USC Opens Hawaii Tournament Against Purdue

USC’s basketball team opens the Rainbow tournament against Purdue at 8 tonight (PST) at Honolulu.

The Trojans (6-3) will be trying to rebound from a 73-66 loss to Cal in their Pacific 10 Conference opener last Friday.

“The Cal game was a step forward for us,” USC Coach George Raveling said after a second-half comeback against the Bears failed. “I’d say it was our best game of the season. We can take a game like this and build on it.”

Raveling is looking for a better effort from guards Anthony Pendleton and Duane Cooper against Purdue.

Pendleton, USC’s leading scorer, failed to score in the first half against Cal and finished with 6 points. He made 2 of 11 shots from the field. Cooper had 7 points, hitting 3 of 7 shots.

USC faces a stiff test in Purdue (6-4), the defending Big Ten champion. The Boilermakers are led by Melvin McCants a 6-foot 8-inch senior forward.

USC will face either Hawaii or Yale in their second tournament game.

Also competing are Illinois, Georgia Tech, Houston and Tulsa.