Pepperdine Pepperdine/USC USC Men's College Basketball recap on ESPN

Brandon Granville sank five of six free throws in the final 39 seconds as the Trojans held off Pepperdine 76-73 Thursday night, surviving their fourth straight squeaker to remain undefeated in seven games.

"I was pretty confident Brandon would make those free throws," said Brian Scalabrine, who scored 22 points despite four fouls in a game that saw six players foul out.

Glen McGowan missed an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have forced overtime for the Waves (5-3).

No one was happy about the tight officiating, a result of a new NCAA rule on eliminating physical play.

"The kids aren't sure how to play," USC coach Henry Bibby said. "The officiating is unlike anything I've ever seen. It gets frustrating. The game has been taken away from competitive play and put in the hands of the officials."

The Trojans have won nine straight dating to last season, tying their longest winning streak set during the 1991-92 season.

"We don't ever expect games to be close, but that's just how it's worked out. Fortunately, we've been winning," said David Bluthenthal, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out with 4:55 remaining left, just as the Waves were threatening to pull off the upset.

Granville finished with 17 points.

Brandon Armstrong scored 18 of his 20 in the second half, and Kelvin Gibbs added 19 as the Waves had four players foul out.

"Obviously, it's something that all of us coaches are going to have to adjust to. I can't say anything bad because we're not supposed to," Pepperdine coach Jan van Breda Kolff said about the officiating.

Armstrong hit a 3-pointer to put the Waves within three with 28 seconds remaining. Granville hit two free throws to keep the Trojans ahead 75-70.

But Tyler Murphy got fouled and missed both free throws, then Micah McKinney hit a 3-pointer to pull Pepperdine within two with eight seconds left.

Granville was fouled again and made one of two free throws before McGowan missed at the buzzer.

With 58 seconds left, McKinney had stolen the ball from freshman Desmon Farmer and scored to make it 71-67. Armstrong then fouled Granville, who made two free throws in the first of his three trips to the line in the closing seconds.

USC saw its double-digit lead in the second half disappear with 4:48 remaining. The Waves closed within six on a three-point play by McGowan before Scalabrine steadied the Trojans despite picking up his fourth foul in the final four minutes.

He scored five straight to keep USC ahead 71-60 with 2:33 remaining. By then, Bluthenthal and starting forward Sam Clancy already had fouled out.

Starters Gibbs and David Lalazarian, along with Derrick Anderson and Cedric Suitt fouled out for Pepperdine.

"I had about three ghost calls. I've never seen six players foul out," Gibbs said. "I fouled out with about five minutes to go and we still made it close."

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