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--> --> Buzzer-beater saves UCLA from loss to USC LOS ANGELES (AP) - Billy Knight's buzzer-beating 3-pointer spared No. 15 UCLA from an embarrassing defeat for a number of reasons. His game-winner Wednesday night gave the Bruins a 67-65 victory over No. 25 Southern California, avoiding their first sweep by the Trojans since the 1991-92 season. UCLA squandered an 11-point lead with 5:53 left. "We didn't do a good job offensively in the last eight minutes," said UCLA coach Steve Lavin, whose team had lost three of its last five. "I probably should have taken more timeouts. Thank goodness the kids were able to overcome poor coaching." Jason Kapono's layup with 7:03 to play put UCLA ahead 59-48, but the Bruins didn't make another field goal until Knight's 3-pointer as time expired. Brandon Granville's two free throws with 33 seconds left put the Trojans ahead 65-64. Following a timeout, UCLA ran the clock down, only to have Cedric Bozeman miss a shot from the lane. Dan Gadzuric grabbed the rebound, but missed the putback. Gadzuric again got the rebound and passed to Knight for the winning basket. "At the end, Gadzuric did not force the ball up for the last shot," Lavin said. "Instead, he had the presence of mind to make a diagonal pass to Knight for an open 3-point attempt with virtually no time left. I honestly thought the horn would go off before Knight got the ball off." Kapono scored 26 points for the Bruins (16-6, 8-4 Pac-10), with Knight adding 14, Gadzuirc 11 and Matt Barnes 10 to avenge an 81-77 loss to Southern California on Jan. 10. Sam Clancy had 24 points and 14 rebounds for the Trojans (16-6, 8-4), his eighth consecutive double-double. The streak is the longest by a Southern California player since Ron Riley achieved the feat to start the 1971-72 season. UCLA trailed 39-33 at halftime, but quickly pulled into a 40-40 tie as Kapono had five points during a 7-1 run opening the second half. David Bluthenthal's tip-in put the Trojans ahead 42-40 with 16:46 left. Southern California would not score again for more than four minutes as the Bruins scored seven consecutive points for a 47-42 lead. The Trojans' offensive struggles continued as they fell behind 61-50 with 5:53 remaining after an 8-2 UCLA run, with Kapono scoring all eight points. "The first 14 minutes of the second half we only scored nine points and I don't know why," USC coach Henry Bibby said. "UCLA was executing mixed defenses against us and that probably caused us problems." The Trojans cut the lead to 61-56 1:34 later on baskets by Rory O'Neil, Granville and Clancy. Bluthenthal's 3-pointer capped 7-2 run, which pulled USC within 64-63 with 1:38 remaining. In the first half, neither team had more than a four-point lead until the Trojans scored eight consecutive points to go up 39-30 1:50 before halftime. Barnes made a 3-pointer as the half ended. Clancy scored USC's first 10 points and 12 of its first 14. Little-used senior guard Gennaro Busterna, a junior college transfer, added a career-high 12 points in 21 minutes for the Trojans, who have lost their last nine games at Pauley Pavilion. Granville added 11 points. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing