Check Below for a look at the behind-the-scenes festivities from tonight's game.

Click here for the full write-up from the AP on tonight's game.

• Share the ball
• Great energy
  
• Play with Passion\

The Trojans held an optional shoot around today needing rest after last night's 54-44 loss to Oregon. USC ran out of gas in the second half, scoring just 12 points in the last twenty minutes of play.

The Trojans will be back on the court tomorrow at 11:30 AM PST for practice before tomorrow night's game against Oregon St. This will be the final home game on the season. USC will honor seniors Dwight Lewis, Mike Gerrity, Marcus Johnson, and Casey Cunningham before tip-off at 7:30 PM PST.

Take a look at these action shots from tonight's game vs. Oregon. All photos courtesy of Pierson Clair of PC4Photo.

• "We didn't have it tonight. It's a shame to play that poorly in the second half."
• "We had a general lack of energy and didn't play how we needed to play. It's unfortunate."
• "If you score 12 points [in a half] at this level, you're not going to beat anybody."
• "We didn't play too well in the first half, honestly. We didn't come out with any oomph at all."
• "In my estimation, our team has started to wear down."
• "We have three games left to play. We've got to play our butts off each game. We have to be men about it."

A nine-point halftime lead?

Coach Kevin O'Neill isn't satisfied -- and he doesn't want his players to be either.

"We're ahead by nine but we're not playing well," O'Neill said. "We've got to extend this lead. Play with force."


With some plays and adjustments scribbled on the board behind him, Coach Kevin O'Neill speaks to his players in the locker room at halftime.

• USC has allowed just 56.4 points per game this season, good for fourth in the country and first in the Pac-10.
• The Trojans have allowed more than 67 points just twice this season (69 at Texas and 79 at Georgia Tech).
• USC is the only Pac-10 team with all conference losses by 10 points or less.
• The Trojans have led or been tied in the second half in all 14 Pac-10 games.
• USC is 10-1 when it scores 60 or more points.

After starting the year 4-4, the Trojans have gone 12-6 with Mike Gerrity in the line-up. He leads the team in minutes per game, and his clutch shots are one of the reasons USC is still in the hunt for the Pac-10 title.

Gerrity took quite the path to becoming a Trojan. He has transferred schools twice, leaving him with less than one full season at USC.

In this week's episode of 'The Playmakers,' Gerrity explains how a desire to compete and help a team be successful drove him to make those tough decisions.

Watch "The Playmakers: Mike Gerrity."

Her USC debut was almost four years in the making. After suffering four knee injuries, Jacki Gemelos is finally wearing Cardinal and Gold. The former high school All-American has played in five games for the Women of Troy, averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds.

In this week's edition of "The Playmakers: Jack Gemelos," hear what it has been like for Jacki to finally be playing college basketball.

Click Here To Watch

The Trojans competed in a light work out this afternoon in preparation for this weekend's home stand against the Oregon Schools. The team walked through offensive and defensive sets, before sitting down for a short film session. Tip off is tomorrow night at 7:30 against the ducks.

Here are a few pictures from practice:

By: Josh Moser

Want to see what happens when we hand a microphone to a Trojan player? Check out this week's edition of Trojan Voices with senior forward, Marcus Johnson.

The Trojans are heading down the homestretch, but Trojan fans there is always more to come. Head Coach Kevin O'Neill and the rest of the USC Trojans will be hosting a series of basketball camps throughout June and August. Click here for more information on the Trojans summer hoops camps.

The Women's Basketball Team split their home games this weekend and ended a 5 game losing streak in the process. Check out some great photos of the games vs. Washington State and Washingotn at the Galen Center. All photos are courtesy of Pierson Clair and Jon Kondrath of PC4Photo.

Click here to relive USC's exciting road win over Washington last night where USC earned their first Pac-10 road win outside of California to move within half a game of conference leader Cal.

Click here for a full preview of tomorrow nights game in the Apple State.

