Men's Hoops Opens Regular Season Friday

Nov. 16, 1999

LOS ANGELES - The USC men's basketball team, coming off its second trip to the postseason in three seasons under fourth-year head coach Henry Bibby, opens the 1999-2000 regular season on Friday (Nov. 19) when it hosts Cal State Northridge (also playing its opener) at the Sports Arena at 7 p.m. The Trojans, who made their sixth postseason appearance of the 1990s when they faced Wyoming in the first round of the 1999 NIT, finished 15-13 overall and 7-11 (tied for seventh) in the Pac-10 last season. After facing the Matadors, USC takes off for Hawai'i to take part in the eight-team Maui Invitational in Lahaina. The Trojans open the tournament against No. 5 North Carolina on Monday (Nov. 22) at 4 p.m. HST (which is 6 p.m. PST). USC will also play on Nov. 23 and 24 with opponents, game times and potential television coverage to be determined.

GAME #1
USC vs. Cal State Northridge on Friday, Nov. 19. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on KCTD-AM 1540. The Matadors were 17-12, 9-7 (tied for third in the Big Sky Conference) in 1998-99. Led by fourth-year coach Bobby Braswell, the Matadors return four of five starters, including All-Conference honorable mention pick Brian Heinle. Heinle, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound junior center, averaged 12.6 points and 5.7 rebounds a game last season. Senior forward Andre Larry averaged 9.6 points and 4.2 rebounds, while sophomore guard Markus Carr tallied 6.2 points, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals a game last year. Despite being separated by only about 30 miles, this is just the second meeting ever between the two schools. USC won the first meeting, 86-69, in 1990-91.

GAME #2
USC vs. No. 5 North Carolina on Monday, Nov. 22. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. HST. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN. It will also be broadcast live on KCTD-AM 1540. North Carolina is guided by third-year coach Bill Guthridge, who led the Tar Heels to the Final Four in his first season in 1997-98 and to the ACC Tournament championship game in his second. North Carolina returns four starters and 10 lettermen from a team that went 24-10 overall and 10-6 in the ACC last year but lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Weber State. Ed Cota is one of four returning starters but one of only two seniors on the squad. He averaged 10.5 points and 7.4 assists a year ago. North Carolina's leading returning scorer and rebounder is 7-foot starting center Brendan Haywood (12.0 ppg and 6.9 rpg). Also back is sophomore starting forward Jason Capel (9.1 ppg) and sophomore starting forward/center Kris Lang (10.6 ppg and 5.4 rpg).

GAMES #3-4
USC's opponents for the second and third rounds of the Maui Invitational remain TBA. The Trojans will face either Georgetown or Memphis in the second round of the Maui Invitational and either Florida, Purdue, Utah State or Chaminade on the final day. See the information box on the top of this page for more information. Like USC, both of the Trojans' potential second-round opponents received one vote in the most recent AP poll. Georgetown finished 15-16 last season and is under the direction of Coach Craig Esherick, who took over for John Thompson in mid-season last year, going 8-10. They return only seven players, but that includes all five starters. The strength could be the backcourt tandem of Anthony Perry and Kevin Braswell, who averaged 14.0 and 13.5 points last year, respectively. Memphis returns eight lettermen and three starters, led by junior guard Marcus Moody (12.6 ppg). The Tigers, however, just saw their sixth-year head coach Tic Price resign on Nov. 14, leaving Johnny Jones as the interim head coach.

EXHIBITION RECAPS
USC won both of its exhibition games, downing the California All-Stars, 89-65, on Nov. 5 and beating the Double-Pump All-Stars, 102-90, on Nov. 13. In the most recent contest, the Trojans were led by junior forward/center Brian Scalabrine's 24 points and sophomore forward Sam Clancy's 23 points. Sophomore forward David Bluthenthal posted his second double-double performance of the preseason with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Sophomore point guard Brandon Granville had 13 points, 11 assists and four steals and junior guard Jeff Trepagnier added 14 points. In the first exhibition, Bluthenthal had game highs of 30 points and 14 rebounds. USC also got double-double performances from Scalabrine (23 points, 10 rebounds) and Clancy (18 points, 11 rebounds). USC outrebounded its opponent, 56 to 29. The California All-Stars were led by former Trojan and Loyola Marymount star Bo Kimble's 15 points.

