USC Comes Up With Run of Its Own and Snaps Six-Game Losing Streak

It was desperation time for the USC basketball team Saturday, and the Trojans responded with a 65-60 victory over Washington State at the Sports Arena.

Even though the game was ragged at times, USC Coach George Raveling didn’t knock any aspects of it.

“There were far more positive things than negative,” Raveling said. “When you’re in the depths of despair like us, the only way out is with a win.”

By winning, the Trojans snapped a six-game losing streak to bring their record to 4-13 overall and 2-6 in the Pacific 10 Conference.

USC is tied with Washington for ninth place in the conference, the Huskies losing to UCLA Saturday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion.

USC had a 29-26 lead at halftime, but Washington State went on an eight-point blitz at the outset of the second half.

The Trojans have let other games slip away early in the second half, but they responded this time with an 11-0 run of their own.

The Cougars (7-9, 4-5) couldn’t generate any offense and turned the ball over at critical times without being pressured.

With 1:07 remaining, USC had a comfortable 65-53 lead, so the final score is deceiving.

Forward Chris Moore led the Trojans with 16 points, and center Chris Munk added 15.

Dave Wiltz, who has become a fixture at point guard after losing his starting position previously to Rich Grande, has become more effective with more playing time.

Wiltz, academically ineligible most of last season, scored 8 points and had 8 assists. He contributed 11 assists in a 78-74 loss to Arizona State a week ago Saturday.

“Dave is playing well for us,” Raveling said. “You can see how much better he would be if he had played last year. The point guard on the floor is an extension of the coach. He’s putting in a lot of minutes and he’s working his tail off on defense.”

Wiltz has averaged 36.7 minutes in the past three games, losses to Arizona and Arizona State and the win over Washington State.

Raveling had criticized him for not always playing at the same tempo as his teammates, meaning that he was sometimes trying to make things happen on his own.

“I was doing a lot of things wrong and I had to go to the bench to understand that,” said Wiltz, a senior from Avondale, La. “When the offense broke down, I went to the goal on my own. I had to learn to be more selective in my penetration.”

The Cougars weren’t as competitive and more error-prone in the second half after 7-foot center Todd Anderson and forward Neil Evans got into foul trouble.

WSU guard David Sanders tried to provide a spark, making two of his four three-point baskets in the second half, but he wasn’t a factor in the closing minutes.

While WSU was floundering offensively, the Trojans were getting a lift from their bench.

“That was a big factor,” Munk said. “Guys were coming off the bench with their heads into the game.”

He could have been referring to Grande. Grande made a key layup and four free throws while playing the final six minutes.

Forward Bob Erbst, a former starter, also contributed with 8 points while playing 21 minutes.

Erbst said that Raveling worked the team in practice last week harder than at any time since October.

“It was a non-stop practice, but we took it in stride,” Erbst said, “and we weren’t stagnant in the second half.”

The Trojans had been shooting 42% from the field and 62.3% from the free-throw line, but they improved on those statistics against the Cougars--48.9% and 77.3%.

It remains to be seen whether USC can make it two in a row Monday night against Washington at the Sports Arena.

Trojan Notes

Dave Wiltz and Chris Munk provided all the points for the Trojans in a decisive 11-0 run early in the second half after Washington State had regained the lead at 34-29. Wiltz got one basket after a steal and then hit the floor hard on his layup. . . . USC Coach George Raveling said he didn’t want to be negative, but he believes that Arizona, the runaway conference leader, will be the only Pac-10 team invited to the postseason National Collegiate Athletic Assn. tournament. . . . Raveling said one of the keys to Saturday’s game was WSU center Todd Anderson getting his fourth foul with 8 1/2 minutes remaining. “It changed his aggressive mentality on the floor, and he couldn’t play aggressive post defense,” Raveling said. Anderson finished with 10 points.