Raveling Down to Hoping Trojans Don’t Finish Last

Last week USC Coach George Raveling was talking about a possible fourth- or fifth-place finish in the Pacific 10 Conference for his basketball team.

That was before the Trojans were beaten by Washington State and Washington in the Northwest. The latest goal, drastically modified, is ninth place--maybe.

USC (6-19 overall, 4-12 in the Pacific 10) continues to struggle. The Trojans wind up the regular season with games against California tonight and Stanford Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Cal (8-17, 5-11) is in USC’s class, placed there by injuries. Stanford (18-9, 10-6) is an upper-division team, a status foreign to the Trojans who have not improved as a team this season. That was evident last Sunday in Seattle, where Washington, a last-place team at the time, routed the Trojans, 71-47.

USC is trying to avoid its third consecutive last-place finish in the conference. The Trojans are only one defeat away from equaling the most losses in school history. The 1977 team finished 6-20.

Raveling said the season has been the most frustrating in his 16 years as a head coach.

“No question about it,” he said. “I haven’t been able to put a handle on some of the problems we have.”

Problems? The Trojans have a few, namely: turnovers (19.7 average, worst in the conference); shooting (42.9%, near the bottom); assists (13.2 average, scraping bottom); and inadequate guard play.

Raveling said that his team’s tendency to lose the ball is “fear of failure,” more mental than physical.

Dave Wiltz, who has had some decent games at point guard, wasn’t available in a 67-57 loss to Washington State because of a thigh injury. He started against Washington as the Trojans opened a 13-4 lead but didn’t play much thereafter. His status is probable tonight.

This season is clearly a lost cause. The Trojans aren’t expected to make much of an impact in the Pac-10 tournament next week. What are the prospects for next season?

“I don’t believe we’re that many players away from being a good basketball team, but we need help at the guard position,” Raveling said.

Last season, Raveling’s first at USC, the Trojans finished 9-19. It was a less-talented team than the current one, he says, adding: “I felt good about the way I coached that team, but I can’t say I feel the same way this year.”

Trojan Notes

Tonight’s game begins at 8 and will be televised by Prime Ticket. . . . Cal forward Matt Beeuwsaert, the team’s leading scorer with a 13.9-point average, won’t play because of a sprained arch. Cal Coach Lou Campanelli may go with a three-guard alignment of sophomores Bryant Walton and Keith Smith and freshman Ryan Drew, pairing with freshmen Roy Fisher and John Carty on the front line. . . . USC was credited with only one assist in the loss to Washington State. In reviewing the film, Raveling said that statistic is erroneous and the official box score will be amended.

Cal figures to have a strong nucleus next season. The Bears had to redshirt star forward Leonard Taylor because of a foot injury. He’ll return along with Beeuwsaert and the young players. They’ll be joined by 6-foot 11-inch center Andre Reyes, a transfer from Maryland; 6-9 freshman forward Eric McDonough, who was redshirted, and incoming Brian Hendrick, a former star center at Diamond Bar High School. . . .