Kickoff? No, Tipoff for USC

CBS sportscaster Billy Packer was reviewing the NCAA tournament pairings when he paused.

“USC and Florida State. . . . That sounds like a good football game,” Packer said.

Although the Trojans and Seminoles have higher profiles in football than basketball, USC basketball Coach George Raveling says tonight’s Southeast Regional first-round matchup (Channel 2, 4:40 p.m. PST) at Freedom Hall will be a good basketball game.

“I think the only reason we got invited was because they thought USC-Florida State would be a good bowl game,” Raveling quipped. “I’ll tell you what, it’s going to be a hell of a basketball game.”

After losing its first four Pacific 10 Conference games, USC (19-9) made a late-season surge to secure its first NCAA bid since 1985, winning 11 of its final 15 games.

“Right now we’re at the top of our game--particularly defensively,” Raveling said of the Trojans, who have allowed an average of 56.7 points in the past three games. “And we’re going to have to play good defense to beat Florida State.”

Florida State (20-10), the Metro Conference tournament champion, has won seven consecutive games since an eight-point loss to No. 7 Syracuse last month. The Seminoles overcame a 20-point second-half deficit to defeat Louisville, 76-69, in the Metro tournament final last weekend.

“I talked to a friend of mine from the Metro Conference, and he told me that next to Vegas and Arkansas, Florida State is probably the third most athletic team in the country,” Raveling said. “It strained our friendship because my friends don’t usually become bearers of bad tidings.”

A key matchup will be at point guard, where USC’s Robert Pack will guard Florida State’s Charlie Ward.

A 6-foot-2 senior, Pack has played a vital role in USC’s resurgence, averaging 16 points and 5.5 assists in the past 15 games. Pack has had four 20-point games during that span, including a career-high 24 against Oregon.

Although guard Harold Miner and forward Ronnie Coleman are the Trojans’ leading scorers, Pack may be USC’s best barometer. The Trojans are 19-3 over the last two seasons when he scores 15 or more points.

A 6-1 redshirt freshman, Ward is as important to Florida State as Pack is to USC.

The Seminoles were 5-5 overall and 0-2 in the Metro Conference before Coach Pat Kennedy inserted Ward into the starting lineup. They are 14-5 since.

Ward, who has averaged 9.8 points as a starter and leads the team in assists and steals, scored a season-high 18 points against Louisville in the Metro final, including a 30-foot, three-point shot with 16 seconds left that gave the Seminoles the lead for good. Ward averaged 13.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, three assists and 2.7 steals in three Metro tournament games.

The Georgia prep football player of the year after rushing for 1,000 yards and passing for 1,891, Ward was also a second-team all-state basketball player at Thomasville High. He received a football scholarship in 1988 but failed to qualify for admission and didn’t enroll until 1989.

Ward didn’t play basketball last season, deciding to concentrate on football. The Seminoles’ starting punter, Ward averaged 37.1 yards, including a 57-yard punt against Miami.

“He’s a poor man’s Bo Jackson,” Raveling said. “He’s not a football player playing basketball. This guy can play basketball. Any time a guy can walk off a football field and start at point guard as a freshman, that tells you an awful lot, because point guard is the hardest position to master.”

Ward moved to quarterback in 1990 but was unable to beat out starter Casey Weldon and backup Brad Johnson. Frustrated, Ward received permission from Coach Bobby Bowden to leave the football team last October to try out for the basketball team.

“I was bored during football season,” Ward said. “I had played basketball during the summer with the guys, and they encouraged me to come out and play.”

Although Ward hadn’t played basketball since high school, he made the transition, earning a starting spot. He’s not even listed in the basketball media guide.

“It’s like riding a bicycle.” Ward said. “Once you learn how to ride, you don’t forget. I played intramural basketball last year, and I kept my skills up.”

Ward plans to compete for the starting quarterback job next season. However, he will be excused from spring practice if Florida State advances to the Final Four.

“I can’t just stop playing football just because I’m playing basketball,” Ward said. “That’s what I’m on scholarship for.”

Forwards Doug Edwards and Michael Polite have also played vital roles in helping Florida State earn its third NCAA tournament bid in the last four years.

A 6-9 sophomore, Edwards is the Seminoles’ leading scorer (16.1) and second-leading rebounder (6.8) and has averaged 21.8 points in his last seven games.

After averaging 24.9 points and 12 rebounds at Miami High, Edwards was ranked as the nation’s second-best high school basketball player in 1989 behind Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson. However, Edwards sat out last season because he failed to qualify academically.

Moved from power forward to small forward midway through the season, Edwards has been at his best in big games. He scored 24 points in a 17-point loss to No. 2 Arkansas and had a career-high 31 against Syracuse.

A 6-7 senior, Polite has been Florida State’s leading rebounder the past two seasons.

He played six games as a sophomore before he was found to have a rare blood disorder that caused him to lose 35 pounds. He underwent five blood filterings and was cleansed of the viral infection.

“He’s one of those guys that only the coaches and his parents appreciate because he’s not flashy,” said Raveling, “but then look at the stat sheet and see that he has double figure rebounds and points.”

TODAY’S GAME at Louisville, Ky., 4:40 p.m.

Florida State (20-10) vs. USC (19-9)