Here are the Pac-10 Standings entering into this week's games:

Team                                                                                      Conf.             Pct.                 Overall 

Check out these great action photos of the men's and women's games vs. UCLA courtesy of Pierson Clair and Jon Kondrath from PC4Photo.

Click here to read tonight's AP report of USC's 68-64 victory over UCLA.

Here are a few behind-the-scenes photos from tonight's game.

In honor of longtime Los Angeles sportswriter Alan Malamud, here are tonight's "Notes on a Scorecard". This win marks the first time that the Trojans have beaten the Bruins at the Galen Center, and gives USC a sweep of UCLA on the season.

The Bruins have out rebounded the Trojans 23-16 thus far this game. At the half, Head Coach Kevin O'Neill keyed in on this point. He said they must do a better job on the glass to come away with a victory down the stretch. USC had a +13 rebounding advantage over the Bruins in their last contest on January 16. USC won that game 67-46.

USC just completed their shoot around for the game tonight. The team is focused and looking to get their first win at Galen Center against their cross town rival. Check out a couple shots from shoot around as they continued preparation for the big game tonight

Tip off is at 7pm and can be watched on Prime Ticket. There are still a limited amount of tickets available at www.usctrojans.com.

Take a look at today's game notes before tonight's game. It contains insider statistics on everything from UCLA's last loss to the sophomore surge of USC's standout post player, Nikola Vucevic.

The Trojans returned to the practice floor today in preparation for Sunday's game against UCLA. USC has not beaten the Bruins in the Galen Center which has provided much inspiration for the Trojans throughout the week.

The team ran through their offensive and defensive sets before completing fifteen minutes of game-speed shooting.

Hard-nosed five-on-five play ensued, with Head Coach Kevin O'Neill pointing out changes and modifications needing to be made.

Practice closed with a cool-down and free-throw shooting. The Men of Troy will be back on the floor tomorrow at 1:00 PM PST.

By: Josh Moser

USC has had some memorable victories over UCLA recently: 2007 upset at Pauley Pavilion, 2009 Pac-10 Tournament Semi-Finals Victory and the 2010 21-Point Win at Pauley.

But the Trojans are still winless at the Galen Center against the Bruins. Their last home victory against UCLA came in the final match-up between the rivals at the LA Sports Arena.

Relive the highlights from USC's 71-68 2006 win over #15 UCLA in this edition of USC Classics: USC vs. UCLA 2006.

For Trojan All-Access Subscribers Only.

'Trojan Voices' is the newest of USCTrojans.com's many video features, this bi-weekly feature showcases one of USC's many talented athletes in a quick, first-person testimonial about what has made their Trojan experience special.

This week check out what Mike Gerrity has to say about his long journey to becoming a Trojan:

Check out this article written by Andy Katz that appeared on [ESPN.com](http://espn.com). Katz discusses his outlook on the Trojans this season,as well as the circumstances surrounding graduate manager Stan Holt, and where he thinks USC will head in the future behind the leadership of Head Coach, Kevin O'Neill.

A few months ago, USC Head Coach Kevin O'Neill received an email. After reading its contents, his immediate thought was to extend a helping hand to a person with an incredible story and to a person that had given so much and gotten little in return.

Coach O'Neill took it upon himself to respond to this email and in turn change the life of this man, while reminding his players of how lucky and gifted they are to be playing college basketball. Some, as they would soon find out, would not be able to get the same chance that they did.

In the middle of August, Coach O'Neill answered the call, and a man walked into the gym standing about six-foot-six inches tall. The players did not know who he was, but within minutes, it was if he had been there all along.

For more than a week, this man became part of the team, helping in every player's individual workouts. He offered not only basketball advice, but many life lessons that have stuck with the Trojan players, even to this day.

He told the team his name, and that he too like them, wanted to be a college basketball player. Recruited out of San Diego county, he starred at Helix high school, receiving notable attention from college programs. Instead, he went straight into the draft-- the military draft.

