USC arrived early but wants to stay late

This was supposed to be a preamble to their one shining moment, the calm before USC and star recruit O.J. Mayo stormed back into the NCAA tournament in 2008.

The 2006-07 Trojans didn’t have a point guard. They had no inside game. Their best player disappeared for stretches and hung his head when things went wrong.

But it turned out those who dismissed USC this season did some shoddy detective work.

The roster included, among other assets, gritty freshman Daniel Hackett, who filled in capably at point guard until Gabe Pruitt returned from an 11-game academic suspension; a menacing inside presence in freshman Taj Gibson; and a steady scoring threat in junior swingman Nick Young.

And so today the fifth-seeded Trojans will play 12th-seeded Arkansas at Spokane Arena in an East Regional first-round game. It will be USC’s first NCAA tournament game since 2002.

“We feel good about our situation and how we played this year and how far this program has come from years past,” Young said Thursday. “Either way, win or lose, we can walk out with our heads held high.”

Earlier this week, players from both schools seemed more nervy than nervous. USC guard Lodrick Stewart spoke of defending Arkansas counterpart Patrick Beverley -- and then trying to shut down Texas’ Kevin Durant, as if the Trojans had already made it to the second round.

Beverley, a freshman guard, took things a step further, saying in a television interview, “I think we’re going to make the Sweet 16 easily.”

Bold comments from teams that weren’t expected to be here -- USC before the season and Arkansas as recently as a week ago. Even when the Razorbacks secured a tournament berth with a run to the Southeastern Conference tournament title game, their inclusion was derided because of their losing record in conference play.

USC Coach Tim Floyd said he didn’t need any convincing after an NBA scout told him Arkansas had as much talent as Kansas, top-seeded in the West Regional.

“We know that we’re going to play a team not unlike George Mason last year,” Floyd said. “They’re tired of hearing from Syracuse and Kansas State and Drexel that they should be in and Arkansas shouldn’t be in. They’re going to come to play because of that.”

The Trojans will also have some extra incentive because of the presence of Paulette Francis, the mother of slain freshman guard Ryan Francis, who was their driving force a year ago. They will also play for a fan base that grew significantly throughout the season.

After a slow start in which the Trojans averaged 3,667 fans for their first nine games in the new $130-million Galen Center, USC basketball became a draw. The home regular-season finale against California on Feb. 24 drew a close-to-capacity crowd of 10,027, and USC was buoyed by strong support during its run to the Pacific 10 Conference tournament final at Staples Center.

“I think this basketball program is going to go up, not down, in the years after me,” said Stewart, a senior.

The primary reason for optimism is the anticipated arrival of a highly ranked recruiting class that includes point guard Mayo and forward Davon Jefferson, two of the most coveted high school players in the country.

While acknowledging that they might declare for the NBA draft after this season depending on their projected status, Pruitt and Young, both juniors, also have pondered what it would be like to come back and play on a team whose talent level could rival that of the USC football team.

“I don’t see why I couldn’t come back and do it again,” Pruitt said of playing in the NCAA tournament. “This time next year we could have a higher seed -- possibly a No. 1 seed -- so it’s a tough decision. I think Nick feels the same way because we’re both having fun and things are starting to get good. Who’s to say whether we’ll leave or come back?

“But things can really change. [Today] and Sunday, things can really start to get good.”

ben.bolch@latimes.com

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USC-Arkansas matchups

A look at the Trojans’ first-round NCAA game against Arkansas:

*--* STARTERS USC Ht. Wt. Stats Pos ARKANSAS Ht. Wt. Stats Nick Young 6-6 200 17.4 ppg F Sonny Weems 6-6 201 11.7 ppg Taj Gibson 6-9 210 8.4 rpg F M. Washington 6-10 229 3.5 ppg Dwight Lewis 6-5 200 5.9 ppg G/C Steven Hill 7-0 250 2.9 bpg Gabe Pruitt 6-4 170 4.1 apg G Gary Ervin 6-0 176 10.0 ppg Lodrick 6-4 210 44.4% 3pt G Patrick 6-1 172 13.8 ppg Stewart Beverley RESERVES Daniel 6-5 205 4.8 ppg G Stefan Welsh 6-2 180 3.3 ppg Hackett R. Cromwell 6-11 217 2.2 rpg F Charles 6-8 235 5.9 rpg Thomas A. N’diaye 6-11 220 3.3 ppg C/F Darian Townes 6-10 254 8.2 ppg

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HOW THEY MATCH UP

* INSIDE -- Center Hill gives the Razorbacks a shot-blocking presence USC can’t match, but the Trojans proved they can handle imposing front lines by beating Stanford twice in the last three weeks. USC center Gibson is statistically superior to Hill as a scorer and rebounder. He is averaging 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds to Hill’s 6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds. Arkansas forward Townes could give the Trojans problems unless USC forward Cromwell can step up like he did when he neutralized Stanford’s Robin Lopez during a Trojans victory Feb. 22. Arkansas’ Washington and USC’s N’diaye also could be factors.

* OUTSIDE -- USC Coach Tim Floyd said Arkansas has won five of its last six games because of improved play from its perimeter players. Junior college transfer Weems has lived up to his billing as an explosive scorer, Beverley has developed into a special talent as a freshman and Ervin has drawn comparisons to Oregon guard Aaron Brooks. But the Trojans’ strength is also in the backcourt. Young possesses a hard-to-defend step-back fadeaway jumper, Pruitt has evolved into a top-notch point guard and Stewart is a dangerous catch-and-shoot threat from three-point range.

* COACHING -- Floyd and Arkansas’ Stan Heath have coaxed steady improvement from their teams, with Heath guiding the Razorbacks to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and Floyd helping the Trojans make their first postseason appearance in five years. Both coaches have also led teams on good NCAA tournament runs. Heath took Kent State to the Elite Eight in 2002 and Floyd guided Iowa State to the Sweet 16 in 1997. While Floyd is still enjoying a honeymoon period in his second season, Heath was feeling some heat amid a late-season slide before his Razorbacks regrouped to reach the Southeastern Conference title game.

* KEYS -- If the Trojans can relocate the poise and defensive intensity they displayed during Pacific 10 Conference tournament victories over Stanford and Washington State, they will be tough to beat. Arkansas has a pair of NCAA tournament newcomers in Beverley and Weems, who will be eager to use college basketball’s biggest stage as a showcase for their skills.

* PREDICTION -- USC 72, Arkansas 65.

-- BEN BOLCH