TROJAN NOTES

USC received its first AP vote of the 1999-2000 season in the Nov. 15 rankings.

Sophomore forward Sam Clancy is the Pac-10's leading returning shot blocker and sophomore guard Brandon Granville is the Pac-10's top returning assist-maker.

Junior guard Jeff Trepagnier, USC's second-leading returning scorer and rebounder, will enter 2000 on a hot streak. He averaged a double-double in the Trojans' final five games of the 1999 season (16.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg) and led the team in rebounding in each game during that span. His 24-point, 17-rebound performance against Wyoming in the first round of the NIT left him three rebounds short of becoming only the seventh Trojan ever to record a 20-point, 20-rebound game. The 17 rebounds were the most by a Trojan since Jaha Wilson had 17 against California on Jan. 11, 1996.

Junior forward/center Brian Scalabrine's .532 field goal percentage in 1999 was good enough to put him fourth all-time on USC's career field goal percentage chart. In addition, his free throw percentage of .792 is good enough for eighth all-time as well.

Junior guard Jeff Trepagnier, with 44 career blocks, is closing in on the Trojans' all-time Top 10 in that category (Maurice Williams is 10th with 47). Teammate Sam Clancy, only a sophomore, isn't far behind after blocking 39 shots in his first year at Troy. The USC record is 128 by Lorenzo Orr (1992-95). Additionally, Trepagnier is nearing the Top 10 in steals. He has 78, 12 away from 10th place.

For seasons that have spanned the change of a decade (like 1989-90 or 1999-2000), USC has had seven winning seasons and only two losing ones.

MAUI INVITATIONAL INFORMATION
USC will play three games during the Maui Invitational on Nov. 22-24 in Lahaina, Hawai'i, at the 2,500-seat Lahaina Civic Center. The Trojans open against North Carolina on Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. HST and will play either Memphis or Georgetown in the second round. Possible third-round opponents include Purdue, Florida, Utah State or host Chaminade.

First-round games include Chaminade vs. Purdue (9 a.m., ESPN), Florida vs. Utah State (11 a.m.), USC vs. North Carolina (4 p.m., ESPN) and Memphis vs. Georgetown (6:30 p.m., ESPN2). All times are HST, which is two hours earlier than PST.

If USC wins its first-round game, it will play at 4 p.m. on Nov. 23 in the semifinals. If USC loses its first-round game, it will play at 11 a.m. on Nov. 23. Games on Nov. 24 include the championship game at 5:30 p.m., the third-place game at 2:30 p.m., the fifth-place game at 11 a.m. and the seventh-place game at 9 a.m.

Both semifinal games on Nov. 23 and the championship game on Nov. 24 will be televised live on ESPN.

For travelling media, there is a pre-tournament press conference on Sun. (Nov. 21) at 8 a.m. at the Maui Marriott, which is serving as the media hotel.

Two sets of experimental rules will be in effect during the tournament. One rule allows that on the 10th foul and thereafter in both halves, the team fouled will have the option of either taking the ball out or shooting free throws. The second rule adjusts the amount of players allowed in the free throw lane during free throws from eight to six.

RANDOM NOTES
USC opens its home portion of the Pac-10 schedule against UCLA on Jan. 12, the first time the Trojans face the Bruins in their home conference opener since the 1989-90 season.

PACIFIC-10 PRESEASON POLL
USC was picked to finish seventh in the 1999-2000 Pac-10 media poll. Arizona (356 points), with 32 of a possible 36 first-place votes, was tabbed as the favorite to win the title this season. UCLA (307) finished second and had three first-place votes and Stanford (296) was picked for third with one first-place vote. Oregon (246) was fourth, followed by Oregon State (174), California (152), USC (151), Arizona State (129), Washington (117) and Washington State (44).

