USC Feels the Fury of Arizona, 80-57

TEMPE, Ariz. —  George Raveling, USC basketball coach, had seen enough.

Disgusted when no foul was called when Arizona forward Brian Williams elbowed Trojan guard Harold Miner in the head with 6:20 remaining in an 80-57 loss to Arizona in the second round of the Pacific 10 Conference tournament Friday night, Raveling bolted from his seat and stormed onto the court to confront referee Terry Christman.

Asked if Miner lost consciousness after Williams hit him in the head, Raveling said: “No, he didn’t, but I did. That’s the only way I can explain me walking out there.”

Williams said it was unintentional.

“They just trapped me in the corner,” Williams said. “People don’t realize that if they can trap you, you have an equal opportunity to get out of it. I just pivoted and tried to keep the ball away from (Miner). There was no intent to elbow him, but I have to create enough space for me to get out of the jam.

“I think for the most part guards know not to harass big men once they get the ball. You might slap the ball away one or two times, but it’s dangerous territory.”

Arizona Coach Lute Olson was stunned when Raveling stormed the court.

“I feel like taking a walk (onto the court) a lot of times,” Olson said. “But George has more courage than I do.”

Although Raveling received a technical foul for his antics, he wasn’t finished.

Two minutes later, after Christman called a foul against Arizona center Sean Rooks for checking Miner, Raveling applauded the call and bowed to the referee in jest.

Arizona guard Matt Muehlebach defended against Miner and pretty much took him out of the game. Although he scored 14 points to break Don MacLean’s Pac-10 freshman scoring record of 577 points by a point, Miner missed 15 of 20 shots.

“I hope I can bounce back, regroup and come back stronger next year,” Miner said.

Left off the All-Pac-10 team, Muehlebach played as if he had something to prove, getting 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. It was the third time in Pac-10 history that a player has reached double figures in points, rebounds and assists. Gary Payton got a triple-double in 1989, and Kevin Johnson, former Cal guard, had a triple-double in 1987.

“I won’t try to B.S. you, I voted for Muehlebach on the All-Pac-10 team,” Raveling said. “I thought he deserved be on it. He’s smart and he’s an excellent defensive player. I like him.”

Arizona forward Jud Buechler also played well, scoring the Wildcats’ first 11 points. He finished with 20 points and seven rebounds.

“Matt had a super game,” Buechler said. “I’m a bit jealous.”

But the Wildcats’ front line depth doomed USC as Arizona defeated the Trojans for the 10th consecutive time.

Rooks had 18 points in a substitute’s role and center Ed Stokes had 12 points and 12 rebounds as Arizona outrebounded USC, 56-33.

Raveling wouldn’t mind having some of Arizona’s big men.

“I’ve often felt you ought to be able to make trades in college basketball,” Raveling said. “They’ve got all those big guys and we can make a trade. We’ll send them one of our defensive backs.”

The No. 15 Wildcats (22-6) who have won 12 consecutive Pac-10 games since a 73-67 loss to UCLA, will play Stanford in a Pac-10 semifinal game today.

“I hope they do well in the NCAA tournament,” Raveling said. “They certainly have the capability of being a Final Four team.”

Leading 33-23 at halftime, Arizona outscored USC, 17-6, in the first 4:39 of the second half to take command. The Wildcats led by as many as 25 points.

Ronnie Coleman had a team-high 15 points for USC, which finished the season at 12-16.