By Rusty Simmons, Chronicle Staff Writer
Coaches from both Cal and USC, quarterfinal opponents today in the Pac-10 tournament, say it's too late in the season to change what has worked for their teams.
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Of course, when playing each other, that has meant drastically different things.
USC won the first meeting, 73-62 on Jan. 31, using a focused perimeter defense that limited Patrick Christopher, Jerome Randle and Theo Robertson to a combined 20 points on 7-of-23 shooting.
Cal won the most-recent matchup, 81-78 on Feb. 26, getting 54 points from the trio on 16-of-34 shooting.
Trojans coach Tim Floyd is a specialist at using the triangle-and-two or the box-and-one defenses to erase a player or two from the opponent. He does similar things on offense, seeking to isolate a player who has an obvious advantage.
In January, he shut down the Bears' guards, correctly gambling that even career nights from posts Jamal Boykin and Jordan Wilkes would not result in a Cal victory. In February, Christopher precisely darted off screens to get touches and had his way against every defensive set that USC tried.
"Their ability to execute, their ability to screen and their ability to cut are as good as anybody in this league," Floyd said.
"We don't know anything new," Cal coach Mike Montgomery said. "It's not like there's this daily entourage of information that is being supplied.
"We're going to have to be prepared to handle their toughness, their intensity and their physicality."
That may be the one sure thing. Third-seeded Cal (22-9) has already locked up an NCAA Tournament berth, but sixth-seeded USC (18-12) probably needs to win the conference tournament to get a bid.
No. 6 seeds are 2-11 in the Pac-10 tournament, having lost seven consecutive times. USC, however, has fared well, advancing to the tournament championship three times in the last seven years.
"They definitely need to win this game, and I know they'll be ready to play because their backs are against the wall," Randle said. "We need to bring our 'A' game because they'll bring their 'A-plus' game."
This article appeared on page D - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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