Plenty of Time Off to Ponder Problems

The Trojans have five more days until their next game at Washington, five more days to mull over a lopsided loss to UCLA and a four-game losing streak.

“It bugs me,” guard Elias Ayuso said. “When you lose, you want to get right back and get a chance to win.”

With such a long stretch between games, USC did not practice Thursday or Friday. Instead, players went through individual workouts and held a meeting at which Ayuso spoke to the freshmen and sophomores.

“We can’t count ourselves out,” he told them. “We’re still learning.”

The senior thinks his team must work harder at rebounding and limit the uncontested jump shots opponents have been getting in recent weeks. Toward that goal, Ayuso wants to see USC play more man-to-man instead of constantly switching defenses.

Coach Henry Bibby has said he, too, would prefer to stick with man-to-man but worries the Trojans cannot keep up for 40 minutes against more talented and more experienced teams in the Pacific 10 Conference.

Coming up: at Washington on Thursday, at Washington State on Jan. 30.