Banks Not Impressed by Trojans

LAS VEGAS — Having played in last year’s Los Angeles summer league for a team called the Playaz, Nevada Las Vegas senior point guard Marcus Banks is familiar with several USC players from the competition.

None of them made a major impression on him.

“I’m not being cocky,” Banks said, “but not any of those guys really impress me. I held [Desmon] Farmer to what, two points? And that was in an NBA [style] game, 48 minutes.”

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Banks’ game is reminiscent of Baron Davis’, and he carries a similar swagger in averaging 19.8 points, 5.5 assists and 3.2 steals. He expects the Trojans to key on him with a box-and-one defense.

“It doesn’t matter who they put in front of me because I’m a competitor,” Banks said. “I just don’t want my team to be like a deer in headlights.

“They’ll never be able to shut me down. Maybe just slow me down.”

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USC overlooked Pennsylvania in its last nonconference game after playing cross-town rival UCLA and paid with a 99-61 loss last month, and the Trojans say it won’t happen at UNLV, even if they don’t know much about the Runnin’ Rebels’ history.

Said Derrick Craven: “I know Larry Johnson played there, right?”

Yep, as did Reggie Theus, Stacey Augmon, Isaiah Rider, Shawn Marion, Greg Anthony, Keon Clark and Armon Gilliam, among others.

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TODAY

at Nevada Las Vegas

12:45 p.m., Channel 7

Site -- Thomas & Mack Center.

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

Records -- USC 9-9, UNLV 13-6.

Update -- USC sophomore forward Nick Curtis (sore right heel) said he might sit out today because it is not a Pacific 10 Conference game. Coach Henry Bibby said the decision will be Curtis’.