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Greater improvement predicted by BoydBy TERRY ROSSAfter the first month of basketball, and the Trojans in possession of a perfect 10-0 record. Coach Bob Boyd says that the best is yet to come.USC. says Boyd, has gained much in the way of team defense and overall quality of play since the season began back on Dec 3, but in the month to come, he sees much more progress.I expect we will be much better in the conference games.” which start Friday and Saturday against Washington State and Washington, predicted Boyd.One of the major reasons for their undefeated status is the pressure man-on-man defense used by the Trojans, which resembles the football type of “bump-and-run” used by defensive backs.‘•We will continue to use this as our primary defense.’ Boyd said.‘ One of our main area we hope to improve in is to curtail our fouling yet maintain our defense.” he added.The Trojans will have to be a better team during Pac-8 play, said Boyd, who also expects his squad to improve accordingly.“Our team will be much better a month from now just as it has improved over what it was a month ago when the season started. he saidDuring that month the Trojans have compiled a remarkable record, in addition to making the best start of any USC basketball team since 1952In the Sun Bowl Tournament in El Pasco. Troy came from a 16-poir.t deficit to defeat then-nationally ranked Florida State. 94-85USC went on to win the tournament, defeating host UTEP. 65-63. and then returned to LosAngeles where they demolished Alabama and swept their own Trojan Invitational by defeating Michigan State and Houston on successive nights.Center Ron Riley made the all-tournament team in both of the holiday invitationals while Dennis Layton was picked on the Sun Bowl team and Paul Westphal made the Trojan Invitational squad Riley won Most Valuable honors in both tourneys.Against Alabama, the Trojans broke the USC single-game high by scoring 122 points in their 122-75 win. The previous high was 119. registered in 1938 against Occidental.Boyd thinks that this momentum will be a factor for the Trojans in the Pacific-8 race.*’I felt before the season started that there was a good possibility of us going undefeated into the conference games because of the fine talent we have and the fact that they play well together.Supporting this is the fact that all five starters are currently averaging in double figures, led by Layton's 19.3 points per game, followed by Westphal (17.1). Riley (15.0). Joe Mackey (11.8). and Chris Schrobilgen (10.7).Rebounding is one area where the USC coach is looking for improvement, and expects to get it as the season progressesOur rebounding has improved considerably, and should improve more Boyd singled out George Watson as being a factor in USC's expected improvement on the boards“Watson will be playing much better before the month is over He is a key to our improvement, and we have a lot of confidence in him
Newspaper Details
Los Angeles Southern California University Daily Trojan
Los Angeles, California, US
Tue, Jan 05, 1971
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Eric M.
NA, NA 02 Mar 2025
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