Cross-Town Leaders of the Pac

Because of chance, hard work and various other reasons even USC is unable to pin down, the Trojans landed softly Saturday at the Sports Arena.

They started the day in the unfamiliar position of first place in the Pacific 10 Conference, and the Trojans defied most expectations by ending California’s six-game winning streak, 93-85, and staying there.

Cal, one of four teams tied for first to start the day, fell from the perch in part because of 22 points from USC’s Stais Boseman, 20 from David Crouse, and Boseman’s defensive job on Ed Gray, the Pac-10’s leading scorer.

“When teams come to L.A., they think the big game is UCLA,” Crouse said. “But they can’t say that anymore. You have to come tough in both games.

“[Cal] came in to play UCLA, but we got them.”

Boseman got the best of Gray, who had averaged 29.3 points in his previous eight games. Gray finished with 22, but 10 came in the final 4:30--garbage time after USC’s lead had reached 20.

“This is the Stais Boseman I’ve been waiting to see,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said. “He’s the best defensive player in the Pac-10.”

Because of Boseman, and four other players who scored in double figures for USC, the first question after the game came not from a reporter but from Rodrick Rhodes, who scored 11.

“What time is the Stanford/UCLA game?” Rhodes asked.

When told it started 45 minutes earlier, Rhodes had another question.

“What’s the score?”

Continued Rhodes: “We’re definitely [scoreboard watching]. I catch myself seeing what Stanford, UCLA and Arizona are doing, checking the newspapers to see who Arizona and UCLA are playing next. I love it.”

Only UCLA’s victory over Stanford prevented USC from being alone in first for the first time since the 1984-85 season. The Trojans and Bruins are 8-3, half a game ahead of Arizona, which plays host to Tulane today.

Bibby was asked if USC is the best team in Los Angeles.

After a long pause, he smiled and said: “I think we’re one of the best teams in the country.”

That might be a little much, but USC looked the part for most of Saturday’s game in front of an announced crowd of 5,294. The teams played even until an 11-3 run by USC (13-7) to end the first half put the Trojans ahead, 52-43, followed by an 8-2 run to start the second half that pushed the lead to 15.

Cal (16-6, 7-4) threatened only once thereafter, cutting the lead to nine with 9:27 to play. But USC’s defense, particularly on Gray, never let the Bears claw back. Cal missed on its next six shots from that point.

“We wanted to make Gray work extra hard,” Bibby said. “We wanted to take the ball out of his hands and trap him. We wanted others to beat us, not [Randy] Duck [13 points] or Gray from the outside.”

Said Cal Coach Ben Braun: “We were prepared for the double-team. It was disappointing because we were not patient. We gave up easy baskets and it put us in a hole.”

Cal was best in the conference in field-goal defense (39.6%), but USC shot 53.7% to win its fourth consecutive game, and also made 31 of 38 free throws. Meanwhile, Gray was six for 14 from the field with six turnovers. “If I had played better we would have won,” he said. “I take responsibility for this loss.”

Credit for the victory was spread around the USC locker room. Crouse deserved some; most of the second half consisted of Rhodes and Boseman slinging passes inside to the senior center past an extended Cal defense.

“Coach really got into [Crouse] at the half,” Rhodes said. “He told him to remember the game in San Francisco [an 83-71 Bear victory in which Crouse scored 21]. He challenged him to play tough.”

Crouse’s effectiveness inside was aided by the absence of Bear forward Tony Gonzalez, who had 11 points and six rebounds Jan. 9. Gonzalez, tight end on the Bear football team, missed the game because he was traveling to the NFL combine.

“Maybe I play well against them because I am from up there,” said Crouse, from Rancho Cordova. “I don’t know. We’re just doing things right and we’ve put ourselves in position to contend [for the title].”

Elias Ayuso had another fine day with 12 points, and after the game spoke words of caution voiced by many of the Trojans.

“It feels good right now, but we can’t celebrate too long,” he said. “We still have to go to Arizona on [Saturday], and we have seven games left. But still, it is nice to come out of here with a sweep [of Cal and Stanford].”