Trojans Slightly Better Than the Foe--Again : College basketball: This time Stanford is the victim, 63-55, when USC rallies in the second half.

The USC Trojans have a habit of playing to the level of the opposition. If they play a good team, they play well.

But when they play a weaker team. . . .

They struggled Saturday at the Sports Arena against a Stanford team that was plagued by injury and had not won a road game this season.

USC trailed, 44-40, with 9:30 to play before Tremayne Anchrum and Rodney Chatman sparked a rally that led to a 63-55 victory, the Trojans’ 16th in a row at the Sports Arena.

Before losing its fifth in a row, the undermanned Cardinal battled the lethargic Trojans on even terms.

During a game in which the first 11 shots were missed, eight by Stanford, nobody had more than a four-point lead until USC outscored the Cardinal, 22-8, after falling behind by four points midway through the second half.

The Trojans took the lead for good on a layup by Anchrum with 7:31 to play. It came in the middle of a four-minute spell during which Stanford was outscored, 10-0. The Trojans pulled away steadily and led, 63-52, before Kenny Hicks made a three-pointer with 12 seconds to play.

The Trojans were at a bit of a disadvantage because the Stanford game came after a tough victory over California and before a game Thursday against UCLA.

“We just needed a victory here and we got it,” Coach George Raveling said. “I knew we would have a problem because it was sandwiched between two of our biggest games. Our defense and rebounding made the difference.

“Give some credit to Stanford. Mike Montgomery is an underrated coach. Considering how little time he had for preparation, he did a great job. Their defense had a lot to do with our poor shooting. They were especially good at transition from offense to defense. We didn’t have many easy shots.”

USC is two-thirds of the way to completion of a mission.

“After we returned from Oregon, we vowed to win all three games on this home stand,” Raveling said. “Now, if we can beat UCLA, we (will) have accomplished our goal. Nobody would have thought we could be 12-4 this season, but if we beat the Bruins we will be.”

Raveling was asked what he thought of Anchrum’s performance after the bulky sophomore forward had 18 points and 17 rebounds.

“His parents came down (from Colorado) to see this one, and he had to have a big game,” Raveling said.

The Trojans, who also have won 16 consecutive Pacific 10 games at the Sports Arena, are 4-2 in the Pacific 10 Conference and 11-4 overall. The Cardinal, without four players because of injuries, are 1-4 and 6-11.

“We didn’t make the plays when they had to be made,” Montgomery said. “We hung in there, and it got competitive at the end. Defensively, we caused some problems for them. We knew they would have to go inside, and they got some buckets made. It was the opposite of the UCLA game.

“It was very physical out there. It’s hard to rebound when you’re flying through the air.”

Bodies were flying because the three Trojans up front, Anchrum, Lorenzo Orr and Mark Boyd, make up for lack of height with tough, physical play.

Boyd had 12 rebounds in 21 minutes.

The game began as a copy of USC’s game at Oregon last Saturday. The Trojans played poorly in that one, but they usually win games in which they drop to their opponents’ level.

Although they led, 26-25, at halftime, the Trojans had made only six of 26 shots: three three-pointers and three layups.

And nothing in between.

No one scored until Marcus Lollie of Stanford made a three-pointer four minutes into the game. Lollie, a 6-foot senior guard, was six for 13, all from outside.

Anchrum had a better shooting percentage, but all five baskets were from point-blank range.

“It’s a good thing I had a good game and we won,” he said, “because my parents had to fly home in the morning. I didn’t want them to have an unhappy flight back to Denver.”