SEASON/HOME OPENERS
Since its first season in 1907, USC is 64-29 in its season openers. Last year, USC opened with a 101-54 win over San Diego State at the Sports Arena, its largest win ever in a season opener. Incomplete records exist in home openers, but USC has won four consecutive such games, nine of its last 11 and 18 of 22.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
The Trojans will face six teams this season that reached the 1999 NCAA Tournament (North Carolina, Duke, Washington, UCLA, Arizona and Stanford) and another three that played in the 1999 NIT (Northwestern, Oregon and California) for a combined 15 games against teams that reached the postseason a year ago. Those numbers could go up depending on the outcome of the Maui Invitational, with three other postseason teams looming in the bracket.

USC AGAINST RANKED TEAMS
USC is slated to play eight games against five teams ranked in the Associated Press' Preseason Top 25. They are No. 6 North Carolina, No. 9 Arizona, No. 10 Duke, No. 12 UCLA and No. 13 Stanford. USC could also match up against No. 8 Florida and No. 23 Purdue in the Maui Invitational.

USC AT HOME
Dating back to 1996-97, the Trojans are 27-13 in their last 40 games at the Sports Arena and USC is 85-37 (.697) at the Sports Arena since the beginning of the 1991 season, including a 16-game winning streak over a span of the 1992 and 1993 seasons and a nine-game winning streak spanning the end of 1997-98 and the beginning of 1998-99.

TROJANS ON TELEVISION
USC will be quite visible throughout the year. Currently, USC has 16 games that will be televised live in Los Angeles. Two of those games (against North Carolina and at Long Beach State) will be broadcast nationally on ESPN and five other games will be aired nationally on FOX Sports Net (FOX Sports Net West locally). Nine other games will be televised by FOX Sports Net West 2 and the Duke game will air on KCAL Channel 9 (and may be picked up regionally). Second- and third-round games at the Maui Invitational may also be televised by ESPN.

BRIAN SCALABRINE
Junior . forward/center . 6-foot-9 . 250 pounds

1999-2000 Top-50 Wooden Award and All-American candidate.

1998-99 Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year and also received All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors.

Led USC in scoring (14.6), rebounding (6.4) and field goal percentage (.531, 152-of-286). Was second in assists (68) and third in blocks (25).

Had career-high 26 points, seven rebounds and two blocks against American.

Scored 25 points and had five assists against Arizona State at home, making his first eight shots en route to a 10-of-12 performance.

Had 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting in upset of No. 6 Stanford. He scored nine of USC's 16 points in overtime, including his first three-pointer of the season.

Shot .792 (103-of-130) from the foul line and had streaks of 19, 14 and 12 consecutive free throws made.

"The most impressive newcomer (in the Pac-10), by far, is USC forward Brian Scalabrine. Scalabrine is skilled, athletic and plays with limitless energy." - Jon Wilner, Los Angeles Daily News

"(Scalabrine) is an all-leaguer. He's the closest thing I've seen to Detlef Schrempf since Detlef Schrempf. He can bring it on the break. He can pass it and he can shoot it. He's a pro, no question." - Arizona Coach Lute Olson

"(USC) is well-rounded with a great inside guy (Scalabrine) who will be a professional player. He's as good as it gets." - Arkansas State Coach Dickey Nutt

"Scalabrine is a great Division I player. I think he's terrific." - Long Beach State Coach Wayne Morgan

JEFF TREPAGNIER
Junior . guard . 6-foot-4 . 195 pounds

One of the top athletes and best leapers in the nation whose dunks and athleticism often land him on Play of the Week highlight reels around the country.

Averaged 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in his first season as a regular in 1998-99 and was also second on the team in blocked shots (30) and steals (54).

Was the only Pac-10 player to finish in the Top 10 in steals, blocks and field goal percentage (.492, 125-of-154) and he averaged a double-double in his final five games (16.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg).

