This Defeat Was in a League of Its Own

USC’s two losses this season have come against nationally ranked teams--Arizona and Kansas. The Trojans are 3-15 against ranked opponents since December 1996.

But the national picture isn’t so important to Coach Henry Bibby, who is more concerned with conference standings.

“We just didn’t win the ballgame,” Bibby said. “That’s the bottom line. You have to come out and win your home games.”

His players seemed to share that opinion as they looked toward games at Oregon and Oregon State later in the week.

“It makes our job a little tougher as we head up there,” guard Adam Spanich said.

*

Despite all their success in recent years, the Wildcats had not won at the Sports Arena since 1996. But on a team that features five freshmen, three of them in the starting lineup Monday, past defeats are merely ancient history.

“Only three or four of us went through that,” senior Jason Terry said. “The young guys don’t know anything about the USC jinx.”

*

Terry, a preseason Wooden Award candidate, was held to two points in the first half, but the Trojans knew they couldn’t keep him down for the whole game.

“He came back in the second half and was really offensive-minded,” Bibby said. “You have to really respect him as a player.”

Terry finished with 16 points, four assists and three rebounds.

“We knew he was capable of doing that,” Granville said. “He’s not going to settle for two points.”

UP NEXT

Thursday, at Oregon--USC plays only its fourth road game, facing the Ducks, who upset California in their conference opener.