NCAA Berth Still in Mind

After getting swept in Arizona last weekend and trapped in a five-game losing streak, the USC Trojans know an invitation to the NCAA tournament will disappear if things don’t change soon.

“We still have to win five more games is the way we’re looking at it,” guard Brandon Granville said. “But now our backs are kind of against the wall. We have four at home, and Stanford and Cal on the road. But every game is that much more important with the losses [in Arizona].”

Coach Henry Bibby is still trying to keep his team from buckling under its self-imposed pressure.

“What we’re trying to do is play out the six games the best we can,” Bibby said. “Win one at a time; that’s what I said from game one.

“But in all the games we’ve played, I can honestly say we’ve had very few letdowns. We’ve had very few situations where we haven’t been in the game. I give those young men a lot of credit. We have a good basketball team, wherever we finish.”

TONIGHT

vs. Oregon State, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Sports Arena.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--USC 13-11, 6-6 Pac-10; Oregon State 12-12, 4-9.

* Update--Oregon State and Washington have had the most disappointing Pac-10 seasons. But the Beavers enter tonight’s game hotter than the Trojans, ending a losing streak at six by sweeping the Washington schools last weekend. “Their record doesn’t indicate how good they are,” Bibby said. The Trojans’ last victory came against Oregon State, and in that game USC set a conference record by making 20 three-point shots.