Players Learn From Defeat

Those last-second losses at Rhode Island in November and Washington on Saturday may have done USC some good after all.

The rebuilding Trojans, who have settled into a starting lineup that includes four sophomores, say they are stronger for the experience and learning how to close out games, as they did at UCLA Wednesday night.

“Every time you lose you should learn something, get something out of the loss,” said sophomore shooting guard Errick Craven, who made big shots down the stretch in the 80-75 victory, USC’s first win at Pauley Pavilion in 10 years. “We’ve learned to become more aggressive and don’t play not to lose, but play to win.”

The Trojans were tentative after building big leads against Missouri (11 points with almost 15 minutes to play) and Washington (21 points with six minutes remaining in the first half). After USC went up by 11 with 10:41 remaining Wednesday, the Bruins closed the gap to two points before the Trojans sped off.

Coach Henry Bibby “always stresses that we start strong so we have to finish strong as well,” said junior forward Jerry Dupree. “That’s what we did, so we have more confidence now because UCLA is always a good team.”

Bibby raised eyebrows when he said after the win that last season’s USC team, which had three senior starters in David Bluthenthal, Sam Clancy and Brandon Granville, was more “fragile” that this season’s team.

But the upperclassmen’s sense of urgency to shine for pro scouts hurt the Trojans at times last season, Bibby said.

“You have a little more individuality with guys like that,” Bibby said. “It was a great team and we had good players but I think we were a little selfish at times. I think this year, they don’t know [about the future]. You’re kind of molding them.”

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Senior point guard Robert Hutchinson practiced Thursday for the first time since re-spraining his ankle on Dec. 21 and expects to play Saturday against defending Ivy League champion Pennsylvania (4-4) at the Forum.