Touring in Bagdad, Iraq, in now his second year in the Army, an RPG struck his Humvee. And then another went sailing past the window, only to have a third shot strike the vehicle on its left side. When the dust cleared, his left arm was in shambles from the elbow down to his wrist. An AK-47 bullet also sat sunken into his upper-arm just below his shoulder. He was alive, but called it the scariest day of his life.

He said that he was blessed that day to survive, and after returning home after successfully serving his country, it was time to get a former love of his life back into his daily routine, basketball.

Without ever meeting the man, Head Coach Kevin O'Neill said, "it was a no brainer." Explained in the email was this man's love of basketball and that he had aspirations of becoming a division-one basketball coach.

"I am so thankful that Coach O'Neill reached out to me," he said. "The funny thing is, my coaching style would be exactly like his. He coaches just like they way I led my troops in the Army."

Retiring with the rank of Staff Sergeant, this man had had his leadership tested in the army, and now it was time for it to be tested on the basketball court. Head Coach Kevin O'Neill quickly relinquished the reins, and he said he couldn't have been happier.

Calls of "Coach Lorenzo" could be heard throughout the gym, and today, Coach Lorenzo Nathan, walked back into the gym and gave something very special back to the team that have given him so much.

Mr. Nathan presented Head Coach Kevin O'Neill and the team with a plaque commemorating his service to the military, wanting to share with them a part of him, after they had shared so much of themselves to a man they now call part of the team, and a member of the Trojan Family.

By: Josh Moser

The nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards were recently released to the masses. However, the list lacked an important category and its accompanying nominees.

The category of Best Supporting Cast has been largely ignored by the esteemed panel of Academy Award voters, for reasons beyond the scope of this blog. Recent events, however, have revived the category for greater inspection as the nominees for this reward are released, as well as the list of nominees for the award of Best Supporting Cast on a Collegiate Team.

Stefanie Gilbreath of the Women of Troy's Injured Squad, by way of Katy, Texas, could give Dick Vitale a run for his money for the Best Sideline Analysis award. As a virtual fifth coach with constant words of encouragement on the bench, Stef's leadership, even during the most turbulent times in her recovery, has been unshakeable. Days after her latest ACL injury, Gilbreath rocked her ACL surgery scar for the players to see in late September, and the sight of Gilbreath sitting in the sidelines of practice with her knee secured and locked in a clunky leg brace uplifted the practice.

Michelle Jenkins' demeanor is as vibrant as her blonde hair. Her character alone can fill and uplift a room, as she sits on a sideline seat during practice, while twirling her hair on her index finger. In late December, on the day of Michelle's ACL surgery, the mood at practice was tension-filled, and the Women of Troy were subdued. As soon as news was received of Michelle's successful surgical procedure, as related by a text message from the operating doctor to a trainer's cell phone, the relief was palpable.

In contrast, Vicky Tagalicod's demeanor is inscrutable. However, the ball that is always in her grip is an indication of this player's love of the game. When a Women of Troy player glances at the sidelines during a water break, Vicky can be seen dribbling the ball between her legs. Or the ball will be swirling through the air as Vicky practices putting her "hand in the basket," a phrase coach Ervin Monier uses to describe the bent wrist of a basketball player's shot.

As a recent graduate of the Injured Squad cast, Jacki Gemelos has certainly already put in her award-winning efforts as a supporting cast member. Jacki is the Women of Troy's biggest inspiration. Her story could be tragic, if she weren't so strong, so courageous, and so determined. How could the Women of Troy not be inspired by their teammate? When other players would have quit, or been despondent at being away from the game so long, Jacki has been relentless in her support of her team and in her determination to join them on the floor.

These players are not just an entourage that follows the Women of Troy. They are the backbone of the team; the cast of people the players lean on even on their good days. With that said, give them the Emmy, give them the ESPY. The Women of Troy give them their gratitude.

