USC BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: FLOYD UNDERSTANDS LACK OF FANS.

Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer

Tim Floyd is used to coaching in sold-out arenas from his previous college gig at Iowa State.

At USC, he's learning how the other half lives. The Trojans are averaging 1,953 fans in three home games, less than one-eighth of the Sports Arena's capacity.

Despite the lack of attendance, Floyd isn't going to make any plea for more fans to show. He knew when he took this job that he would be building a program from the ground up.

``I think these are things you have to earn,'' Floyd said. ``What have we done to earn or deserve great crowds yet? Who have we beaten? What have we done to show we're a dominant team or a fun team to watch? I think those things will work themselves out the more competitive our team becomes.

--CSUN revisited: On a four-game winning streak, the Trojans (4-2) seem a long way from the team that lost a disappointing overtime game to Cal State Northridge to begin the season.

Floyd said the team wasn't yet prepared for the zone defense CSUN threw at it. Since the game, USC beat Eastern Washington by 18 points and Eastern Washington beat CSUN by 22.

--Practice makes perfect: The main focus of practice this week was to improve the transition defense that allowed BYU to come nearly all the way back from an 18-point deficit in the final 10 minutes of last Saturday's game.

CAPTION(S):

3 boxes

Box:

(1) USC vs LMU 

(2) MEN'S TOP 25: IOWA FALLS TO ANOTHER RIVAL

(3) WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: USC TOPS CSUN