USC Faces an Easier Test: Arizona State

TEMPE, Ariz. — After losing Thursday night by 44 points to top-ranked Arizona, USC’s basketball team was back at work Friday afternoon, practicing at the Arizona State University Activities Center, preparing for a more realistic task, today’s game with the Sun Devils.

Arizona State had its own problems Thursday night, losing at home to UCLA by 13 points. Arizona State, which had started well, has lost three straight and dropped to 4-3 in the Pacific 10.

USC (3-12 overall) is tied for last in the conference at 1-5. The Trojans have lost their last five in a row.

Trojan Notes Today’s game at Arizona State will start at 3 p.m., PST. It will be televised by the Raycom Sports Network on Channel 2. The game also will be broadcast on KNX radio (1070 AM). . . . Although he was attaching no monumental importance to it, USC Coach George Raveling said he planned to make a lineup change, returning to Ronnie Coleman at forward in place of Alan Pollard. It will be the seventh lineup change of the season.

USC leads the series with ASU, 18-15. The teams split last season, with the Trojans winning here and the Sun Devils winning in Los Angeles. . . . USC center Chris Munk, who has been playing well since returning to the team after being out with academic problems, continued his hot shooting at Arizona. He sank 5 of 6 shots, finishing with a team-high 15 points, and had 6 rebounds. . . . The Trojans’ leading scorer is still forward Chris Moore with an average of 12. . . . ASU’s top scorers are forward Eric Holloway and quick little guard Arthur Thomas, each of whom is averaging about 16 points a game.