Among the Women of Troy, tears are not acceptable. Not only are they a sign of weakness, but quite frankly, it isn't very ladylike. Composure, poise and pride are instilled among the players, even during practice. However, it was excusable on Thursday, Feb. 4, as the Women of Troy faced the California Bears in Berkeley. The tears were unabashedly shed in response to the announcement that Number 23 would be entering the game. That number has been waiting proudly on the game uniform of Jacki Gemelos, formerly of the Women of Troy's "Injured Squad."

Current Injured Squad member Stefanie Gilbreath instructed Gemelos not to glance at the USC bench as she took the floor because of the likelihood of tears in Stef's eyes. They were the tears of a injured player so proud and overwhelmed with joy at seeing her rehab partner recover from years of ACL injuries to finally play for the Women of Troy after a four-year hiatus. It was more than sportsmanship. It was love. Pure love for the player who recovered from such devastating injuries from one of the few players on the team who could understand the pain, time, and emotional upheaval recovery can be. Welcome back, Jacki!

Did you miss USC's 54-49 win over Stanford on Saturday? Did you watch it on TV or catch it on 710 ESPN Radio? Or were you there and want to relive the exciting victory? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should check out "The Melt", a combination of great video highlights from the game with USC's very own radio broadcast team calling the plays. Click here to watch it now!

The Trojans were back to work today getting ready for Sunday's much anticipated rivalry game against UCLA. Both teams sit at 6-5 in conference play heading into the week. The Trojans resumed practice with a light shootaround followed by a heavy lifting session. USC will be back on the court tomorrow for a full two hour practice in preparation for the Bruins this Sunday.

Here are a few pictures from today's workout.

By:Josh Moser

Take a look at the live-action shots taken during Thursday and Saturday night's wins over Cal & Stanford. All photos were taken by USC Athletics staff photographer Pierson Clair.

If you are pressed for time, here is a quick recap of the action from the Stanford game this weekend courtesy of USCTrojans.com's, Rob McPherson. In less than two minutes, you will be caught up on everything you missed from Saturday, or be able to refresh yourself on the Trojans 59-54 victory over the Cardinal.

Here is this week's edition of "The Melt", highlighting all of the top plays from Thursday's win over Pac-10 leader Cal. Take a look...

Click here for an inside view of the post-game press conference from Saturday's game. USC Head Coach, Kevin O'Neill discusses the ins and outs of the match-up against Stanford, and also comments on the bright future ahead for the "super-soph," Nikola Vucevic.

In case you missed Saturday's game or would like to take a look back at the action, click here to check out the Trojans 59-54 victory over Stanford.

Click here for the full version write-up of tonight's game done by the Associated Press.

By:Josh Moser

The Trojans just came out of the locker-room seemingly poised for victory. The coaching staff emphasized the necessity of playing to their potential and not giving anything to the Cardinal here on their home floor, at the Galen Center. USC is looking to make it two in a row for the first time this season since rattling off their eight game winning streak during the winter recess and the first few games of conference play.

Stay tuned for more from the Trojan bench throughout the game.

In between games during the Bay Area home-stand, the Trojans got back to business Friday afternoon going through shooting drills, walkthroughs, and a short film session before participating in individual workouts in preparation for tomorrow's game against Stanford.

"Tomorrow's game is a must win," said USC Head Coach Kevin O'Neill.

O'Neill also mentioned that USC has beaten everyone ranked above them in the Pac-10 and have lost all of their conference games to teams at the bottom of the league, which brought a moment of clarity to the players who all just nodded their heads.

Tip off against Stanford is tomorrow at 4:30 PM PST. Stay tuned for a full preview before tomorrow's contest against the Cardinal.

Here are a few pictures from today's practice.

USC Coaches huddle for a discussion during practice

Junior guard, Donte Smith banks six three-pointers in a row to win the shooting challenge between the guards during practice

Assistant Coach, Phil Johnson walking the team through set plays.

