USC, Off to Winning Start, Faces Cal in Pac-10 Opener

USC’s basketball team exceeded the expectations of Coach George Raveling by winning 6 of 8 nonconference games.

Although the Trojans played weak opponents, they were impressive, averaging more than 80 points in their last 6 games.

But did playing a soft schedule prepare USC for the rigors of the Pacific 10?

The Trojans will begin to answer that question tonight when they open their conference season against California with a game at 8 at the Sports Arena.

“The picnic is over,” Raveling said. “We’re down to the bone part of the schedule.”

Cal lost to UCLA, 76-59, in its Pac-10 opener Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion. The Bears collapsed in the second half, when they were outscored, 42-17.

“It was as poor a second half as we’ve had this season,” Cal Coach Lou Campanelli said. “We had 11 days off for exams, and there was a lot of slippage.”

Raveling is impressed with Leonard Taylor, Cal’s star center, who sat out the last 2 seasons with neck and ankle injuries. Taylor had 26 points and 9 rebounds against UCLA.

“Taylor looks 100% to me,” Raveling said. “It’s hard to tell if he’s suffering any ill effects of the injury.”

Anthony Pendleton, a 6-foot 4-inch junior guard, has been USC’s best player this season, averaging 18.1 points.

“He has more confidence in his shooting,” Raveling said. “He’s shooting a lot better.

USC Notes

The Trojans will leave for Hawaii Christmas Day to play in the Rainbow tournament, which opens Tuesday. They will face Purdue in the first round. If USC wins, it will play the winner of the Hawaii-Yale game on Dec. 29. If the Trojans lose, they will face the loser of the Hawaii-Yale game in the consolation bracket. . . . Cal forward Hartmut Ortmann, a 6-foot 8-inch senior from West Germany, is out with a bad back. . . . Cal’s biggest win this season was a 73-71 upset of then 17th-ranked Villanova on Dec. 10.