Rebels invade USC

Steve Carp

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 1997 | 11:18 a.m.

LOS ANGELES -- It has only been 10 days since UNLV last played a basketball game. But to the players and coach Bill Bayno, it seems like the clock has been turned back to Oct. 18.

That's when fall practice began. For two weeks, the Rebels did nothing but see each other. So forgive the players if they're just a wee bit anxious to see someone else besides themselves on the court tonight.

That someone else is Southern Cal, which is riding a four-game winning streak and is out to avenge last year's 80-75 loss to UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center. But the 2-1 Rebels want to erase the Nov. 21 thrashing they received from Kansas. So they won't be lacking motivation, either.

"We'll be ready," said freshman forward Donovan Stewart, who will be celebrating a homecoming of sorts, as the Rialto native returns to Southern California for the 7:30 game at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

"We've had some great practices and I'm excited. It's going to be special for me to be playing in front of my family. It's kinda hard for them to come see me in Vegas."

Senior forward Tyrone Nesby said it's time to resume the season.

"Everyone's excited to get back on the court," said the team's leading scorer. "We're tired of seeing each other."

But did the Rebels get better over the last 10 days?

"I think we did," Nesby said. "I think our defense is better and we've had some meetings so we learned a lot about each other."

Coach Bill Bayno said the team's chemistry may have a lot to do with shaking off whatever potential rust may exist.

"This is a close-knit group of guys," he said. "I think you have to go back to the summer when they were doing everything together. The bowling, the softball games, the barbecues, I think they've all contributed to the chemistry.

"We've had great practices and the intensity level has been very high. You never know if there'll be an early letdown. Let's hope not."

Bayno knows it will take more than good chemistry to win tonight in the second game of a four-game road trip. The Trojans match up well with the Rebels and Henry Bibby's team is shooting the ball well. USC is hitting 48 percent of its shots.

"They're going to try to trap us and press us and we'll see a lot of zone," Bayno said. "For us, we have to take good care of the basketball and make plays."

If USC wants to get into an up-and-down game with UNLV, that's fine with Bayno.

"I think our transition game will be fine," he said. "We have to defend their shooters and try to slow them down."

Bibby is trying to slow his guys down as well.

"We're still learning to run our offense," he said. "I think we have a very structured basketball team. We play offense with a purpose and we play defense with a purpose. But sometimes we get a little selfish.

"We've shot the ball very quickly without even making a pass. That's selfish basketball. We have a shot on every play for every person. We have to be unselfish and run the offense, not just get up the floor and jack up a shot without a single pass."

The Trojans have gotten a nice lift from junior college transfer Adam Spanich. The 6-foot-7 forward from Marshalltown (Iowa) Community College is coming off a career-best 27-point effort against San Diego State and he leads USC in scoring with a 15.6 average.

Spanich comes off the bench for Bibby and he will remain in that role for now as Bibby continues to tinker with his lineup.

"We're still in an experimental phase," Bibby said. "We're still trying to see where everyone fits in."

Bayno has no such problems. At least not for a couple of weeks until he gets transfers Brian Keefe and Issiah Epps eligible and in uniform.

"Nothing's changed," he said. "Just go out and play hard and play together."

Even 10 days off shouldn't alter that mind-set.

Hoop du jour

* KABA CLEARED: Finally, after two months of red tape, waiting and hoping, the NCAA Monday cleared Ali Kaba. The Rebels' 6-foot-9 freshman center from Monrovia, Liberia will make his collegiate debut tonight. "It's great news," Kaba said. "I've been waiting so long." Coach Bill Bayno said Kaba will play sparingly in a backup role to starter Kaspars Kambala. "He'll probably play 5-10 minutes, depending on how the game is going," Bayno said. ... Injury update: Greedy Daniels said his bruised left knee is fine and his pulled groin muscle is better. The 6-foot freshman from New Orleans will be in the starting lineup tonight.

* FAST START?: After getting hammered by New Mexico 98-76 in its season opener, USC has won four straight. However, the combined record of those opponents (Sacramento State, Loyola Marymount, UC Santa Barbara and San Diego State) is 3-13. ... Freshman G Kevin Augustine has been hampered by injuries and illness. The highly touted recruit out of Mater Dei High School is averaging just 16 minutes while battling dizzy spells and foot injuries. ... USC's tallest players are freshman Greg Lakey and sophomore Jarvis Turner, both 6-8. ... USC has 10 players averaging 12 minutes or more. ... This is the fourth meeting in the series which began in 1993 at the NIT. USC holds a 2-1 edge.