No lack of Maples motivation

It was a handshake line that more closely resembled a trailer for an Ultimate Fighting Championship video.

Moments after Stanford had secured a controversial 58-56 victory over USC last March, Trojans Coach Tim Floyd followed official Deron White off the Maples Pavilion court to argue a disputed foul on guard Gabe Pruitt.

But as Floyd approached the official, a security guard yanked him away and a shoving match ensued involving Trojans players and security personnel.

“I just remember things as hectic,” USC swingman Nick Young said Wednesday. “Just getting into it with the refs, the coaches, the fans

The No. 25 Trojans will be targets again tonight when they return to Maples Pavilion to play a Stanford team that has won four of its last five games, including victories over then-No. 22 Washington State and Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.

This time, USC players said they hope to deliver an early knockout blow at an arena where they haven’t won since 2002.

“This year we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do so it won’t be that close,” said Pruitt, who last season was called for blocking on a play in which Stanford’s Chris Hernandez appeared to slip, sending the Pacific 10 Conference’s best free-throw shooter to the line with the score tied and four seconds remaining.

Senior guard Lodrick Stewart said he wanted to “at least get up by six points going into the last minute” so that the Trojans wouldn’t have to worry about suffering another agonizing last-second loss similar to those against Washington State and UCLA.

That could be a tall order against a Stanford team that features twin 7-footers Robin and Brook Lopez and sophomore forward Lawrence Hill. Floyd said he was so impressed by the Cardinal that he voted it in the top 25 in his latest submission for the ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll.

“They’re playing at an NCAA-tournament level,” Floyd said. “They present different problems because they’re just so dominant on the glass, and it’s the offensive boards where they just pound you.”

Senior center Abdoulaye N’diaye said the Trojans would send all five players to the defensive glass in an attempt to counteract Stanford’s rebounding prowess. USC big men RouSean Cromwell and Keith Wilkinson could also play a more prominent role.

A large lead in the final minutes would be a luxury for Floyd, who merely wants his team to stay within striking distance.

“We’ve always preached that we just want them to take it to the final two minutes on the road and be hanging around, because at that point the pressure does revert to the home team,” Floyd said.

TONIGHT

at Stanford, 8, FSN Prime Ticket

Site -- Maples Pavilion, Palo Alto.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- USC 15-5 overall, 5-2 Pac-10; Stanford 12-5, 4-3.

Update -- USC freshman forward Taj Gibson sat out the last 30 minutes of practice Wednesday after experiencing discomfort in his left knee, but X-rays were negative and he is expected to play tonight.

ben.bolch@latimes.com