Column: USC helping turn Los Angeles into a college basketball town as crosstown rival with UCLA heats up

The Lakers are rebuilding oring and the Rams are whatever choice adjectives Eric Dickerson is using to describe them.

At the moment, Los Angeles is a college basketball town.

Pauley Pavilion should be packed to the rafters Saturday when No. 2 UCLA takes on Michigan, a reflection of how Lonzo Ball and fellow freshman TJ Leaf have awakened the long-dormant national powerhouse.

Here’s the best part: This isn’t a one-team town.

While UCLA has become the city’s basketball darling, USC is quietly off to its best start in 45 years. The Trojans head into Sunday’s game against Pepperdine with an 8-0 record.

USC, though currently unranked, is likely to start Pac-12 Conference competition undefeated. The Trojans’ remaining nonconference schedule is comprised of soft touches such as Troy, Cornell and Missouri State.

“We’re a better team now, early, than we were last year,” Coach Andy Enfield said.

College basketball has been an afterthought in these parts for the last several years. Now, there’s a possibility of intra-city rivalry games that really count for something.

Last season marked a significant breakthrough for the Trojans, who reached the NCAA tournament after finishing last in the Pac-12 in their first two seasons under Enfield. The Trojans were long and athletic, employing the kind of up-tempo style reminiscent of Enfield’s Florida Gulf Coast team that reached the Sweet Sixteen. And they were 3-0 against UCLA.

There were some unexpected setbacks between then and now, starting with the departures of guard Julian Jacobs and forward Nikola Jovanovic, who declared early for the NBA draft. The best returning player, 6-foot-10 forward Bennie Boatwright, suffered a sprained knee last week that will sideline him for several weeks.

However, Enfield said, “We’re longer, more athletic this year.”

There’s plenty of size at the guard position. Leading scorer Elijah Stewart is 6-5. Shaqquan Aaron, a sophomore transfer from Louisville, stands 6-7. De’Anthony Melton, who has made a surprising impact as a freshman, is a 6-4 point guard.

Sophomore forward Chimezie Metu, who gave UCLA fits last season, is a mobile 6-11.

The Trojans continue to play at a high tempo behind junior point guard Jordan McLaughlin, scoring an average of 81.4 points per game. The balance on their roster has allowed them to offset Boatwright’s absence because they have five players other than Boatwright who are averaging double figures in points.

Their athleticism also has translated into an improved defense.

“We’ve been defending well all season,” Enfield said. “That’s why we’re 8-0.”

USC’s opponents are shooting only 38.9%, including 28.0% on three-pointers.

“We study teams, what they like to do, and a lot of teams we played this year like to shoot the three ball,” McLaughlin said. “In practice, we prepare for that, running players off the line.”

USC forced 16 turnovers and allowed only nine assists in a victory over BYU at Staples Center on Saturday. The Trojans had 11 steals, including four by Metu.

Melton is averaging 2.75 steals per game, which places him in the top 15 nationally.

“This team is very unique in the fact that we can play big or small and still defend,” Enfield said.

The style could present a problem for UCLA. The Bruins play fast, largely because of how quickly Ball moves the basketball. The Trojans are fast.

Melton has the size and athleticism to slow down Ball. Metu could do the same to Leaf.

The teams have one common opponent: Texas A&M. The Trojans won at College Station on Nov. 18, 65-63. The Bruins downed the Aggies, 74-67, at the Honda Center in the championship game of the Wooden Legacy tournament.

Still, there is a substantial gap between the rivals, not only in the rankings, but also in recognition. As was the case last year, the Trojans are stuck with the title of the city’s best-kept secret.

Through five home games, the Trojans have averaged crowds of around 3,100 fans. The announced attendance for their game against BYU was 7,952 fans, but most of the crowd appeared to be there to watch Gonzaga take on Arizona in the first half of the Hoophall LA doubleheader.

Jan. 25 could be a turning point. That’s the day USC hosts UCLA.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

Follow Dylan Hernandez on Twitter @dylanohernandez