Trojans’ Lead Is Lasting

There are no Western Michigans or Loyola Marymounts in the Pacific 10 Conference, a fact USC seems to be slowly grasping as it inches toward conference play.

Even though the Trojans continue to pile up victories against teams from mid-major conferences, they are just starting to show the attention to detail they will need to avoid another last-place conference finish.

USC took another tentative step forward Friday night at the Sports Arena during a 77-62 victory over Western Michigan, retaining most of a 22-point first-half lead through aggressive defense.

“I thought we did a little better on defense,” said Trojan sophomore guard Gabe Pruitt, who scored 14 points and helped hold the Broncos to 36.2% shooting. “Normally, we play hard for the first 30 minutes and then slip up. We didn’t do that. We played hard the whole game.”

The Trojans (6-2), who stretched their winning streak to six games, were so comfortably ahead in the final minutes that Coach Tim Floyd was able to finish the game with a lineup that included seldom-used reserves Keith Wilkinson and Collin Robinson as well as walk-on Reed Doucette.

Sophomore swingman Nick Young had 19 points and eight rebounds and junior guard Lodrick Stewart added 16 points for the Trojans, who altered shots and clogged the passing lanes while forcing 21 turnovers.

“I thought we were a little more patient defensively tonight, not trying to reach in and foul as much as we had,” Floyd said.

Guard Brian Snider scored 15 points for Western Michigan (2-4), which was unable to capitalize on a height advantage at several positions.

Trojan center Abdoulaye N’diaye, making his first start since Nov. 23, keyed a 15-0 first-half run. After forcing a Western Michigan turnover, N’diaye converted a three-point play after being fouled on a putback. Later, he blocked a shot to start a fastbreak that ended with a scoop layup by Stewart.

N’diaye committed two turnovers late in the first half as Western Michigan trimmed a deficit that had been as large as 22 points to 10, but his basket underneath off a feed from Pruitt gave USC a 44-32 halftime lead.

N’diaye picked up three fouls in the first 2:31 of the second half and was not much of a factor the rest of the game. He had seven points, five rebounds and two blocked shots.