Trojans’ Outside Shooting on the Mark

The lack of a consistent inside game might yet haunt USC (5-0), especially when Pacific 10 Conference play begins. For the moment, though, the 12th-ranked Trojans aren’t just living by the outside shot, they are thriving on it.

From the field, USC is making 48% (142 of 296). There isn’t much drop off when the Trojans drop back to three-point range, where they are making 47.7% (51 of 107). That ties them with Colorado with the second best three-point percentage in the country. Both teams trail Arkansas-Littlerock, which is making 47.9%.

USC had its best shooting game in Tuesday’s victory against Northridge, making 52.3%. The coldest game was against San Diego, when USC shot 44.2%.

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No game played at UC Santa Barbara this season seems to finish on time.

All three Gaucho home games have gone into overtime. Wednesday’s 80-77 victory over San Diego State took three overtimes. The other two games--a 77-74 loss to San Francisco and a 57-50 win over Westmont Collegeeach needed one overtime period.

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Honolulu’s Pearl Harbor Tournament--in which the Trojans are scheduled to play Dec. 21--23--has been renamed the Yahoo! Sports Invitational because of a sponsorship agreement that was worked out last week.