Trojan Game Moved : Earthquake: USC will play Arizona State at Lyon Center because of possible damage.

With the Sports Arena being checked for possible structural damage caused by Monday’s earthquake, Thursday night’s basketball game between USC and Arizona State was moved to the Lyon Center on the USC campus.

The Trojans’ game against ninth-ranked Arizona on Saturday afternoon might also be moved. An announcement is expected in the next day or two.

“In the interest of public safety and until a full determination of the damages has been made, the Sports Arena will remain closed until further notice,” said Jay Hagerman, general manager of the Sports Arena.

The Clippers, who will end a six-game trip tonight in Orlando, will announce today whether they will move Friday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Officials, who were awaiting a final report from two engineers who inspected the arena Tuesday, are believed to be considering Anaheim Arena and Pauley Pavilion if the Sports Arena isn’t ready.

USC’s game against Arizona State begins at 7 p.m. The 2,500-capacity Lyon Center is sold out.

UCLA and the Lakers announced no changes in their schedules, Pauley Pavilion and the Forum having been deemed safe.

The quake had a devastating impact on the Cal State Northridge basketball team, which cut short a trip to Colorado and returned to town Tuesday morning. The Matadors were in Boulder early Monday and had difficulty reaching family and friends.

Northridge lost to Colorado on Monday night, 100-85, after announcing it would cancel tonight’s game against Air Force. Officials at the academy said the game would go down as no contest.

Some of the team’s 17 players had friends who lived in the Northridge apartment complex that collapsed, killing at least 16 people.

“We obviously weren’t focused,” Coach Pete Cassidy said. “It’s understandable.”

Cassidy and his team planned to meet Thursday morning to begin preparing for Saturday’s game against California at Berkeley.

But after seeing the damage, several players were uncertain if they would be ready to play. “We have nothing,” said Ryan Martin, a junior guard. “Everything just got smashed, all our furnishings, belongings--the whole building is a mess. I won’t be thinking about basketball for a week or so.”

Said Peter Micelli, a junior center: “I don’t think the other guys are thinking about practice. They’re thinking about where they’re going to live next week. This definitely trivializes sports.”

The Kings continued their trip Tuesday night in Dallas, and Wayne Gretzky said he will not return to Los Angeles before Saturday’s NHL All-Star game despite reports that his house in Beverly Hills was severely damaged.

“I’m going home to no home, basically,” said Gretzky, who will start for the Western Conference in Saturday’s game at New York. “It was really bad at my house. All our furniture is ruined, beams fell from the ceiling and there were falling chunks of plaster everywhere. The TVs were all crashed, the shutters flew by, there were 50 or 60 cracks in the house and the chimney separated from the house.

He added, “I’m nervous to go back to L.A. now. I’m a pretty big chicken. . . . I’m sure all the people who live there are nervous.”

High school sports were also affected Tuesday. Many schools in the San Fernando Valley and neighboring communities canceled practice and events in basketball, soccer and wrestling.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, second largest in the nation, will be closed today for the second consecutive day. All basketball and soccer games are postponed. Basketball games will be made up on Feb. 7, and soccer games on Jan. 28.

“From that point on, we’re dealing with schools on an individual basis,” said Barbara Fiege, district athletic commissioner. “If school is back on again Thursday, those schools that can play, will. We’ll have contingency plans for those who may have damage to their gyms or fields.”

Dean Crowley, Southern Section commissioner, said all of the schools in his section will determine their own courses of action. “If the principal decides the school is safe and can play, they will,” he said. “If not, they won’t. But we won’t have any forfeits. That wouldn’t be fair.”

Because of damage to Anaheim Stadium, the Mickey Thompson stadium off-road race was postponed from Saturday to Feb. 12.

The American Motorcyclist Assn. Supercross race on Jan. 29 will go on as scheduled at Anaheim Stadium, officials said.

Times staff writers Helene Elliott in Dallas and Mike Hiserman and Shav Glick contributed to this story.