LOS ANGELES - Thirty minutes prior to tip-off Saturday night, Kerry Rupp gathered the Oregon State men's basketball team inside the restricted area under a basket inside the Galen Center.
The associate head coach furrowed his brow and started looking toward each player that encircled him while they clapped their hands, a pre-game routine before the Beavers retreated to the locker room to prep for USC.
"No excuses tonight!" Rupp exclaimed, repeatedly emphasizing his point.
For much of the evening, the Beavers stayed within striking distance and went toe-to-toe with a team desperate to stay in the NCAA Tournament conversation.