Miner’s 37 Lead USC Win : Trojans: He just misses freshman record in 92-68 victory over Central Connecticut State.

Freshman guard Harold Miner of USC had an extraordinary reputation at Inglewood High School, where he was called Baby Jordan after averaging 29.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and four assists per game.

But the only similarities between Michael Jordan and Miner are that both players stick out their tongues when they shoot, both wear No. 23 and both have their closely cropped hair.

“I guess I (stick out my tongue) because I watch him so much,” Miner said. “It’s second nature.”

Needless to say, nobody is going to name a basketball shoe after Miner based on his performances at USC, where he has averaged 12.5 points in his first six games.

Thursday, however, he was nearly as prolific as Jordan, scoring 37 points in the Trojans’ 92-68 victory over Central Connecticut State at the Sports Arena.

Miner scored 20 points in the first half and 17 in the second. He hit 15 of 22 shots, including a three-pointer, and made all six of his free throws.

Miner had a chance to break USC’s single-game freshman scoring record of 39 points, set by Cliff Robinson against California in 1978. After he made a four-foot jumper with 4:51 left, Miner knew the record was within reach. The Trojans fed him on their next possession, but he forced a shot against three defenders. After missing, Miner left the game with 2:32 remaining.

“I wasn’t sure I was close to the record, but I had a feeling because they were passing me the ball,” Miner said. “I was trying not to think about it because that’s not the way I like to play.

“I was not concerned with the record. I just wanted to get into the flow and help our team win.”

Miner’s most creative shot was an explosive second-half dunk that brought an ovation from the announced crowd of 1,127.

“I got all my frustrations out on the dunk,” Miner said. “Basically, I’m a perfectionist, and there were some things I wasn’t doing right today.”

What did he do wrong?

“Sometimes I would miss assignments on defense and sometimes I would miss assignments on the full-court press,” said Miner, a 6-5, 185-pound All-Southern Section selection last season.

But Miner said he tries to please himself and no one else. “I’m just trying to play within myself and live up to my own expectations, not the expectations of everyone else, because it’s virtually impossible to do that,” Miner said.

Has Miner developed more slowly than expected?

“Most of the really outstanding players I’ve coached had lackluster freshman years,” USC Coach George Raveling said. “I can’t think of anybody I’ve ever coached who came in as a freshman and was just a dominant player. He’s making the same progress as a freshman as when I had Don Collins at Washington State and Roy Marble at Iowa.”

After scoring 25 points in his first collegiate game, Miner struggled, scoring only 18 in his next three games. But Miner has broken out of his slump, scoring 69 points in his last three.

“He continues to show the tremendous potential that he has,” Raveling said. “Obviously, it would be a lot more meaningful if it were against UCLA or Arizona.”

The Trojans (4-3) had little trouble disposing of Central Connecticut (1-7), putting together a 22-5 spurt in the final 8:13 of the half to take a 48-23 lead. USC led by as many as 31 points in the second half.

Trojan Notes

Although the Sports Arena was as deserted as a Christmas tree lot on Dec. 26, the crowd was boosted when the USC band arrived after practicing for Monday’s Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game. “When the band came in, it gave the place a sellout atmosphere,” Trojan Coach George Raveling said. . . . Chris Munk blocked two shots to move into third place on USC’s all-time list. . . . The Trojans play Northern Arizona Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Sports Arena.