USC’s on Short End in Loss to Oral Roberts

After losing its opener to Cal State Northridge, USC didn’t need to venture to Alaska to figure out it had a long way to go toward respectability.

But the Trojans may have taken a step or two backward Wednesday night at Sullivan Arena during a 68-48 loss to Oral Roberts in the first round of the Great Alaska Shootout.

The guard-heavy Trojans found out what it’s like to go against a larger front line, and the results were predictably lopsided.

With three starters listed at 6 feet 7 or taller, the Golden Eagles pushed their way around inside the paint against an undersized USC team that featured one big man for much of the game.

Forward Caleb Green scored 19 points and had 10 rebounds for Oral Roberts, which outrebounded the Trojans, 45-25.

“We just didn’t get a body on certain people, and we were standing there watching,” Trojan guard Gabe Pruitt said. “I don’t think their size mattered.”

Said USC guard Nick Young: “They just wanted it more than us. They were hustling and going after loose balls.”

Young scored 13 points and Pruitt had 11 for the Trojans, who dropped to 0-2 for the first time since the 1994-95 season, when they finished 9-19 and in last place in the Pacific 10 Conference.

USC will play the loser of the late Wednesday game between Marquette and Eastern Washington on Friday in a consolation-round game.

A telling moment for the cold-shooting Trojans came early in the second half when Dwayne Shackleford lobbed a perfect alley-oop pass to Pruitt, who couldn’t elevate the ball over the rim.

“We had guys trying to make the tricky dunks like we were going to get an extra point for it,” said USC Coach Tim Floyd, whose team made 35.7% of its shots.

Floyd used a lineup that featured two big men for stretches during the second half, but it didn’t seem to make a difference. Forward Jeremy Barr had one rebound in 18 minutes, and center Abdoulaye N’diaye had none in 10 minutes.

“When they’re not rebounding -- a 6-11 guy has zero rebounds in 10 minutes -- you might as well go with a 6-2 guy,” Floyd said.

Pruitt briefly located the shooting touch that had abandoned him in USC’s opener, making his first three shots, including a fade-away three-pointer. Then the sophomore had a shot blocked and struggled the rest of the way, making four of 12 shots overall.

“I thought maybe I rushed a few shots,” said Pruitt, who has made 21.9% of his shots in two games. “I think I needed to settle down.”

USC appeared stagnant on offense and bewildered on defense in the first half as the Golden Eagles (1-1) built a 41-23 halftime lead by pounding the ball inside and drawing fouls or getting easy second- and third-chance baskets.

USC played a little more crisply in the second half with Shackleford and freshman Sead Odzic directing the offense, but they could draw no closer than 14 points.