Three from Pac-10 packin’ for Sweet 16

It doesn’t get much sweeter for the Pacific-10 Conference.

The league’s basketball reputation seems to ebb and flow in the national media: anywhere from not so great, to competitive, but rarely top-shelf.

Yet, after USC’s undressing of Big 12 power Texas, the Pac-10 has three teams in the NCAA tournament’s Sweet Sixteen. Oregon also advanced out of Spokane, UCLA earned a spot, and Washington State came awfully close to making it four.

“It speaks a lot about how tough the Pac-10 is,” said USC guard Lodrick Stewart. “It’s a great conference; one of the best in the country, if not the best.”

And the future looks even better, says Trojans coach Tim Floyd.

“Well, you think what’s important about our league right now is that we are so positioned, I think, for dominance in the future,” said Floyd.

Floyd noted 16 of the top 20 scorers and 15 of the league’s top 20 rebounders are set to return next season. He said incoming prep recruits such as USC-bound O.J. Mayo should continue the run when the league’s top seniors move to the pro ranks.

Players and coaches from USC and Oregon told attending media members in Spokane that the Pac-10’s regular season and postseason tournament were a good test.

“It’s a special league and we have referred to that all season long that if we can survive our league – going against the people we have to go against every night – that we are going to have all the confidence in the world going into the NCAA tournament,” said Floyd.

Next the Trojans will try to defend the conference’s honor against Atlantic Coast Conference champion North Carolina.

Tough going

USC forward Taj Gibson was a big part of the team’s gameplan against Kevin Durant, but he spent a portion of the game out with an injury.

Gibson, a 6-foot-9 freshman from Brooklyn, N.Y., injured his jaw in the first half when he took an elbow from Texas’ Damion James. Gibson left the game only briefly and was grimacing as he iced it, then took another shot to his face in the second half.

His teammates said they were inspired by his effort, despite the fact he had trouble communicating on the court due to the injury. Gibson said he wasn’t going to stay on the bench.

“It was a lot of intense pain, but it was the second round, playing to go to the Sweet Sixteen,” he said. “I just told my coach, ‘Don’t take me out; I’m going to keep playing.’ “

He said the referee tried to take him out of the game after the second-half blow, out of concern for his condition. His teammates weren’t as understanding.

“You’re OK; those baby teeth are coming right out,” one of them joked in the locker room.

Can’t cleanse loss

Texas guard D.J. Augustin was the cleanest man in town after the loss to USC. He emerged from a lengthy postgame shower unable to get the disappointment off his face.

“It’s tough right now. I felt I could of did a lot more to help the team,” said the Longhorns’ freshman point guard.

He fouled out with 4:22 remaining after posting a tough line: 1-for-8 shooting, five assists, and six turnovers in 36 minutes of play. USC’s defensive scheme shut down his penetration and hampered Texas’ offense.

“They were big, they clogged up the lane, and they played good team defense,” he said.

Bunch of pumpkins

Where have all the Cinderellas gone?

Home, that’s where. It’s a different kind of madness this year.

After a sizzling second round, only single-digit seeds remain in the tournament. That hasn’t happened since 1995.

“When this magic carpet ride comes to an end, it ends rather abruptly. And it’s not an easy thing to accept,” Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall said.

The 11th-seeded Eagles were the last remaining double-digit seed and were sent packing after Sunday’s 75-61 loss to Oregon.

It’s now Butler’s turn to carry on for the fallen mid-majors.

The fifth-seeded Bulldogs will take on the defending national champion Florida Gators in the third round.

Oregon coach Ernie Kent had his own take on the top seeds rising to the occasion.

“I don’t know what the explanation is that no one is advancing,” Kent admitted. “All I know is that everybody at this level, once you get chosen in that field, everybody’s good and everybody can beat anybody. All it takes is one off night by two or three guys and you can get beat and you go home.”