They’re Loud and Proud

USC should get its loudest road reception tonight at McKale Center. The Wildcats routinely sell out their 14,489-seat arena, and the noise level could drown a jet plane.

The Wildcats bring a 25-game home winning streak against Pacific 10 teams into the game. Their last conference loss at home was to UCLA on Feb. 13, 1997.

“Playing on the road in any Pac-10 arena is hard, not just in McKale Center,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said. “But it’s big there because they’ve had so much tradition since Lute Olson came. And they will be looking for revenge from the last game [USC’s 80-72 victory in the Sports Arena].

“But we go in with a seasoned basketball team. You take Brian [Scalabrine], Brandon [Granville], Jeff [Trepagnier] and David Bluthenthal playing as well as we thought he could play, and you have four guys with some experience and knowledge what it’s like to go in there and not get rattled. I don’t think we will get rattled with that group.”

TONIGHT

at Arizona, 7:30 PST, Fox Sports Net

* Site--McKale Center, Tucson.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--USC 13-9, 6-4; Arizona 21-4, 10-1.

* Update--If the Wildcats weren’t tied for first in the conference this would be the Battle of the Walking Wounded. Both teams are strapped for players because of injuries--Lute Olson is using football players and walk-ons to help with practice--but Arizona wants to avenge its only Pacific 10 defeat as well as deliver serious blows to the NCAA tournament hopes of USC and UCLA. The Trojans’ Scalabrine has been on a tear with three consecutive 20-point games and ranks second among Pac-10 scorers. USC has a 16-game losing streak in Arizona.