PACIFIC 10 TOURNAMENT : Moore Scores 31 as Trojans Post a 94-82 Victory

USC’s basketball team, which finished in last place in the Pacific 10, is trying to redeem itself.

Forward Chris Moore scored a career-high 31 points as the Trojans beat Arizona State, 94-82, Thursday night in the first round of the conference tournament at the Forum.

USC will face No. 12-ranked Stanford in a quarterfinal game tonight at 7. Although the Trojans lost twice to the Cardinal in the past two weeks, USC played well in both games.

“I just wish I had a week to get ready to play Stanford instead of 12 hours,” USC Coach George Ravling said. “I welcome the opportunity not to get any sleep. I’m going to go home and look at tapes. I’ll probably get two hours’ sleep.”

Stanford is 24-5, USC 10-21.

The Trojans played their best game of the season to beat Arizona State.

USC led by as many as 20 points in the second half before the Sun Devils rallied late in the second half.

After losing 12 straight conference games, USC got its first win against Arizona State in a game at Tempe, Ariz., last month, and the Trojans looked even better Thursday night.

Arizona State finished its season with a 12-16 record.

Sun Devil interim coach Bob Schermerhorn, who had a 2-7 record after replacing Steve Patterson last month, probably won’t be back next season.

“They’re building a parking garage across from my office,” Schermerhorn said. “And I sure hope I’m not over there running a jackhammer next year.”

Raveling has maintained that his Trojans aren’t as bad as their last-place finish indicated.

Maybe he was correct in his assessment.

USC played its best half of the season, taking a 46-29 lead, the Trojans’ largest halftime margin in a conference game.

Guard Anthony Pendleton, who languished in Raveling’s dog house in the late season for lack of defense, has played his way back into Raveling’s favor.

Pendleton, who had a season-high 30 points against Stanford last weekend, scored 22 points in the first half. Pendleton hurt Arizona State outside, hitting three three-point shots.

Moore handled things inside for the Trojans, scoring 15 first-half points.

Leading, 24-17, USC outscored Arizona State, 18-6, during a five-minute span late in the first half to take control.