USC Basketball: Trojans Deliver Message In Win Over UCLA

For years there has been a sort of "truism" when it came to college sports in the Los Angeles southland.

For football dominance, look no further than the cardinal and gold of USC.

If you are looking for the powers that be in basketball, journey to Westwood and check out the powder blue of UCLA.

That was just the way it was, and for decades, no one thought of anything else than USC football and UCLA basketball.

Now that appears to be changing.

With USC's 63-52 victory over the Bruins last night at the Galen Center, the Trojans have now won four in a row over their crosstown rivals and they did it in convincing fashion.

Although the Trojans were down by two at halftime, USC came roaring out in the second half. Behind their stifiling defense, the Trojans won going away in front of a spirited fan base that finally came out to support a team that has deserved their attention for a long time.

Some things are starting to become crystal clear with this basketball edition of the men of Troy.

One, their front court of Nikola Vucevic and Alex Stepheson is one of, if not the best in the conference.

Vucevic scored 20 points last night and Stepheson, playing without a cast on his left hand for the first time since the opening game of the season, pulled down 13 rebounds as the duo easily outclassed their Bruin counterparts.

Meanwhile, guards Jio Fontan and Maurice Jones both played well, particularly on defense, as they stymied the Bruins with their continual disruptive presence.

For the Trojans, this victory may be just a sample of things to come.

Although it is still early in the season, the Trojans are getting better by the game as their young players learn to fit in coach Kevin O'Neill's system.

As the season progresses and true freshmen Maurice and Bryce Jones (no relation) and Garrett Jackson gain more experience, they will become an even more dominating force for the Trojans and a bigger headache for their opponents.

Already this young group is beginning to jell and by the time the Pac-10 tournament rolls around, they should be ready to make some hay.

Don't believe me?

Just ask Ben Howland and those guys in the powder blue uniforms.