Fresh Off Upset Victory, Trojans Get Bigger Test

The road upset over then 19th-ranked Colorado State didn’t vault USC into the top 25 this week.

But it did get the attention of fourth-ranked Kansas State, which plays host to the Trojans tonight in the semifinals of the preseason WNIT.

“I’m impressed with any team that could go into Colorado State and win, which is a very tough place to play,” Wildcat Coach Deb Patterson said. “To gut out a last-second win there shows toughness and character.”

It also showed the Trojans (2-0) that this season can be better than last season because the Trojans are more versatile.

“We haven’t yet put two good halves together,” USC Coach Chris Gobrecht said. “But what has been good is we realize even if we may not play our best we can win if we keep our heads on. We have enough weapons that someone will step up.”

Tonight’s game, however, will be a much tougher challenge for the Trojans.

The Wildcats (2-0), who defeated Ball State and Georgia Tech in the WNIT, may be relatively young with a starting lineup of four sophomores and a junior. But they are returning four starters from last season’s 26-8 team that finished third in the Big 12 and reached the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament.

Kansas State boasts a potent center in 6-foot-4 junior Nicole Ohide, who has averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds in the two games.

USC has made only 39% of its field-goal attempts this season (including 17.4% from three-point range) which helps to account for its 61 points per game average. But the defense is good, allowing only 56.5 points.

-- Mike Terry