By: Josh Moser

• USC went on a 25-0 run that covered 10:48 and crossed over the halftime break.
• Four Trojans scored in double digits -- Dwight Lewis (13), Mike Gerrity (12), Nikola Vucevic (10) and Alex Stepheson (10).
• Gerrity made 3-of-4 three-pointers.
• Nikola Vucevic had a game-high 10 rebounds.
• Attendance: 7,412

• "I'm obviously extremely proud of our team."
• "I thought we played as hard as I've seen any group in a long time."
• "We're excited we got that win. Hopefully we keep it going on Saturday."
• "It was a heck of a win for us, it really was."

Coach Kevin O'Neill speaks to the media following the game.

USC men's basketball coach Kevin O'Neill reinstated graduate manager Stan Holt to the team today. Holt was dismissed from the team after receiving a technical foul during last Saturday's game at Oregon. Below are statements from both Kevin and Stan.

STATEMENT FROM USC MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH KEVIN O'NEILL (2-4-10):

"I approached Stan Holt about coming back and finishing the season with us.

"He made a mistake and it was a costly one. Although I did not hear what was said, I realize he was trying to support our team and that he cares a lot about our team. But Stan understands that he was out of line.

"Everyone deserves a second chance and I'm willing to give him that second chance. He's been a loyal Trojan and he only wants the best for our team. I think this can be a valuable lesson for him."

STATEMENT FROM USC MEN'S BASKETBALL GRADUATE MANAGER STAN HOLT (2-4-10):

"I would like to apologize to the University of Southern California, my alma mater, as well as to the coaching staff, the players and the fans for the situation that occurred at Saturday night's USC-Oregon men's basketball game.

"My comments were out of place and my behavior did not help our team as we tried to win a close game on the road. However, I want to be very clear on this point: Contrary to what has been reported, I did not use profanity with the officials.

"Coach O'Neill has allowed me to rejoin the basketball staff and I am grateful for the opportunity. I am passionate about the University of Southern California, the Trojan basketball program and about winning.

"I would like to genuinely thank the Trojan Family for their support and words of encouragement.

"I will move on from this learning experience a stronger person and I will continue to work hard and remain loyal, devoted and passionate in all that I do."

It seems like an eternity ago since Dwight Lewis first dawned the Cardinal and Gold uniform with "USC" written across his chest, and now in tomorrow's contest against California, the senior forward from Louisiana, will become USC's all-time leader in games played in Trojan Basketball history.

Since finishing his high school playing career in Texas, after Hurricane Katrina, Lewis has become a staple of the Trojan program. He currently ranks 10th in career 3-pointers made and is quickly climbing into the top ten of USC's all-time scoring column. However, for Lewis, it is not about the scoring figures, its about getting better everyday and trying to advance to the next level, while helping the younger players along the way.

In tomorrow night's contest, Lewis will pass the now, FSN color commentator, Brandon Granville, as the player to play the most games in a Trojan uniform. Granville had an illustrious career at USC, as a rare four-year starter at the point-guard position. The former Westchester High standout, holds the USC record for career assists and ranks in the top five all-time in steals, assists, and 3-pointers.

The Trojans are currently sitting at 4-5 entering tomorrow night's game against California tied with five other teams in the Pac-10. Look for Lewis to lead the way and stay tuned for updates from today's practice.

By:Josh Moser

USC was back to practice today in preparation for Thursday's game against first-place California. The Trojans are looking to get back on track in now the second half of the Pac-10 season. USC dropped their last two games against the Oregon schools last week, and now sit at 4-5 in conference play.

Head Coach Kevin O'Neill has stressed the importance of winning home games all season, and this week is no exception. Special emphasis has been placed on handling this week with a "business-like" approach, and getting down to business is exactly what the Trojans need to do. The last time these schools faced off, USC held a seven point lead, 50-43, with under ten minutes in the second half before having it evaporate right before their eyes in less than a three minute stretch. This time around there can be no let down.

"We have to play every play as if it's the last play we will ever play," said Head Coach Kevin O'Neill.

The Trojans currently rank fourth in the NCAA in points allowed per game at 56.0 points per contest, and they look to continue this trend by playing their clamp-down man-to-man defense against the electrifying Jerome Randle and the rest of the Cal Bears.

Check below for a few pictures from today's practice.

