Trojans Lose Season-Long Spot in AP Poll

As expected, USC fell out of the rankings in the Associated Press poll Monday. The Trojans had been ranked since the season started, reaching as high as No. 12 thanks to an 8-0 start.

USC since has gone 8-6, including last Thursday night’s loss at home to UCLA, and is fifth in the Pacific 10 Conference.

USC is still ranked No. 23 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll.

“We’re not really looking at the polls right now,” said Sam Clancy, who leads the Pac-10 in scoring (21.5). “We need six wins in the next eight games to get into the [NCAA] tournament. That’s the goal--to make it to the tournament.”

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Tipoff for the Feb. 24 USC-Oregon game has been changed from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. It will still be shown live on Fox Sports Net.

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The Arizona State team that USC faces Thursday will be a better one than the one that lost to the Trojans, 77-58, in Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 20.

After that game, the Sun Devils were 0-7 and last in the Pac-10 standings. But ASU has won three of its last four, including a victory at Oregon.

A key reason has been the return of Chad Prewitt. The 6-foot-9 center-forward, averaging 10.3 points and five rebounds, has fully recovered from a severe ankle sprain sustained on Jan. 9. He did not play in the first game against USC.

With Prewitt in the lineup, Arizona State averages 76.1 points, shoots 47% from the field and 33% from three-point range. Without Prewitt, those numbers fall to 67.2 points, 39% and 21%.

If they can win at least four of their last seven games, the Sun Devils might still attract a bid to the NIT.