USC May Rise Toward Top After a Stay on Bottom : Trojans: With Miner, Coleman and Pack back, Raveling’s squad shoots for NCAA tournament.

After finishing last or tied for last in the Pacific 10 three of the past four seasons, USC’s basketball team, with four starters back, is expecting better things this season.

In fact, one preseason magazine, published by Dick Vitale, predicts that the Trojans will finish third in the Pac-10 and will make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1986.

“Southern Cal should be an improved team,” Vitale said in an interview. “They have a lot of experience. Harold Miner has the makings of a superstar. I think George (Raveling’s) team could be a definite first-division team.”

Raveling said: “No one’s ever accused Vitale of knowing what the hell was going on with basketball. You can’t go too much by that. Most people who make emotional decisions end up regretting them later on, and we do know that Dick operates on a high volume of emotion.

“But this might be one of the few times in his life he was right. I just feel good about this team. Of all the teams I’ve had here, this is the most I’ve looked forward to a season. I wish we could have started a month ago.”

Raveling said the Trojans, who open against Chicago State Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Sports Arena, have a legitimate shot to make the NCAA tournament.

The Trojans’ expected resurgence couldn’t have come at a better time for Raveling, who is in the final season of his contract. Hired in 1986, Raveling has compiled a 38-78 record in four seasons at USC and is 17-55 in the Pac-10.

“I’ve never been fired from a job in my life,” Raveling said. “And I don’t think I’m going to lose this one. I’ve always felt that I’d say goodby to SC before SC said goodby to me, and I still feel that way.”

USC Athletic Director Mike McGee said Raveling will be evaluated at the end of the season.

“I don’t discuss contracts,” McGee said. “That’s private between the coach and the institution, but I certainly don’t anticipate any changes at this point.”

The Trojans’ strength will be its backcourt of 6-2 senior Robert Pack and Miner, a 6-5 sophomore.

“The combination of Miner and Pack is as good as any in the league,” Raveling said. “You’ve got one who’s a big-time scorer (Miner) and another who’s going to set a school record in assists (Pack).”

The Pac-10 freshman of the year, Miner averaged 20.6 points to lead the Trojans last season.

“A lot of guys have a good freshman year and think they don’t have anything left to prove,” Miner said. “But I want to go to the NBA and I can’t have a sophomore slump. I have to come out with the same fire I came out with last year.”

Pack, who had 165 assists despite playing much of last season with a shoulder injury, seems to have improved his shooting touch. Raveling hopes Pack will score more because the Trojans were 8-1 in games in which he scored 15 or more points last season.

“If Pack holds true to form, like most junior college players I’ve recruited, he should have a dynamite senior year,” Raveling said. “Most junior college players I’ve recruited, I’ve always ended up saying that I should have red-shirted them the first year.”

Ronnie Coleman, the Trojans’ MVP the last three seasons, and Calvin Banks will start at forward.

A 6-6 senior, Coleman has averaged 14.1 points during his USC career and needs 288 to become USC’s all-time leading scorer.

Banks, also a 6-6 senior, started 25 of USC’s 28 games last season, averaging 6.2 points and 5.1 rebounds.

Yamen Sanders, a 6-9 junior transfer from Central Michigan, replaces Chris Munk at center. Although Munk made the Utah Jazz as a free agent, he was inconsistent at USC, and Raveling thinks Sanders will be more productive.

Sanders averaged 8.3 points and half a dozen rebounds while playing for a Pac-10 all-star team that toured Germany last summer.

Although Sanders, who sat out last season, lacks Munk’s experience, Raveling thinks he’s more talented than Munk.

“I think I’d rather have Joe Montana as a rookie than an experienced Marc Wilson,” Raveling said. “Give me talent any time. I think Sanders is a big-time rebounder. Personally, I think he’s a better player than Chris Munk, and I’m not putting Chris Munk down. He’s still with the Utah Jazz.”

Keith Greeley, a 6-8 sophomore forward-center, will back up Sanders and Coleman.

The Trojans will have considerable depth, particularly at guard, where Raveling is considering starting three guards in some games.

Duane Cooper, a 6-1 junior, returns after missing last season with a broken foot. Cooper averaged 4.1 points and 2.7 assists while starting 19 games in 1988-89. Phil Glenn, a 6-2 sophomore, will be used at shooting guard and point guard. Rodney Chatman, a 6-3 sophomore who was voted USC’s most improved player last season, can also play either guard position.

USC also has some talented freshmen, led by 6-7 forward Mark Boyd, 6-6 forward Wayne Butts and 6-9 center Kraig Conger.

Once again, the Trojans have a weak nonconference schedule. Except for games at Maryland and Notre Dame, USC doesn’t figure to be challenged by the likes of Chicago State, Augusta, Harvard and Cal State Northridge.

“It’s a good demographic schedule,” Raveling quipped. “A lot of guys with those tough schedules are working at K mart.”

USC, which opens its Pac-10 schedule against UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 2, will be challenged early in the conference race. After playing the Bruins, the Trojans travel to Arizona to face the Wildcats and Arizona State before returning home to play Cal and Stanford.

“If we handle that well, then we’re in the driver’s seat because we’re playing five of the top eight teams right off the bat, and then we’ve got the supposedly weaker part of the schedule coming up,” Raveling said.

ROSTER, SCHEDULE C10