USC Isn’t Through Yet, Tries to Snap Pac-10 Losing Streak Against Arizona

Even though USC has lost five straight conference games and could finish the season in their current last-place position in the Pacific 10, all is not lost.

“The players have not lost their confidence and they’re practicing hard,” Coach George Raveling said Monday. “When you’re losing, you usually have players nipping at each other, but we haven’t had those kind of problems, although our frustration level is high. I’m amazed that they keep coming back and thinking that they can win.”

USC, 8-15 overall, 3-11 in the conference, finishes the regular-season Pac-10 schedule against some of the league’s best teams, starting with a game against Arizona (14-9, 9-4) tonight at the Sports Arena.

Then, the Trojans are on the road Thursday night and Saturday afternoon against Oregon and Oregon State, respectively, before meeting UCLA Feb. 26 at Pauley Pavilion.

USC was routed by Arizona, 78-44, last month in Tucson, and Raveling said that the Wildcats were laughing at his Trojans.

Laughing?

“It was a festive atmosphere,” Raveling qualified. “They probably give us more trouble than any team in the league. I say that because of their size and the way we match up against them offensively and defensively.”

Previously, the Trojans were aiming for a sixth-place finish in the conference in order to avoid a first-round game in the season-ending Pac-10 tournament.

That’s not feasible now. So Raveling has reset the team’s goals. The Trojans are now trying to win more games than last year’s team that had an 11-17 record.

“I think we’re in an enviable position from this standpoint. We can pretty much dictate who wins the league,” Raveling said.

Trojan Notes

Tonight’s game will be televised by ESPN and broadcast by KNX radio starting at 8. . . . Arizona is led by 6-foot 8-inch forward Sean Elliott, who is averaging 18.7 points, 20.9 in his last 11 games. . . . In USC’s last two games, losses to Arizona State and UCLA, Derrick Dowell has scored 60 points while shooting 59.5% from the field. The other four starters, Rod Keller, Bob Erbst, Brad Winslow and Rich Grande, have combined for only 50 points while shooting 32.8%. That, in essence, is a microcosm of the season.