Local Teams Hoping for Big-Time Day : College basketball: USD and USIU travel for games with ranked teams, and SDSU plays host to USC for the first time in 50 years.

USIU Coach Gary Zarecky isn’t deluding himself going into today’s game at Arkansas. He just hopes that the Gulls have their pride intact when they leave Fayetteville.

This was not the case when USIU played at then No. 17 Oklahoma two weeks ago. The Sooners ran to a 97-45 lead--at halftime. Oklahoma went on to win, 173-101, and took the heart out of a team that came to town with a 2-0 record.

The Gulls have a five-game losing streak but seem to have rebounded from what Zarecky termed “utter devastation” at Oklahoma. USIU was competitive in losses to California and Loyola Marymount at home this week.

“We have to go into Arkansas with things in perspective,” Zarecky said. “We’re just looking to get into our 11-game home stand against teams our own caliber.”

The Gulls are led by guard Kevin Bradshaw, who scored a school-record 54 points in a 152-137 loss to Loyola Thursday. Bradshaw is averaging 30 points and Demetrius Laffitte 18.

Arkansas is led by guard Todd Day (20.5) and forward Lenzie Howell (16.5).