Defense Gives Team Identity

TEMPE, Ariz. -- It has taken more than half of a rebuilding season, but USC has found its identity. The youthful Trojans did not have to look far to find it.

USC is beginning to unleash the same brand of trapping and full-court pressure defense that made it such a Pacific 10 Conference power the last two seasons. The result: a three-game winning streak in which the Trojans have forced an average of 25.3 turnovers, come up with 12.3 steals and scored 91.7 points against Oregon, UCLA and Nevada Las Vegas.

Coach Henry Bibby said that USC’s run of good fortune is due to the Trojans’ heeding his maxim of playing hard defense every game because they cannot always control the offensive end.

“Old coaches have always said that your defense creates your offense for you,” Bibby said. “Sunday [in the 98-73 win at UNLV], our defense created easy baskets for us; it got us a lot of easy shots. That’s why the score was so high. If you play defense and you get deflections and get steals, you’re going to run. We’re looking to run and push the basketball up the floor and get more easy baskets than we’ve ever had.”

The Trojans, of course, prefer an uptempo style to mind-numbing half-court sets. And USC’s ultra-quick backcourt, which features the sophomore Craven twins, gets the transition game in gear.

“I’m taking more pride in my defense of late, seizing the opportunity,” said Errick Craven, who has 16 steals in USC’s last three games. “Before, I’d see the ball and their eyes, but I’d just be lazy and not go for it.”

Earning respect from officials who are not as quick to blow whistles on him has Craven gambling more as well.

“Getting two fouls in two minutes would restrain me,” he said. “I’m not getting called [for fouls] as often. Earlier in the year it was petty fouls that shouldn’t have been called.”

Earlier this season, the Trojans also seemed stuck in the mud.

“Most of the games we lost,” said point guard Derrick Craven, “we tried to grind it out.”

Such was the case in USC’s last defeat, a distressing 83-74 setback against Oregon State on Jan. 30 at the Sports Arena.

Still, it was one of only three games this season in which the Trojans came out flat, along with losses to UC Santa Barbara (69-53) on Dec. 3 and Pennsylvania (99-61) on Jan. 11.

“We’ve played with the most consistency of any team I’ve had probably since I’ve been here,” Bibby said. “The kids are playing hard for me, and that’s what’s important.

“The last three games have been excellent because of the wins.”

And the wins have come because of the excellent defense.

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TONIGHT

at Arizona State, 5:30 PST

Fox Sports Net

Site -- Wells Fargo Arena, Tempe.

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

Records -- USC 10-9 overall, 5-5 in Pacific 10, Arizona State 15-7, 7-4.

Update -- Arizona State freshman center Ike Diogu, who leads the Sun Devils in scoring (18.0) and rebounding (8.0), also leads the Pac-10 in conference field-goal percentage (65%). Trojan sophomore forward Nick Curtis (right heel), who missed the UNLV game and has not started since Jan. 25, practiced lightly Wednesday night and is questionable tonight.