TROJANS OPEN WITH OT DEFEAT GALEN CENTER DEBUT SPOILED AS SOUTH CAROLINA TRIUMPHS S. CAR. 80, USC 74.

Byline: MATTHEW KREDELL Staff Writer

USC debuted its new state-of-the-art arena for men's basketball Thursday, bringing out the student support for which the team has long dreamed.

The winning will still take some time.

South Carolina spoiled USC's season opener at Galen Center 80-74 in overtime in front of a crowd of 7,512.

``It's disappointing,'' forward Nick Young said. ``First game at Galen Center and it's a loss. It's hard, but it happens and we've got to get over it.''

At least for one night, men's basketball had the sort of interest and adoration from students that the nationally ranked football team generates on a regular basis.

The students nearly filled their five-aisle section underneath the arena's unique glass window with a view of the downtown skyline. They hollered during opponent possessions, chanted ``Let's Go Trojans!'' when USC had the ball and generally provided the homecourt advantage that has been missing at USC.

``That is the best atmosphere we've had at a home game,'' coach Tim Floyd said.

``That had a lot to do with (the students), and I hope they come back because they were terrific.''

Bob Boyd, USC's iconic former coach, dreamed of this day 50 years ago. Paul Westphal, the former USC and NBA great, was promised this experience when he was recruited in 1969. An arena was documented as being third on the priority list of USC's founding clergy in 1880.

``This arena and this day is as big as any in the history of the 'SC basketball team,'' said Boyd, who watched from the stands. ``For those of us who know how long this was in coming, this day cannot be minimized.''

At halftime, the team honored former USC point guard Ryan Francis, who was killed during the offseason.

``It was hard for us looking at him up on the screen like that, bringing back all those memories,'' guard Lodrick Stewart said. ``It kind of broke my spirit for the second half just watching that.''

Up 34-31 at halftime, USC was outscored 7-2 to begin the second half.

The crowd didn't fill the arena, which has a capacity of 10,258, but attendance was more than all but the UCLA game last year at the Sports Arena.

Stewart made the first official basket at Galen Center on a jump shot from the left side in the Trojans' first trip down the court.

Tied with 33 seconds left in regulation, freshman forward Taj Gibson, who led USC with 16 points and 14 rebounds, got the ball in the post.

He made a move to his right and missed with his right hand. Tre' Kelley took the rebound for South Carolina, sprinted full-court, threw a contested layup off the backboard and had it roll off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

Bryce Shelton, who scored 19 points in the first half, made his first basket on a 3-pointer to open overtime. Kelley added a 3-pointer and layup to put South Carolina ahead 74-67, and the Trojans couldn't catch up.

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