Extra Mayo: USC Seeing Larger Demand For Men's Basketball Tix

O.J. Mayo Helping USC Sell Out Games This Season

The Univ. of Southern California (USC) men's basketball team begins its season Saturday at home against Mercer, and the program has sold out four games this season and more than 7,500 season tickets -- a school record -- at the 10,258-seat Galen Center, according to David Leon Moore of USA TODAY. The school averaged just 5,798 fans last season "even with a snazzy new building,” and five games drew less than 3,000.  However, the team's last two '06-07 home games -- against Stanford and Cal -- drew around 10,000 fans each. This year’s team features freshman G O.J. Mayo and an “upgraded home schedule” that includes games against the Univ. of Oklahoma and Kansas Univ., and the program is coming off its first Sweet Sixteen appearance since '01 (USA TODAY, 11/8).