Close Endings Are Good Practice

Despite their 7-0 start and nine-game winning streak, the No. 13 Trojans understand they’re expected to win by larger margins.

The last four games have been decided by nine points or fewer. And in the last two games, UC Santa Barbara and Pepperdine unraveled double-digit USC leads with less than three minutes to play and nearly stole the game at the end.

The finishes may be hard on the nerves and hearts of fans, but Brandon Granville said it’s better for the players to learn how to put out the fires now than try and figure it out in conference play.

“There were games last year we were supposed to win, but once it got tight we didn’t pull it out at the end because of missed free throws and turnovers,” Granville said.

“Even though we’re supposed to win these games and we’re not blowing teams out, we’re learning how to win the tough games, and that’s important going into the Pac-10. Because there, everyone knows what you’re running and the games will come down to the final four minutes. We’re learning how to play like that.”

*

Jarvis Turner, hobbling around on crutches after undergoing arthroscopic surgery Wednesday to remove torn cartilage from his left knee, said he feels so good he may come back faster than the two to four weeks doctors predicted for recovery.

“I hoping no more than three weeks,” said Turner, who begins rehabilitation next week. “This is another setback for me; I’ve had so many in my career here.”