ASU falls to USC, hopes for bid
It was a call Arizona State didn't want. Now, the Sun Devils are waiting for one they hope to get.
From controversy to call waiting, ASU's chances at the NCAA Tournament remained as subjective as ever Thursday after a 59-55 loss to Southern California in a game that ended with the Sun Devils unhappy at the officiating yet optimistic that the selection committee will award them an at-large berth Sunday.
"It's difficult to be objective when you're this emotional," ASU coach Herb Sendek said.
Emotions, everything from frustration to resignation, were apparent after ASU's chance at eliminating some, if not all, of their tournament uncertainty came to a halt, a whistle stop, when ASU's Jeff Pendergraph was called for a foul with 16 seconds left in the quarterfinals of the Pac-10 Tournament at Staples Center.
ASU freshman James Harden missed a layup after a steal, his seventh, from USC's Dwight Lewis. In the fast-break haste down court, Pendergraph soared above the rim for an offensive rebound and a slam that would have tied the score at 57-57. But the dunk was waved off by official Michael Eggers, who called Pendergraph for going over the back of USC freshman Davon Jefferson.
"I didn't feel any contact at all," Pendergraph said. "I just thought I jumped over everybody and dunked the ball."
Depending on the angle, video replays appeared inconclusive. So was much of the debate in the postgame press room, where most of the questions were about the call's timing. It's often said that the best calls in pivotal, late-second situations are no calls. Not even USC seemed certain about what it had seen or heard.
"I just saw a bunch of guys jump, saw the slam and heard the whistle," said USC freshman O.J. Mayo, who finished with a game-high 23 points.
But a couple of elements were beyond dispute:
• Jefferson hit the subsequent free throws, two attempts that ensured the Trojans of a victory that puts them into today's semifinals.
• The Sun Devils (19-12) left themselves vulnerable at the end. They didn't score a field goal during the final 9:35, missing their last 10 attempts from the floor.
"We probably shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place," said Pendergraph, who missed a free-throw attempt with 2:10 left. Ty Abbott missed another with 1:38 left.
Late misses from the line were just a couple among many that left ASU's fate in somebody else's hands.
USC coach Tim Floyd said the Sun Devils belong in the NCAA Tournament.
"I don't believe there was a Tournament decision based on that call," said Floyd, whose Trojans (21-10) are considered a lock. "I think they're in the NCAA Tournament anyway."
Above all, Floyd sounded relieved that he won't have to face ASU and its difficult zone defense again for a while. Defense from both teams often made points look like an endangered species throughout most of the game.
The Sun Devils shot 35.3 percent, 28.6 in the second half. The Trojans weren't much better, shooting 33.3 percent after halftime.
USC outrebounded ASU and did its best to contain Harden with a matchup initiated by guard Daniel Hackett.
Harden finished with 16 points.
"Hackett did a great job on Harden," Floyd said. "On the screen and roll, he forced him to catch the ball, outside of his comfort zone."
For the next couple of days, there won't be much comfort anywhere for ASU. There will be only the anxiety of waiting and wondering whether the controversial end to a game also ended its NCAA Tournament hopes.
"It felt like a bad sports movie," said Pendergraph, who hopes for a selection instead of a sequel on Sunday.
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