USC Has Its Eyes on a Pac-10 Prize

It was hard last season for USC to believe it was making progress.

The Trojans tried to weather a brutal nonconference schedule that included Connecticut, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Kansas State with a limited roster. But double-digit defeats left them physically exhausted and emotionally spent even before Pacific 10 Conference play began.

Beyond their upset of Stanford, the Trojans had no impact on the conference race. To no one’s surprise they finished with a losing record, 14-17.

There were also internal problems that kept the roster unstable. Aisha Hollans and Portia Mitchell left the program, and another player, Jessica Cheeks, was suspended for a calendar year.

Things are different this season, and the Trojans (7-6, 4-1) have a chance this week to show people -- and themselves -- that they can challenge Stanford for the regular-season conference title.

The depth Coach Chris Gobrecht was seeking with the freshman class she recruited is proving itself. Chole Kerr, who started last week for the first time, and Jamie Funn are promising post players. Jamie Hagiya brings energy and quick hands off the bench at point guard. Eshaya Murphy, who can play guard and forward, could become an all-conference player as she gains experience.

Seniors Ebony Hoffman, a two-time All-Pac-10 first-team selection; Rometra Craig, Tiffany Hicks and Cheeks, who was reinstated on Dec. 19, keep the freshmen calm and focused on the court. And with the youngsters contributing, the seniors don’t have to play as many minutes, thus staying fresher longer.

That balance is one reason the Trojans got through this season’s demanding nonconference schedule with their psyches intact, even if they didn’t get all the wins they wanted.

“What we hoped [to get out of the early schedule] last year, we got this year,” Gobrecht said. “We spaced out the difficult games better, and we had the depth to hang in there better. It’s been a much different situation than we felt last year.”

USC also appears to have better defined the players’ roles. Hoffman, averaging 15.6 points, is the focal point of the offense, but Craig and Cheeks can score in bunches. Sophomore Meghan Gnekow willingly defends against the opponent’s best scoring guard or small forward, and shoots the three-pointer when open. Hicks looks smoother this year running the offense. None of the aforementioned freshmen show any reluctance about having plays run for them.

The Trojans swept Washington and Washington State last weekend, climbing above .500 for the first time this season. After winning four of their last five, they are tied with Arizona for second place, half a game behind Stanford.

“You can see USC has got its confidence back,” Arizona Coach Joan Bonvicini said.

Now USC faces a key test, going on the road this weekend to play Arizona and Arizona State. It’s the first time in a long time, according to Gobrecht, that the Trojans are facing one of those “defining moments” that separate the good teams from average ones.

The desert challenge looms as a difficult one. Both teams are unbeaten at home, Arizona at 8-0 and Arizona State at 7-0.

“I’m telling the team we need to prove that we can do the tough things that set you apart, like winning on the road,” Gobrecht said. “We have come close to doing it. But we still have to find ‘that moment’ when you can do it.

“This is an opportunity for some separation in the conference. The Arizona trip is tough for everybody when they have to make that swing. If we get one game, we’ve done a pretty good job of saying we’re one of the better teams. If we somehow get both, we’ve separated.

“If we don’t get any [wins], we’re part of the pack. It won’t be the end of world. But we understand this is a great opportunity.”