A Sweep Would Be So Sweet

A victory today over Oregon would leave USC in no worse than sixth place in the Pacific 10 Conference at the midpoint of conference play, a potentially significant development, considering the top six teams receive first-round byes in the Pac-10 tournament.

A loss might not be devastating for a team that has already assured itself of a split on this trip with a 72-70 overtime victory against Oregon State on Thursday, but it would be disappointing.

“We’re trying to do what we can to get a sweep,” sophomore guard Gabe Pruitt said Friday. “That would be the first time I had got a sweep since I’ve been at SC.”

It would also be the first time the Trojans (13-6 overall, 4-4 Pac-10) had defeated the Ducks (10-10, 4-4) at McArthur Court since the 2000-01 season.

USC will try to duplicate the defensive intensity that UCLA exhibited Thursday in a 56-49 victory over Oregon. The Bruins held the Ducks to 32.2% shooting. Forward Malik Hairston, Oregon’s leading scorer, scored all six of his points in the first half, and the Ducks could muster only one field goal over the final 12 minutes.

USC sophomore swingman Nick Young is expected to guard Hairston. Pruitt, who did an admirable job guarding Oregon State guard Chris Stephens on Thursday, probably will draw guard Brandon Lincoln in a departure from the Trojans’ normal scheme.

“Before, I was guarding the point guard, and that’s [Ryan Francis’] position, so I should be guarding my position,” Pruitt said. “I think I can help my team better by guarding the two-guard.”

*

Junior center Abdoulaye N’diaye said his performance against Oregon State -- a career-high 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks -- did not qualify as a big game.

“For me, having a good game is having double figures in rebounding and more than five blocked shots,” he said.

It also might help if N’diaye converted more than the four of 11 free throws he made against the Beavers. The big man, shooting 53.5% from the foul line for the season, said he took extra shots in practice Friday.

*

Sead Odzic extended his first college start into a career-high 24 minutes Thursday night, but the freshman guard couldn’t shake his season-long shooting slump. He made one of five shots and is now shooting 32.8% from the floor, including 30.2% from behind the three-point line.

“He’s not shooting that great, but I love him,” said USC Coach Tim Floyd, who was noncommittal when asked whether Odzic would remain in the starting lineup today. “He doesn’t turn the ball over and he really makes the extra pass. He’s a real game-plan guy.

“I just think there’s going to be some night along the way where he makes every shot because he can really shoot it.”

*

TODAY

at Oregon, 5 p.m.

Site -- McArthur Court, Eugene, Ore.

Radio -- 1540

Records -- USC 13-6, 4-4 in Pacific 10 Conference; Oregon 10-10, 4-4

Update -- Floyd said freshman forward Jeremy Barr, averaging 13.4 minutes, didn’t play against Oregon State because “I just couldn’t find the right time to get him in.” Floyd said Barr had not been surpassed in the rotation by freshman forward Keith Wilkinson, whose playing time has recently increased. USC is 4-2 on the road and 6-1 when playing with one day’s rest.