USC Schedules Well, Opening With Victory : Trojans: Miner scores 29 points, Coleman adds 20 to lead a 110-69 conquest of visiting Chicago State.

USC basketball Coach George Raveling sure knows how to pick opponents.

Raveling scheduled Chicago State, which lost 22 of 28 games last season, to play the Trojans in their season opener.

“I just looked in USA Today for Division I teams,” Raveling quipped. “I always start from the reverse end.”

Predictably, the Trojans routed Chicago State, 110-69, Saturday before an announced crowd of 4,896.

Although anyone with a ticket to Saturday night’s USC-Notre Dame football game was admitted free to the basketball game, it appeared that there were more fans tailgating in the parking lots and Esposition Park than there were inside the Sports Arena.

Guard Harold Miner scored 29 points and forward Ronnie Coleman added 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Trojans scored more than 100 points for the first time since 1982, when they defeated Oregon, 107-91. It was the most points USC has scored since 1971, when it beat Oregon State, 110-75.

The 41-point margin of victory was USC’s largest since 1980, when the Trojans beat Doane, 99-58, and it was also the most points USC has scored in a season opener.

“I’m not always sure what you get out of these games,” Raveling said. “And I hate to say that because I don’t mean to put Chicago State down. I thought they played hard.”

Obviously, Wednesday night’s game at Maryland will provide Raveling with a better read on his team. After playing the Terrapins, USC returns home to face Miami and San Diego State followed by road games against Colorado State and Notre Dame.

“I think we’ll be ready for Maryland,” Raveling said. “This next five-game stretch to me is a pivotal part of the schedule. For us to make the (NCAA tournament) we have to perform in this next five-game stretch.”

Although the Trojans were sloppy at times Saturday, committing 17 turnovers, and missed 22 of 42 free throws, there were bright spots, such as the play of freshman forward Mark Boyd, who had 13 points and 14 rebounds, two blocked shots and one steal in 22 minutes.

Trojan Notes

Yamen Sanders, USC’s starting center, missed the game with a sprained right ankle. Keith Greeley, who started in place of Sanders, had six points and three rebounds.