USC Opens Regular Season Against Baptist College Tonight

The USC men’s basketball team will open its regular season against Baptist College tonight at 8 in the Sports Arena.

Baptist College, not to be confused with L.A. Baptist College of Newhall, which is now called the Masters College, is a school in Charleston, S.C., with an enrollment of about 1,800. It is a member of the Big South Conference.

The Bucs have 11 players and four starters back from last season’s team, which had a 13-15 record. They are led by Ben Hinson, a 6-4 junior wingman who averaged 21.6 points and 6.6 rebounds last season. Other key players are Bernard Innocent, a 6-10 power forward, and Mickey Wagner, a 6-6 center.

Baptist College defeated Ireland’s national team, 75-69, in an exhibition game at Charleston last Friday night. The Trojans lost to the Australian national team, 63-59, last Tuesday night.

USC’s women’s basketball team, ranked as high as No. 8 in some preseason polls, will open its season tonight against Brigham Young University at the Sports Arena at 5:45.

The Trojan women finished 21-9 in 1984-85 with a team that included six freshmen. Ten members of that team will return, including Cheryl Miller, two-time national women’s Player of the Year.

BYU was 19-9 last season and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Cougars have height with 6-7 center Tresa Spaulding, who averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds a game last year.