Overconfidence Least of Players’ Concerns

There was no sense of self-importance in USC’s locker room after the Trojans’ ragged 81-68 season-opening win over second-year Division I school UC Riverside on Friday night.

And that’s a good thing, the players acknowledged, because if they have another disjointed performance tonight, the Trojans would be ripe to be picked apart by Rhode Island, which is opening its $54-million Ryan Center.

“We’ve got to get some fire from inside and play harder,” said sophomore center Rory O’Neil, who had his first career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 11 rebounds Friday.

Forward Nick Curtis, who had career highs in points (12), rebounds (eight) and minutes (19), blamed “first-game jitters” for an awkward season opener in which, Coach Henry Bibby said, the Trojans played with no urgency.

“We’ve got a lot to work on,” Curtis said. “A lot of guys took plays off. It’s unexplainable.”

Imagine the explaining the Trojans would have to do if they play the same way against a team that finished 8-20 last season, which included an 82-54 loss at USC.

Sending a message to his seniors last Dec. 4, Bibby benched David Bluthenthal, Sam Clancy and Brandon Granville to start the Rhode Island game and started freshmen Curtis, O’Neil and Errick Craven, sophomore Desmon Farmer and junior Robert Hutchinson.

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After reviewing tape of Riverside guard Nate Carter’s last-second basket against USC, both teams agreed that the freshman’s shot was a three-pointer instead of a two-point basket as originally awarded, making the final 81-68.

TONIGHT

at Rhode Island, 4:30 PST

Site -- Ryan Center.

Radio -- KMPC (1540), KPLS (830).

Records -- USC 1-0, Rhode Island 1-0.

Update -- The Rams are coming off a 95-82 win at Northeastern.