Miner and USC Take Bounce Out of UCLA's Step : Basketball: Guard scores eight of the Trojans' last 12 points in 76-74 victory. Bruins' loss is fourth in last six games.

By CHRIS BAKER

Jan. 31, 1991 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

As the crowd surged onto the court after USC knocked off No. 12 UCLA, 76-74, Wednesday night at the Sports Arena, Trojan Coach George Raveling wrapped his arms around guard Harold Miner and hugged him so tightly it seemed as if he was trying to squeeze the air out of him.

Miner, who scored 20 points, sank two consecutive three-point shots in the final 3 1/2 minutes and scored eight of the Trojans’ last 12 points as they overcame a five-point deficit and defeated Bruins for the second time in their last three meetings.

“My shot wasn’t there early in the game because my touch seemed to be off,” Miner said. “But when it comes down to crunch time, I live to have the ball and I stayed focused and the shots fell for me.

“It’s gratifying to beat UCLA because they’re such a great ballclub. This win will give us some momentum going into the second half of the league.”

The Bruins had a shot to win, but Don MacLean missed a three-point shot from the top of the key as time expired. It was a questionable shot by MacLean, who has made only one of seven three-point shots this season and has sunk three of 12 three-point shots in his career.

“Was it a good shot?” MacLean said. “Yes, I was wide open. The play was designed for Darrick Martin to come off the pick and hit either me or Tracy (Murray). He found me and I was open.”

After taking a pass from Martin, MacLean, who missed six of 11 shots and was held to a season-low 11 points, took a step back, going over the three-point line before firing, but his shot clanked off the back of the rim, touching of a wild celebration by the USC fans in the crowd of 9,125.

“I thought I was on the line,” MacLean said. “I didn’t think (stepping back) would make that much difference. It’s too bad that I didn’t make it, but I’m more disappointed with the way I played tonight. I just wasn’t really into it. I don’t know why. But I can’t blame anybody but myself.”

Martin said he didn’t shoot because two Trojan defenders converged on him, and MacLean was open.

“I saw Don and I thought he had a more wide-open shot than I did,” Martin said. “Now that I look back at it, maybe I should have taken the shot because I was a little closer. I thought he’d take a little 15-foot jumper, which is deadly. He doesn’t miss that. But he stepped back and took a chance. If he makes it, he’s a hero.”

Would it have been wiser for UCLA, playing on the road, to play for the tie instead of going for the victory?

“We got the shot we wanted,” said UCLA Coach Jim Harrick, whose team lost for the fourth time in its last six games. “It was a little further than I wanted, but it’s good enough to win that game. I didn’t like (MacLean) stepping back, but it was a real good open shot. I wanted Martin to drive and dish or drive and shoot, but they double-teamed him, I thought he made a great decision.

“I thought we had plenty of chances to win. But we turned the ball over about three or four times during the stretch. It wasn’t any great defense, we just threw it away. You can’t do that. We did the same thing at Oregon State.”

USC Coach George Raveling didn’t question Harrick’s strategy.

“I’ve got enough trouble coaching my own team rather than trying to coach UCLA,” Raveling said. “They don’t pay much.”

The Trojans, 11-6 overall and 3-5 in the Pacific 10 Conference, who have lost four games by four points or less after missing last-minute shots, finally maintained their poise down the stretch.

The Bruins (15-5, 4-4) looked vulnerable 1:54 into the second half when MacLean had to sit down after drawing his fourth foul, with the Trojans leading by six points.

But UCLA outscored USC, 20-10, in the first eight minutes of the second half to take a 57-52 lead.

Martin triggered the run with 11 points and Murray added two three-pointers.

Raveling used a timeout with 11:58 remaining to halt the Bruins’ momentum. USC then outscored UCLA, 8-2, to take a 60-59 lead when Duane Cooper made a three-pointer with 9:55 left.

Then in the last few minutes, Miner took over.

With USC trailing, 69-68, he made a three-point shot from the left wing to give the Trojans a 71-69 lead with 3:27 remaining.

UCLA regained the lead when Murray, who had a game-high 24 points, made a three-pointer from the left corner with 2:51 left.

But Miner again sank a three-point jumper from the left corner with 2:35 left to give the Trojans the lead for good.

The Bruins had a chance to go ahead, but Murray missed a three-point shot from the left side with 2:19 left.

Forward Mark Boyd then gave the Trojans a four-point lead with two free throws with 2:17 remaining.

Murray cut it to 76-73 when he made the front end of a one-and-one with 1:49 left, but he missed the second. The Trojans ran the clock down to 1:13 before guard Robert Pack missed a five-footer.

Murray was fouled by Coleman with 58 seconds left, but made only one free throw and Pack controlled the rebound.

The Trojans ran the clock down to 9.3 seconds, but Cooper missed a three-point shot, giving the Bruins one last chance.

But MacLean’s shot didn’t fall and UCLA fell.

USC-UCLA Notes

USC forward Ronnie Coleman, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds, needs 12 points to surpass Wayne Carlander and become USC’s all-time leading scorer. Carlander had 1,524 points in 116 games from 1982-85 and Coleman has scored 1,513 points in 104 games. But USC guard Harold Miner could break the mark next season. Miner has 1,003 points in 45 games. UCLA guard Shon Tarver, who had shot 37.1% and averaged six points in his last five games, had 19 points in 29 minutes off the bench for the Bruins, his most productive game since he had 20 points in UCLA’s opener against UC Irvine. . . . UCLA Coach Jim Harrick said he didn’t play Mitchell Butler, who started UCLA’s first 17 games, in the second half because he thought the Bruins were playing well and didn’t want to upset the chemistry. Forward Keith Owens, who has struggled since replacing Butler in the Bruins’ starting lineup, scored three points and grabbed four rebounds.

UCLA’s game against Pittsburgh on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion has been switched from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. to accommodate CBS, which is televising the game. . . . USC plays Cal State Northridge next Monday night at the Sports Arena.

RAVELING: The USC coach savors an emotional victory over the Trojans’ crosstown rivals. C4