sharman

2007-01-13T20:26:08Z

The No. 11 jersey of former basketball great Bill Sharman was just retired at halftime. Sharman, wearing a black argyle sweater and black pants, donned a Trojans jacket presented by athetic director Mike Garrett and was called ``a champion of the people.'' His No. 11 jersey was retired.

Speaking of No. 11, Daniel Hackett was wearing No. 25. Why, you ask? Well, the jersey was just retired. Hackett is now wearing No. 25.

USC leads

2007-01-13T20:21:27Z

UCLA might be the favorite, but USC is playing well in front of the sellout crowd. USC's Taj Gibson had a block on Mbah a Moute down the stretch to get fans going.
With 11 seconds left before halftime, Gabe Pruitt fouled Darren Collison. Collison was just dribbling at the top of the key and trying to run the clock down when Pruitt literally put his hand on his face.
Collison made two free throws to cut the lead to 31-26 at halftime.
USC missed a shot on the other end and Michael Roll's last-second hurl across nearly entire length of the court hit the rim.
USC 31, UCLA 25, halftime

Marcus Allen

2007-01-13T20:19:13Z

Marcus Allen isn't just a football fan. He's here at the USC-UCLA game, too.
USC 31, UCLA 24, 45 seconds halftime

The good, the bad and the bench

2007-01-13T20:13:52Z

Lorenzo Mata just had a putback slam dunk after a missed shot by Mbah a Moute. It was a nice play. But on the defensive end, he just picked up his third foul and is back on the bench.
USC made consecutive 3-pointers by Lodrick Stewart and Dwight Lewis for an eight-point lead.
USC 31, UCLA 24, 1:12 left first half
This place is L-O-U-D