Trojans Buried by Slow Start, 73-51

The improving Washington State Cougars built a 13-point lead in the first seven minutes Thursday night at Friel Court and went on to defeat USC, 73-51.

Eddie Hill, who made his first four shots, and freshman Mark Hendrickson sparked the 22-9 lead that sent the Cougars on the way to their fifth consecutive victory, all in Pacific 10 Conference play. The Cougars, who lost their first three conference games, moved into a tie for second with idle Oregon State. Both are 5-3.

The Trojans threatened several times, but never got closer than eight points. Lorenzo Orr led a rally that cut the lead to 47-39 with nine minutes left, but the Cougars (11-6 overall) spurted to 59-41.

Bennie Seltzer led Washington State with 17 points. Hendrickson had 15 and Hill 13. Orr led USC (11-6, 4-4) with 14 points.

It was the lowest point total for the Trojans since a 71-47 loss in 1988 against Washington in Seattle.

“What can I say? They blew us out,” USC Coach George Raveling said. “It was a game that we didn’t play very well. They played extremely well and beat us in every phase.”

The Trojans were not at their best physically.

Phil Glenn, who had recovered from an injury to his right knee in the UCLA game, banged his other knee during a workout Wednesday, and Mark Boyd had a painful bruise on the bridge of his nose. Both were in the starting lineup, although Boyd was wearing a protective mask.

Because it was the third game of an ESPN tripleheader, it was a late-starting game. For most of the Trojans, who practice daily at 6 a.m., the tipoff came at about their bedtime.

At the start, it appeared the Trojans were already asleep. They were a step behind and were hitting the front of the rim on their shots.

The Cougars, fresh from a big comeback against California, were on target, especially Hill. Hill, who is from Reseda, made his first four shots, two of them three-pointers, to help the Cougars jump to a 16-5 lead. When the 6-foot-9 Hendrickson made a three-point shot, the lead was 22-9.

The Trojans, with Raveling running in substitutes in relays, tightened up on defense, but their shooting remained cold. They did cut the lead to 22-14 with seven minutes left in the half.

The Cougars took control again, twice scoring as the 45-second clock expired. Twice they were 14 in front and, at halftime, it was 36-24.

“I thought our defense was the story,” Washington State Coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Our kids came out and stayed focused. We got off to a good start offensively, but as the game wore on, the defense sustained us.”

USC Notes

The Pac-10 basketball schedule is set up so that every 10 years a team will have four consecutive home conference games. This is the year for the Cougars. . . . Washington State has only one senior, Bennie Seltzer, in its top eight players. Mark Hendrickson is the only freshman, and there are four juniors, three in the starting lineup.

The Cougars have not swept a series with the two Los Angeles schools since 1987. When the Cougars defeated the Trojans, 82-68, at Friel Court last season, Coach Kelvin Sampson called it the biggest victory in his five-year career at Washington State. . . . Sampson said he looks up to George Raveling. “I don’t think George has received enough credit for being a great coach,” Sampson said. “He always gets credit for being a recruiter, but he’s also a great coach. I can see his personality all over these kids.”