USC’s Raveling Plays Role of Cheerleader : Basketball: Trojan coach also designs a plan to neutralize UCLA on the boards in 76-74 victory.

George Raveling’s teams have played 32 games against UCLA in his 18 1/2 seasons as a major college coach.

Before Wednesday night, they had won four.

But after USC beat UCLA, 76-74, before 9,125 at the Sports Arena, Raveling insisted that the victory carried no personal significance.

“When I was younger, it probably would have meant a lot to beat them,” Raveling said after the Trojans beat UCLA at the Sports Arena for the second season in a row. “But, I swear to God, this win, as far as I’m concerned, means more to (university president) James Zumberge and (Mike) McGee (USC athletic director) and the students and the kids.

“To be perfectly honest with you, other than that, it really doesn’t make a heck of a lot of difference to me. I’m too far along for that. I’ve changed my whole philosophy. I’m in it for the kids now. I just want to see them be happy. If they’re happy, I’m happy.”

They were ecstatic after a last-second three-point shot by UCLA’s Don MacLean glanced off the rim, preserving the upset.

Raveling sought out sophomore guard Harold Miner, who led the Trojans with 20 points, and the two embraced for several seconds.

All around them, teammates and students celebrated wildly.

The students were a factor late in the game, increasing the volume of their cheering as Raveling exhorted them, waving his arms as he paced the opposite sideline whenever the Bruins had the ball.

Raveling acknowledged their impact, but also chided them.

“They could be a bigger factor,” he said. “They ought to have a class on campus, Cheering 101, and let me teach it. I tell you, if any of them had a low GPA, I could help them bring it up.

“They came alive when we needed it, but I’m getting too old to be begging people to cheer. It’s bad for my health.”

Bad for UCLA’s record was USC’s zone defense, which left the Bruins spread out on the perimeter and away from the basket. UCLA, which had a season-high 24 offensive rebounds in a 98-81 victory over the Trojans Jan. 2 at Pauley Pavilion, had only three in the rematch.

That was a season low.

All told, the Bruins were outrebounded, 42-22.

“Based on the way they run their zone offense, I thought we had a better chance of dominating the boards (in a zone defense),” said Raveling, who said that he spent a long time this week studying the Bruins on videotape. “They pop (Tracy) Murray out so much, and when they do, they leave only (Keith) Owens inside to rebound.”

Murray led UCLA with 24 points, making four of eight three-point shots, but Owens had only four rebounds, none offensive.

“Murray almost made me look bad,” Raveling said.

In the end, though, the Trojans made UCLA look bad.

The Bruins, ranked fifth last month, have lost four of their last six games. They’re 2-3 on the road in Pacific 10 Conference play.

Still, Raveling thought that UCLA could afford a loss.

“We’re in a position where we can’t afford a loss,” Raveling said. “They’re going to the NCAA playoffs. We’re trying to get some attention so we can get there. So, I don’t think this one hurts them anywhere near as much as it would have hurt us.”