Was also a two-sport athlete in 1999, competing in the high jump for the track and field team in a dual meet with UCLA and at the Pac-10 Championships. New to the sport, he won the event against the Bruins (6-9 3/4) and finished second at the Pac-10s (7-0 1/2).

Had at least one block 16 times, at least two blocks 10 times and at least two steals 13 times in 1998-99.

Posted fifth double-double of season with career-high 24 points and career-high 17 rebounds at Wyoming in the first round of the NIT.

Had USC record and Pac-10 high eight steals against Loyola Marymount in addition to his first career double-double (18 points and 11 rebounds).

"Trepagnier is a sensational athlete who has improved his fundamentals and gives the Trojans' backcourt some much-needed size." - Jon Wilner, Los Angeles Daily News

BRANDON GRANVILLE
Sophomore . guard . 5-foot-9 . 175 pounds

Earned 1998-99 Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention honors.

Leading returning assist-maker in the Pac-10 (5.0). Also led USC in steals (1.9).

USC's third-leading returning scorer (7.7) and the Trojans' top returning three-point threat (41-of-118, .347).

Made 5-of-9 three pointers en route to season-high 22 points at UC Santa Barbara last year, adding eight assists and three steals.

Made 5-of-10 treys at No. 6 Stanford, scoring 21 points to go with seven assists.

Had at least two steals 13 times this year and at least seven assists 11 times.

SAM CLANCY
Sophomore . forward . 6-foot-7 . 240 pounds

Pac-10's leading returning shot blocker (1.4) and USC's third-leading returning rebounder (5.3). He also averaged 5.5 points.

Started 22 times, including last 18 games in a row

One of only three freshmen in Pac-10 with at least four double-doubles in 1998-99.

Got fourth double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds at No. 6 Stanford.

Posted third career double-double with personal and USC season-best 14 rebounds to go along with 11 points against Oregon at the Sports Arena. He also had two blocks and three assists.

Had second double-double of career against No. 8 Arizona with career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Posted a double-double in his first game at USC, scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against San Diego State.

JARVIS TURNER
Senior . forward . 6-foot-8 . 240 pounds

USC's lone senior, he was fourth on team in scoring (5.6) and rebounding (3.5) in 1998-99 in only 13.1 minutes per game.

Started three times last season but has 23 career starts to his credit.

Scored season-high 16 points and had six rebounds against St. Bonaventure.

Came off bench to score 13 points, grab seven rebounds, dish out four assists and make three steals in only 15 minutes against Loyola Marymount.

Scored 13 points, including 9-of-12 from the foul line, against UCLA at home, adding two blocks and two steals.

Scored 10 points and had four steals at Arizona.

DAVID BLUTHENTHAL
Sophomore . forward . 6-foot-7 . 220 pounds

Played in 20 games and averaged 7.6 minutes, 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

Had career-high seven points and five rebounds in 12 minutes against Arkansas State.

Played 15 minutes against American, posting six points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

Had four points and two rebounds at both California and at Stanford.

Scored four points and had three rebounds in his first game as a Trojan against San Diego State.

KONSTANTINOS CHARISSIS
Freshman . center . 6-foot-11 . 250 pounds

A talented big man with a traditional European game, he will challenge for time as a reserve center.

Also goes by the first name Kostas.

Was a reserve center on the mid-level Greek club team Papagou-Athens in 1999 and averaged 3.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in limited action.

NATE HAIR
Freshman . guard . 6-foot-3 . 195 pounds

An athletic guard, Hair will add a strong presence to USC's perimeter game.

Has missed most of the preseason and both exhibition games recovering from a stress fracture in his knee. He has resumed light practicing this week.

Was a 1999 Street & Smith's All-American honorable mention, an All-Stater Sports 1999 West Regional Dream Team fourth teamer and a 1999 Best in the West and 1999 Orange County Register Fab 15 second team pick as a senior at Capistrano Valley (Calif.) High.

