Lowly Beavers could be tricky

Tim Floyd, defensive guru, may need to switch hats and become Tim Floyd, master motivator, to prepare USC for its game tonight at the Galen Center against Oregon State.

The Beavers have lost eight of nine games, with the victory coming against an Arizona State team that is winless in the Pacific 10 Conference.

Oregon State ranks last in the conference in free-throw percentage, field-goal percentage defense and rebounding margin. The Beavers rank next to last in scoring offense, scoring margin, field-goal percentage and assists.

And, oh yeah, there is also the little matter of what happened the last time the teams played -- USC beat the Beavers, 91-46, at Corvallis, Ore., last month as the Trojans shot 66% and seniors Lodrick Stewart (28 points) and Abdoulaye N’diaye (16) sprung for career highs. The 45-point margin was the most lopsided in the 82-year history of a series that spans 116 meetings.

So, coach, what do you do for an encore?

“We’re smart enough to know that we’re not 45 points better than Oregon State and we’re not going to beat them by 45, nor 35, nor 25, nor 15,” Floyd said. “It just isn’t going to happen. They weren’t as bad as they were that night all year long. And we’re not that good.”

Trojans players said they know how quickly things can change, citing their series against UCLA last season. The Trojans absorbed a 21-point defeat in the first meeting only to rebound with a victory over the Bruins a month later.

Stewart said USC needs to come out “more focused” because of last month’s drubbing of Oregon State, in which he made nine of 10 shots and spent most of the second half basking in the blowout from the bench.

“Most teams that get embarrassed like that come back and play you hard the next game,” Stewart said. “I know it’s going to be a close game. They’re going to come in here fighting.”

Oregon State Coach Jay John said USC actually presents “a harder matchup” for the Beavers than fifth-ranked UCLA.

“They’re both difficult, but USC plays with four guys on the perimeter and Nick Young at the four spot, and you have a heck of a time trying to defend him,” John said.

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USC junior guard Gabe Pruitt returned to practice after being sidelined by a virus the previous day and requiring two bags of intravenous fluids.... Freshman guard Daniel Hackett watched practice from the sideline as punishment for not attending a study hall session, Floyd said.... Because the Trojans have been unable to reach Harold Miner, their all-time leading scorer, they do not plan to honor him at halftime of their game against California on Feb. 24. They will instead honor Bob Boyd, who won 216 games as USC coach from 1967 to 1979. The Trojans will honor Ron Riley, their all-time leading rebounder, at halftime tonight.

TONIGHT

vs. Oregon State, 7:30

Site -- Galen Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- USC 16-6 overall, 6-3 Pac-10; Oregon State 9-13, 1-8.

Update -- In a statistical oddity, the Beavers are 2-4 this season when making more than 50% of their shots and 6-2 when making 40% to 49%.

ben.bolch@latimes.com