The Ducks have cut the Trojan lead to just one, so Kevin O'Neill took a timeout with less than 13 minutes remaining and his team up, 36-35.
"We're going to quit turning the ball over down here [on offense]," O'Neill said during the 30-second timeout. "Let's get it together."
With 15:07 left in the game, the first media timeout of the second half has arrived, with the Trojans holding a 36-31 lead.
It's halftime at the Galen Center, and the Trojans hold a 32-23 advantage at the break.
Coach Kevin O'Neill and an official engaged in an entertaining -- but awfully brief -- conversation when O'Neill wanted to dispute a non-call on a potential out-of-bounds play by Oregon. This is how it went:
O'Neill: "He stepped out of bounds!"
Referee: "He did not!"
O'Neill: "Yes he did!"
Referee: "Well, I disagree."
And with that, O'Neill and the referee parted ways and the dialogue ended.
Holding a 31-19 lead with 3:34 remaining, Coach Kevin O'Neill had some ups and downs to discuss with his team during the final media timeout of the first half.
"If we just take care of the ball, we'll be fine," O'Neill told his players, who have given up six turnovers so far. "Keep defending -- you've done a great job of defending the last four or five minutes."
A flurry of threes -- by both teams, but especially by USC -- has given the Trojans a 25-16 advantage at the under-8 media timeout, with 7:27 remaining in the first period.
During the recently completed timeout, Coach Kevin O'Neill changed man-on-man defensive assignments, drew up an offensive play and gave encouragement to his players for their hard play, key rebounds and nine-point early lead.
They already have four turnovers, but the Trojans carry a 19-10 lead into the second media timeout, with 10:16 left in the half.
