Miner to Take Wheel : College basketball: He will lead USC against UCLA tonight with eye to breaking Trojan scoring record held by Coleman.

Obsessed with basketball, USC guard Harold Miner didn’t bother learning to drive--a car that is--until last summer.

“All my friends learned to drive, and I depended on them,” said Miner, who drives with the best of them on the court. “I never wanted to take the time to learn because I didn’t want to take time away from playing basketball.”

Miner chose teammate Ronnie Coleman as his driving teacher because Coleman was patient.

“He was 20 years old, and that can be an embarrassment when you’re that old and don’t know how to drive,” Coleman said. “I figure by the time he leaves SC, he’ll be making so much money he’ll be able to buy any car he wants.”

Coleman taught Miner to drive in the Forum parking lot, where, naturally, the conversation often turned to basketball. Coleman, who graduated last spring, told Miner that he was going to break the school scoring record that Coleman had set.

“He felt that the record wasn’t going to last long,” Miner said. “He felt I would break it quickly, and it turns out that I’m on the verge of doing exactly what he said.”

Miner, who has averaged 31.8 points as the Trojans have won their last five games, needs 30 points to break Coleman’s mark of 1,727 points. Miner could do it tonight when the No. 25 Trojans play No. 2 UCLA at 7:30 at Pauley Pavilion.

“It’s not really that important to me,” Miner said of the record. “I just want to go out and win. That’s the main thing. Records come and go, and somebody will eventually break it.”

Miner, who already holds school records for most points in a season by a freshman, 578 in 1989-90, and most points in a season, 681 last season, also holds school records for most three-point baskets and most 30-point games. He is on a pace to break the Pacific 10 scoring record of 2,555 points set by former Arizona All-American Sean Elliott. But so is UCLA’s Don MacLean, who needs 321 points to break Elliott’s record.

But Miner might not enjoy his customary success against the Bruins, who have used a box-and-one, with guard Gerald Madkins assigned to stop Miner, in the past. Miner has averaged 21 points in four games against UCLA, under his career average of 23.3. He has shot 40.6% against UCLA, well under his career mark of 45.7%.

“Madkins is an excellent player and Harold is challenged with Madkins,” USC Coach George Raveling said. “He’ll have to work his tail off to get shots off.”

UCLA’s best defender, Madkins relishes the challenge Miner poses. Madkins ranks Miner among the top five players he has guarded, along with former Oregon State star Gary Payton, former Stanford guard Todd Lichti, former Notre Dame guard David Rivers and Indiana forward Calbert Cheaney.

“It’s unique (guarding Miner), because everything is run for him,” Madkins said. “He gets so many looks at the basket--it’s very, very hard to guard someone like that, someone who has unlimited freedom. . . . Everything is up to him. He dictates how the team will do.

“If Harold is not in the game, their level of play drops off tremendously. That’s not to say their other guys aren’t good players, but everything is geared toward him, and when he’s not in there, it’s a big letdown.

“He touches the ball so much that you’re not going to stop him. It’s a matter of time before he gets his 20 to 25 points.”

A 6-foot 5-inch junior, Miner has matured as a player and it shows in his rebounding. He is the top rebounding guard in the Pac-10.

“My outlook on the game has broadened since I got here, and I think (Raveling) has been responsible for that,” Miner said. “He wants me to do the little things besides scoring, like rebounding.”

Raveling agreed.

“The greatest growth in Harold Miner has been mental,” Raveling said. “I’ve told him many times that there are thousands of players in America who can play basketball, but very few know how to play basketball. When you can combine the mental with the physical, then you’re going to be a great player.”

Last season, after leading the Trojans to their first NCAA tournament berth since 1985, Miner made only seven of 27 shots as Florida State beat the Trojans in the first round, 75-72.

“Playing in the NCAA tournament last season and not really playing well helped me,” Miner said. “It was a blessing in disguise because I needed to know what it felt like to be disappointed like that. It made me stronger as a person and as a player.”

Motivated by that poor performance, Miner has improved.

After averaging 22.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in his first two seasons, Miner has averaged 27.4 points and 7.3 rebounds this season. After scoring 30 or more points eight times in his first two seasons, he has scored 30 or more in seven of the Trojans’ 13 games this season. He also has made winning shots in victories over No. 4 Ohio State and Cal.

Said Raveling: “If it was important for him to get 40 a game, he could get 40 a game easily. Scoring points is the least of Harold’s problems.”

Opposing coaches are impressed.

“He’s a magnificent player,” Nebraska Coach Danny Nee said after Miner had scored a personal-best 43 points in a nine-point loss at Nebraska earlier this season. “He scored a quiet 43, if there is such a thing, and I thought we were guarding him respectably.”

UCLA Coach Jim Harrick agreed.

“Sure, he’s better than he was last year,” Harrick said. “I think he’s doing a lot more for his team, too. He’s really shooting his jumper well, he’s going to the basket harder, he’s rebounding a lot better. He’s a lot better player.

“Obviously, he’s got a lot of great one-on-one moves. He can really create his own shot, and he’s almost indefensible on his fall-away jump shot.”

NBA scouts have flocked to Trojan games, amid speculation that Miner will leave school for the pros after this season. Miner says he is undecided.

“It’s a tough decision,” he said. “Skill-wise, I think I’m ready to play, but there are many more things you have to consider. I’ll just have to wait until after the season to decide. The travel is so much tougher in the pros than in college.

“It’s hard not to think about it. Once I step on the floor, I put it out of my mind. You don’t want to sit and worry about it, but you can’t help it. My dream is to play in the NBA, and I’m so close to actually realizing my dream.”

Coleman, now playing pro basketball in Israel, thinks Miner will go.

“I don’t think he is (going to return to USC next season),” Coleman said. “He’s just dominating college basketball, and there won’t be anything else for him to prove.”

Miner has been nicknamed “Baby Jordan” because he has copied so many of Michael Jordan’s mannerisms. He sticks out his tongue when he exerts himself, wears the same number as Jordan, 23, and also shaves his head.

Yet he says he hates being compared to Jordan.

“There’s only one Michael,” Miner said. “I’m so tired of that ‘Baby Jordan.’ I can’t be another Michael. He’s done so much in basketball. I can’t even see myself having that kind of nickname.”