USC, Hoping to Stay in Contention, Faces Cal

The Pacific 10 basketball race still is in its early stages, but there is a trend.

Oregon State (5-0) apparently is the class of the conference. USC (4-1), UCLA (5-2) and Washington (4-2) are the Beavers’ primary challengers now.

Arizona (3-3), Arizona State, Oregon and Washington State (all 2-4) are in the middle of the pack, and Stanford (1-4) and California (1-5) are lagging.

If USC is to remain a contender, the Trojans must beat Cal today (Channel 4, 1 p.m.) and Stanford Monday night at the Sports Arena.

UCLA beat Cal Thursday night, 80-69, and stayed just a hot breath away from USC. The Bruins will play host to the Cardinal tonight, and if USC and UCLA sweep the Bay Area schools, that will set up an important game between the Trojans and Bruins next Friday night at the Sports Arena.

Cal is struggling. The Bears are a guard-oriented team with quick Kevin Johnson and Chris Washington, but they’ve been outmatched in league play on the front line.

Center Leonard Taylor, a 6-8 freshman from St. Bernard High School, is performing beyond expectations, averaging 13.3 points and 7.1 rebounds, but he isn’t getting much rebounding help from his teammates.

Cal has been out-rebounded in five of its six Pac-10 games. USC, with forwards Derrick Dowell and Wayne Carlander leading the way, is a strong rebounding team. The Trojans have out-rebounded their opponents by an average of six a game.

Trojan Notes

USC center Clayton Olivier had the flu earlier in the week, but he’ll most likely play today. . . . Wayne Carlander is only 30 points away from moving into third place on the all-time USC scoring list and ahead of Gus Williams, who finished with 1,318 points. . . . Guard Larry Friend leads the Pac-10 in assists, averaging 6.9 a game. . . . Ron Holmes has scored 18 or more points in six of the last 10 games. . . . USC’s 10-4 overall record is its best start since the 1981-82 team opened at 13-4 and wound up in the NCAA tournament with a 19-9 record. . . . Marcus Cotton, a freshman linebacker on the football team, has joined the basketball team. He is a former All-Bay Area selection from Castlemont High School in Oakland. . . . USC split its games with Cal last season.