This Time, Defense Is Answer for USC

An obvious question was raised by USC’s 85-44 rout of Northwestern at the Sports Arena on Wednesday--why can’t the Trojans play like that every game?

Certainly, the level of competition has something to do with it. USC (7-5) has shown all season it can overwhelm young teams, bad teams, especially bad, young teams. At times Northwestern (4-6) played like all three.

But with Pacific 10 Conference play beginning next week, the Trojans picked a good time to play their most complete game of the season.

In front of 3,527--its largest home crowd to date this season-- USC held Northwestern to 18 points in the first half-- a season low for a Trojan opponent. And the defensive effort never wavered in the second half, keeping the Wildcats caged up and frustrated.

“It was definitely the best 40 minutes of basketball we’ve played this season,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said. “This is the kind of feeling you want to take into conference next week. It was the kind of solid, all-around game we needed to play as a team.”

Jeff Trepagnier, David Bluthenthal and Brandon Granville all had 20 points for USC. For Bluthenthal, it was a career high.

“Just took what the defense gave me,” said Bluthenthal who, in making nine of 10 shots, took plenty.

He also took pride in the Trojans’ performance.

“This was the most unselfish game we’ve played all year,” said Bluthenthal. “We passed the ball around, guys were getting open looks at the basket and knocking down the shots. Everyone was feeling it.”

Said Trepagnier, who also had a game-high nine rebounds and five steals: “This is good confidence builder for next week. We need to go into conference with some momentum.”

Northwestern has a young team--Wednesday’s starting five had four sophomores and a freshman. The Wildcats also are patient, having no problem using all of the 35-second shot clock, and running defenders through a maze of screens to get the best shot.

That approach becomes a problem, though, when the opposition is able to get off to a good start. USC did just that, bolting to a 21-6 lead in the first eight minutes and forcing Coach Kevin O’Neill to use three of his team’s five timeouts during that span.

Throughout, USC’s defense shined, switching effortlessly from full-court presses and half-court traps to matchup zones and man-to-man. The Trojans, an assembly of pickpockets, finished the game with 15 steals and 10 blocks and forced 23 turnovers. USC held Northwestern’s leading scorer, Steve Lepore, to three baskets in 10 shots, and a total of seven points. Winston Blake led the Wildcats with nine points.

Northwestern made only seven of 20 shots in the first half and was staring at a 47-18 halftime deficit. And even though the Wildcats trailed by as many as 44 points in the second half, and shot 36.2% for the game, 17 of 47, they rarely deviated from their slow em’ down routine. It was their game plan and they stuck to it.

“The bottom line is we came out and had a bunch of turnovers right away and just got back on our heels,” O’Neill said. “It’s one of those things where we did not react well.

“We got thumped. We got what we deserved. The important thing is to learn from this game and take it as a lesson.”

Bibby said he was pleased to see his team continue to run its offense, even after it got the big lead, rather than turning the offense into a helter-skelter approach.

“That’s what coach wants,” said Granville.

That, and more games such as the one USC played Wednesday.