The free throw bounded toward the sky, eventually came down, and
rattled around.
Then the ball careened to the side, and the bottom dropped
out.
That was how UCLA guard Dijon Thompson’s first of two
last-second attempts at the line went as he attempted to tie the
game in overtime. And it is also achingly similar to how the
Bruins’ season has gone.
“I’m disappointed I didn’t make it,”
Thompson said.
What UCLA did make was history with a 78-77 overtime loss to
USC. Not only did the Trojans sweep the season series for the
second-straight season, but they have also now beaten the Bruins
four straight times, marking their longest streak since they lost
42 in a row from 1932-43.
The Great Depression and war came during those years. The
Bruins, who allowed their conference rivals to leapfrog them into
sixth place in the Pac-10 standings, experienced both in reverse
order Wednesday night.
“Losses are tough, period,” UCLA forward Trevor
Ariza said. “This one is tougher.”
USC guard Desmon Farmer, who came and left the Sports Arena on
the shoulders of his teammates, was the ultimate warrior. A senior,
Farmer made his final home game a memorable one, pouring in 11 of
his game-high 28 points in overtime.
“Coach (Henry Bibby) told me it was my time and to take
over,” Farmer said. “I’m a senior. I didn’t
want to go out a loser.”
With UCLA (11-13, 7-9 Pac-10) leading by five points, Farmer
single-handedly led the comeback, hitting two consecutive
3-pointers before scoring on a driving layup and completing a
3-point play to put the Trojans up 78-76 with 27.1 seconds
left.
Then the fun began. Thompson missed on a fallaway with enough
time for Cedric Bozeman to corral the rebound and get the ball back
to him. Thompson was fouled on his layup attempt with just 0.5
seconds left.
Then the horror kicked in. Thompson, a career 78 percent free
throw shooter, and the rest of the city watched as his first
attempt bounced off the rim. He accidentally banked in the second
to seal the win for the Trojans (12-13, 7-9).
“I didn’t say anything to (Thompson
afterwards),” UCLA forward T.J. Cummings said. “I let
him alone. It’s a lot of pressure for him in that
situation.”
Unlike the last time UCLA played in overtime against Arizona
State, when the team failed to make a single field goal, it made
four straight in the extra period against USC. But, like always,
they faltered, failing to score on key possessions once they had
the lead.
“There are so many possessions we could have capitalized
on,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said.
UCLA’s final possession of regulation was also wasted.
With the game tied at 65, Ariza, who equaled his career-high with
24 points, threw a pass into the Trojan band with 5.2 seconds
remaining. Errick Craven’s airball runner at the buzzer sent
the game into overtime.
UCLA trailed 38-30 at halftime, and USC stretched the lead to 17
points, with Rory O’Neil, Farmer and Errick Craven hitting
consecutive 3-pointers coming out of the half.
But the Bruins fought on, and a Hollins jump-hook completed an
8-2 run and tied the game at 65 with 1:30 remaining.
Ariza scored 17 points in the first half, including 11 in the
first three minutes to give UCLA an early 13-4 lead.