USC
Arizona
Arizona Downs USC
February 17, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 17, 2001
By KEN PETERS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES - Gilbert Arenas scored 27 points and missed just one shot Saturday as eighth-ranked Arizona routed Southern California 105-61, one of the worst defeats in the Trojans' history.
Arenas was 8-of-9 from the floor, missing just one jumper. He made all five shots from 3-point range, and was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. The 6-foot-3 sophomore also had five assists and three rebounds.
Arenas' backcourt mate, Jason Gardner, scored 31 points, going 6-of-7 from 3-point range as the Wildcats hit 14-of-19 from beyond the stripe and shot 54 percent from the floor.
Brian Scalabrine led the Trojans with 20 points, but was the only USC player in double figures.
The Trojans, who also lost to Arizona by 44 points in 1988, came close to the school record for most lopsided defeat - a 54-8 loss to Los Angeles YMCA in 1917.
The Wildcats took control early and completely overpowered the frigid-shooting Trojans.
With Arizona (18-7, 10-3 Pac-10) playing aggressive, efficient defense, the Trojans (17-7, 7-5) made just six of 34 shots in the opening 20 minutes and finished the game with at 30 percent.
USC went through two stretches totaling more than 10 minutes without a basket in the first half on their way to 17.6 percent shooting that left it trailing 46-23 at halftime.
The Wildcats also outrebounded USC 26-17 in the first half and finished with a 48-31 edge.
The Trojans went the first 3:45 of the game without a basket and fell behind 8-1. Then Jarvis Turner's layup 38 seconds before halftime was their only basket in the final 7 1/2 minutes of the half.
Arenas has led the Wildcats in scoring in seven of their last 12 games, including a career-high 30 points in a 79-77 overtime loss at UCLA on Thursday.
Last season, the Wildcats were 16-0 in the Pac-10 and ranked No. 2 nationally coming into the Los Angeles Sports Arena, but USC beat them 80-72, Arizona's third loss in their last four games on the Trojans' court.
