Trojans test well in 63-39 tune-up

Mississippi Valley State is precisely the kind of opponent USC wants to avoid sprinkling its schedule with next season:

A little-known three-word school from some faraway corner that generates an excitement level close to zero inside the Galen Center.

Trojans Coach Tim Floyd essentially acknowledged as much recently when he said that in the wake of USC’s recruiting success, he was “targeting the schedule as the next piece to become the national program that we aspire to be.”

For the time being, though, the Delta Devils provided a necessary tune-up for the likes of Loyola Marymount and Kansas that await the Trojans in the next week.

USC slogged its way through much of a 63-39 victory in front of 1,727 at the Galen Center, relying heavily on reserves for most of the second half.

Trojans freshman forward Taj Gibson had 14 points and 10 rebounds, extending to five games his season-opening streak of scoring in double figures.

The last Trojans freshman to open his career with more consecutive games in double figures was Tom Lewis, who did it in the first nine games of the 1985-86 season.

“It’s a wonderful feeling coming in playing for a good coach at a big university,” said Gibson, who notched his third double-double of the season. “That’s what dreams are made of.”

Junior swingman Nick Young and senior guard Lodrick Stewart had nine points apiece for the Trojans (4-1), who held Mississippi Valley State (1-5) to 24.2% shooting and outrebounded the Delta Devils, 41-33.

Those have been common themes for USC, which has held all five opponents under 40% shooting and has outrebounded four of five opponents after being outrebounded in 21 of 30 games last season.

Of course, those trends will be harder to sustain as the Trojans venture deeper into their schedule.

“We recognize our schedule is going to get more difficult,” said Floyd, whose Trojans are off to their best start since the 2001-02 team won four of its first five games en route to the NCAA tournament. “Whether or not we can translate learning how to win into wins against better quality opponents remains to be seen.”

USC senior center Abdoulaye N’diaye was sidelined because of flu-like symptoms and freshman guard Kevin Galloway did not play after spraining his right ankle in practice Tuesday morning. Galloway said he hoped to return in a day or two.

Sophomore forward RouSean Cromwell replaced N’diaye in the starting lineup and had six points and six rebounds in 25 minutes.

ben.bolch@latimes.com