Galen Center has its fans, but they aren’t in seats

They love the wood-paneled lockers, the two-tone court featuring a lighter shade of wood inside the three-point arc and the scoreboard video screen that shows replays in sharp detail.

As far as USC players are concerned, there’s only one thing missing inside their new $130-million arena: fans.

“If we get a packed crowd it would be really nice,” freshman guard Dwight Lewis said.

The Galen Center hasn’t been quite the draw that Trojans players or athletic officials had envisioned, though it’s still early in the season and the likes of the Citadel and Mississippi Valley State will eventually be replaced by Washington and Arizona.

USC is averaging 4,842 fans through its first five games in the 10,258-seat arena -- a significant increase over the 1,761 figure from the same point last season at the Sports Arena but still well below the Pacific 10 Conference average of 6,905.

The only conference schools averaging fewer fans are Oregon State (3,910), Stanford (3,781) and Washington State (2,597). Arizona averages a conference-best 13,390 fans and UCLA ranks third with an average of 8,862.

Particularly disappointing for USC has been student turnout, which peaked at 866 for the opener against South Carolina but has since dipped below 100. The Trojans also have sold only six of 11 luxury suites.

Fans have grumbled on Internet message boards about a mix-up in which some season-ticket holders received their tickets after the start of the season.

Another common gripe has been conflicts with football games. For example, USC’s game against Loyola Marymount at 6 tonight at the Galen Center will begin about an hour after the Trojans’ football game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl is expected to end.

Coach Tim Floyd said opponents’ previous scheduling commitments have made accommodating fans difficult. “You just try to make it work to where it fits everybody, but it doesn’t always work perfectly until January,” said Floyd, alluding to the end of football season.

Players said the Trojans’ opener, which drew a season-high 7,512, provided a glimpse of the kind of home-court edge they hope to generate on a more regular basis.

“The South Carolina game, you kind of saw the potential of what it can be like,” sophomore forward Keith Wilkinson said. “If we have that, it will give us a huge advantage compared to what we had at the Sports Arena.”

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TONIGHT

vs. Loyola Marymount, 6, PRIME

Site -- Galen Center.

Radio -- 830.

Records -- USC 4-1, Loyola Marymount 6-2.

Update -- Loyola Marymount’s veteran front line of 6-foot-8 Matthew Knight and 6-9 Derick Grubb will provide the first true test for USC freshman forward Taj Gibson, who has scored in double figures in every game. The Lions have proved resilient in rallying from double-digit second-half deficits for victories over New Mexico State, Pacific and UC Santa Barbara.

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ben.bolch@latimes.com

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First-year crowds

Game-by-game announced attendance at the Galen Center, which has a capacity of 10,258:

*--* Date Opponent Att. Nov. 16 South Carolina 7,512 Nov. 18 St. Mary’s 4,127 Nov. 21 Citadel 3,733 Nov. 24 Long Beach State 7,112 Nov. 28 Miss. Valley State 1,727 Average attendance: 4,842

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Source: usctrojans.cstv.com