USC, Long Beach Women Renew Rivalry Tonight

For Linda Sharp of USC and Joan Bonvicini of Cal State Long Beach, the hard part is over. Tonight’s women’s basketball game will bring sweet relief to not only the coaches but also the players who have been restless, waiting to get at each other.

This game is a grudge match for USC and a point of pride for Long Beach. Previous games have included bitter words and shoving, high scoring and the rest of the baggage that goes with a rivalry. Tonight’s game promises to be no different.

“It’s a big game for both teams, both for rankings and for pride,” Bonvicini said. “We are going to be ready, but I’m sure USC will be, too. (The players) have been waiting for this a long time. It’s a matter of controling their emotions right now. There are a lot of emotions.”

The Trojans get emotional when they remember that Long Beach beat them twice last season. “We haven’t forgotten,” Sharp said.

Fortunes have changed for both teams, though. Long Beach (14-2) is ranked No. 7 nationally and USC, after rebounding from last season’s disappointing finish, is 17-2 and ranked No. 5.

“This is a big week for us,” Sharp said. “I wish I had a little more time to prepare for them, we only have today (Monday). We haven’t talked about Long Beach at all.”

USC returned from a weekend trip early Monday morning and practiced at 1 p.m.

“I’m sure Long Beach is going to keep a fast tempo,” Sharp said. “They will keep players coming in and out. They will try to press us, try to trap us.”

That plan doesn’t make the 49ers too much different from the Trojans. Both teams are exceptionally fast and play well off the break.

Perhaps the key matchup will be Long Beach’s Cindy Brown against USC’s Cheryl Miller. Brown, a 6-foot 2-inch center, is averaging 24.6 points a game and 11.3 rebounds. The 49er guards do a good job of getting the ball inside to Brown, where she scores most of her points.

“I’m not as concerned about her offensive game as I am her defensive game,” Sharp said. “She makes things happen, she blocks so many shots. She intimidates players when they shoot.

“In order to stop her, you’ve got to make some moves. You’ve got to make her leave her feet. Cheryl can make her do that.”

Miller is coming off what Sharp calls her best game this season against Cal on Sunday night. Miller, who is second in the nation in scoring, had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 steals.

“I think Cindy is charged up about playing Cheryl,” Bonvicini said. “Playing against Cheryl definitely charges people up.”

Opponents have been so charged, in fact, that Miller is wearing goggles to protect her eyes. She has had numerous eye bruises this season and two weeks ago suffered a tear on her cornea.

Rebounds could be an important factor. USC has not done well in that department and Long Beach has. Trojan freshman Cherie Nelson has begun to pick up the slack. She is averaging 7.9 a game, second to Miller, and her physical style of play takes some of the defensive heat off Miller.

Long Beach has other players who can score, but they do rely on Brown: “They are a different team without her,” Sharp said.

Even so, Carol Brandt is averaging 13.3 points and guard Faye Paige is averaging 10.6. USC counters with Cynthia Cooper, who is averaging 18.5 points and is an excellent perimeter shooter, and Nelson, who gets most of her 12 points a game inside.

The game, set for 7:30 p.m. in Long Beach’s Campus Gym, has been sold out for a week.