USC Basketball Opens on the Road : Trojans to Start Four-Game Trip at New Orleans Tonight

If George Raveling had any input in USC’s basketball schedule, he said, the Trojans wouldn’t open the season with four road games.

“I wouldn’t even want to play four games in Pasadena,” Raveling said.

But the schedule was set before Raveling became USC’s coach. So he’ll have to make the best of it.

The Trojans officially open the season tonight at 5:30 PST against New Orleans, which is regarded as one of the nation’s top independent teams. The Privateers were ranked 17th in The Sporting News’ preseason poll.

After New Orleans, USC meets Richmond (Va.) Tuesday night before playing in the Wendy’s tournament at Bowling Green, Ky., Dec. 5-6.

The Trojans draw Murray State in a first-round game and, if they win, they’ll most likely play Western Kentucky, which has already beaten Notre Dame and TCU in the fall NIT tournament. “I think we’re a 20 to 25% better team than we were when we played the Poland national team,” Raveling said, referring to an 83-73 exhibition loss last week. “But I’m not certain that’s good enough to beat New Orleans. But I feel they’re getting better on a day-by-day basis, which heightens my confidence in their ability to put us in a competitive position by conference time.”

USC’s starting lineup will consist of center Rod Keller, forwards Derrick Dowell and Bob Erbst and guards Dave Wiltz and Rich Grande. Brad Winslow, Chris Munk and Carl Pollard will get the most playing time coming off the bench.

Dowell and Keller are the only returning starters. Wiltz and Pollard, a 7-2 center, are transfers from Delgado Community College and BYU, respectively, and Munk and Erbst are freshmen.

Raveling said that Winslow, a junior and a reserve last season, is USC’s most versatile player and will eventually become a starter. “We just have to find a place to play him,” the USC coach said.

New Orleans features 6-8 forward Ronnie Grandison, formerly of St. Bernard High and UC Irvine, 6-7 forward Sam Jones and 6-1 point guard Gabe Corchiani. The other starting guard is Ledell Eackles, who transferred from San Jacinto (Tex.) Junior College, where he averaged 28 points and 10 rebounds a game in leading his team to the national JC title. Grandison, Jones and Eackles have been bothered by sprained ankles.