By: Josh Moser

This past week in the NBA, former Trojan standout Taj Gibson has helped the Bulls rack up five straight victories, while averaging close to a double-double, pulling down 10.4 rebounds per game to go along with 8.4 points per game. The single-season record holder for blocked shots at USC averaged 2.0 blocks per game over his last five professional contests, including two three block performances against the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs --almost double his season average (1.04 bpg). Gibson was the 26th overall pick of the 2009 NBA draft, and has earned a prominent role on the Bulls roster, averaging close to twenty-five minutes per game. "TG" will be in action again Tuesday night against the Clippers.

Daily Trojan reporter, Seth Rubinroit, also had a chance to catch up with Taj Gibson this past week. Take a look...

He might be playing professional basketball about 2,000 miles from his old college stomping grounds, but, at heart Chicago Bulls rookie Taj Gibson is still very much a USC Trojan.

Surprise success · Former Trojan Taj Gibson, pictured here last year against California, was selected 26th overall by the Bulls in the 2009 NBA draft with few expectations. Gibson has surprised critics and played well. - Daily Trojan file photo "I miss going to class, meeting new people everyday and the games at the Galen Center," Gibson said before a recent game against the Los Angeles Clippers. "I miss it a lot." Gibson still carries a backpack, but, instead of holding school supplies, the bright pink backpack Gibson is forced to wear by his teammates as a form of NBA rookie initiation is designed to serve as a constant reminder that he is merely a first-year player.

Gibson might only be a rookie, but he is not playing like one. He has started the majority of the Bulls' games and is ranked second among NBA rookies in rebounds per game. He was also selected to play in the annual T-Mobile Rookie Challenge Game during All-Star Weekend.

"Taj really brings energy," Bulls point guard Derrick Rose said. "He is someone who plays hard, gets rebounds and knows how to score."

Part of the reason Gibson has been able to have such an immediate impact in the NBA is because he played for three years at USC under coach Tim Floyd, who was a head coach in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Hornets.

"Going to USC got me mentally and physically prepared. [Coach Tim Floyd] taught me a lot about the NBA style of play," Gibson said. "It is a big adjustment. You have to play against different guys, pay attention to details and take care of your body."

When the Bulls drafted Gibson with the 26th pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft, Gibson left behind an extensive legacy at USC. He helped the Trojans achieve school records with three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and 20-win seasons. Gibson was the 2009 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. He finished his career as USC's all-time leader in blocked shots and second on USC's all-time rebounding list.

"[Gibson] was a [three] year player at USC, which helped his maturity coming into the league," Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. "He is a great kid. He is always bringing effort. He will make a number of mistakes because he is young, but it is not for a lack of effort or intensity."

USC's streak of three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances will end this season as a result of self-imposed sanctions, stemming from NCAA rule violations involving Gibson's former USC teammate, O.J. Mayo.

"I was kind of pissed," Gibson said about his reaction to the sanctions. "I was really upset because half of the guys there this year did not have anything to do with that. There are a bunch of new guys. I felt especially bad for the seniors."

When Gibson has been in town to play against the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers, he has gone to the Galen Center to see his former teammates.

"I saw them on campus the other day," Gibson said. "They are still keeping their heads high, trying to win the Pac-10. The team is good. They have a bunch of good players that will have a bright future in the NBA. It is a shame that, when everybody finally got healthy, they announced the sanctions."

The post positions have been an area of strength for this year's Trojans, largely because of the experience that the players gained from competing with Gibson in practice last season.

"Practicing against Taj helped me a lot," USC forward Nikola Vucevic said. "In the beginning, when I was guarding him, there was not a lot I could do to stop him. He is a great player, and he is strong. Over time, I was able to stop him a little more. We used to play one-on-one during practice, and he would play hard, push me and foul me. It really helped me improve."

Anyone who believed distance is weakening the bond between Gibson and USC would be mistaken.

"I am really looking forward to football season and seeing what [coach Lane] Kiffin is going to do," Gibson said.