USC Opens Hawaii Tournament Against Purdue
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USC’s basketball team opens the Rainbow tournament against Purdue at 8 tonight (PST) at Honolulu.
The Trojans (6-3) will be trying to rebound from a 73-66 loss to Cal in their Pacific 10 Conference opener last Friday.
“The Cal game was a step forward for us,” USC Coach George Raveling said after a second-half comeback against the Bears failed. “I’d say it was our best game of the season. We can take a game like this and build on it.”
Raveling is looking for a better effort from guards Anthony Pendleton and Duane Cooper against Purdue.
Pendleton, USC’s leading scorer, failed to score in the first half against Cal and finished with 6 points. He made 2 of 11 shots from the field. Cooper had 7 points, hitting 3 of 7 shots.
USC faces a stiff test in Purdue (6-4), the defending Big Ten champion. The Boilermakers are led by Melvin McCants a 6-foot 8-inch senior forward.
USC will face either Hawaii or Yale in their second tournament game.
Also competing are Illinois, Georgia Tech, Houston and Tulsa.
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