Home Is Good for Streaking Trojans

The Sports Arena is dilapidated and grungy, rarely fills with fans and USC is closing in on the funding it needs to build its own arena. But the old blue-and-white structure is still a good home for the Trojans.

With their weekend sweep of Washington and Washington State, the No. 20 Trojans are 8-0 at the Sports Arena and have won their last 10 games there dating to last season. It’s their longest home streak since winning 16 in a row spanning the 1992 and 1993 seasons.

In the 142 home games since the start of the 1991-92 season, the Trojans are 102-40.

Coach Henry Bibby has emphasized defending the home court, especially in Pacific 10 Conference play. But he said road games can’t be ignored.

“You have to win at home and the road if you want to be in the top echelon of the conference,” Bibby said. “Stanford went ahead of people by going into Arizona and winning that game, taking their home-court advantage away.”