COLLEGES: USC TO HOST 1ST 2 ROUNDS.

Byline: Daily News

The USC women's volleyball team was awarded the No. 5 seed and will host the first and second rounds of the 2007 NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament.

The Trojans, who finished the season with a 25-4 record and third-place finish in the Pac-10 Conference at 14-4, will face Pepperdine (18-10) at 7 p.m., Friday preceded with a first-round match at 5 p.m. between Long Beach State (25-6) and UNLV (24-5).

The winners of both matches will play at 7 p.m. Saturday, with the winner advancing to the regional tournament in Gainesville, Fla.

UCLA (20-10) was sent to the Clemson (S.C.) regional and plays Alabama A&M (15-9) on Friday, with the winner to meet either Alabama (15-14) or Clemson (28-3) on Saturday.

MEN'S WATER POLO

USC 10, UC Irvine 6: Matt Sagehorn scored three goals as the Trojans (18-2) won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title in Berkeley and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

UCLA 15, UC Santa Barbara 8: The No. 4 Bruins (21-7) finished fifth in the MPSF Tournament, as junior Krsto Sbutega and sophomore Scott Davidson each recorded three goals.

Pepperdine 13, Long Beach State 10: The Waves (27-10) scored three goals in the third quarter to erase a 7-6 halftime deficit and went on to clinch seventh in the MPSF Tournament.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Portland 86, Cal State Northridge 65: Three Matadors scored in double figures, led by Tonicia Tademy's 16 points, but CSUN (0-6) fell on the road.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Pepperdine 90, Cal State Bakersfield 80: Malcolm Thomas and Rico Tucker scored 16 points each, as the visiting Waves (2-4) scored 54 second-half points to win their first road game this season.