Averaged 15 points and five rebounds his senior year.

RASHAD JONES
Junior . guard . 6-foot-2 . 195 pounds

A hard-working point guard, he will back up Brandon Granville in the backcourt in his first year as a Trojan.

Averaged 15.7 points, 6.0 assists and 3.1 steals per game in leading the Jaguars to a 19-10 mark as a 1999 sophomore at San Jose (Calif.) City College. He made 50.4 percent of his field goal attempts (120-of-238) and shot 80.1 percent from the foul line (125-of-156).

LUKE MINOR
Freshman . center . 7-foot-3 . 320 pounds

USC's tallest player ever, he will look to earn minutes as a reserve in the frontcourt.

Minor averaged 7.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks as 1999 senior at Blue Ride Academy in Dyke, Va., leading his team to a 19-6 mark and an appearance in the state semifinals of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools.

He broke the school's season block record with 67 and the career block record with 124. Minor was named Virginia's 10th best prospect by the Roanoke Times.

MALACHI THURSTON
Freshman . guard . 6-foot-4 . 200 pounds

An athletic swingman, he will compete for minutes as a reserve in the backcourt.

He averaged 24 points, nine rebounds and three assists last year at the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., and earned the William Duryee Award as the top player in the Tri-State League.

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE INFORMATION

Game 1
CS Northridge
November 19, 1999
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena (15,509)
Los Angeles, CA - 7 p.m. (PST)

On the Air
The USC-Cal State Northridge game will be broadcast live on KCTD-AM 1540. Rory Markas handles the radio play-by-play, while ex-USC assistant coach Jim Hefner adds the color commentary. All of USC's radio broadcasts feature short pre- and post-game shows immediately before and after the game.

Series
Despite the close proximity of the two universities, this will be only the second meeting ever between the two schools. USC won the first meeting, 86-69, in 1990-91.

Last Meeting
USC's only game against Cal State Northridge resulted in an 86-69 Trojan victory in front of 2,737 at the Sports Arena on Feb. 4, 1991. USC forward Ronnie Coleman led all scorers with 24 points and guard Robert Pack added 20 points. The Matadors were led by guard Kyle Kerlegan's 20 points. The game was tied at 37 at the half, but USC outscored Northridge, 49-32, in the second half. Current Matador assistant coach Andre Chevalier played in the game and had six points and seven assists in 33 minutes.

Coach
Cal State Northridge coach Bobby Braswell is in his fourth year with the Matadors. He is just the fourth head coach of the Matador men's basketball program in its 40-year history. Braswell, a 1984 graduate of Cal State Northridge, was hired on April 30, 1996. He led the Matadors to a 14-15 mark in his first year, a 12-16 record in 1997-98 and a 17-12 finish a year ago, their best mark in their Division I history.

Probable Starters              pts.  reb.
F 32 Hewitt Rolle (6-7, Sr.)   3.4   3.3
F 42 Jeff Parris (6-5, Sr.)    9.1   3.8
C 31 Brian Heinle (6-9, Jr.)  12.6   5.7
G 12 Markus Carr (6-1, So.)    6.2  *4.4
G 20 Carl Holmes (6-1, Jr.)    6.1   2.3

*assists

NORTH CAROLINA INFORMATION

Game 2
North Carolina
November 22, 1999
Lahaina Civic Center (2,500)
Lahaini, HI - 4 (HST)

On the Air
The USC-North Carolina game will be broadcast live on ESPN at 4 p.m. HST (6 p.m. PST) with Bill Raftery and Bob Carpenter calling the action. The game will be aired on KCTD-AM 1540. Rory Markas handles the radio play-by-play, while ex-USC assistant coach Jim Hefner adds the color commentary. All of USC's radio broadcasts feature short pre- and post-game shows immediately before and after the game.

Series
USC trails the series against North Carolina, 0-5. The Trojans last faced the Tar Heels in the 1996-97 season, falling 99-84. USC's closest game with North Carolina came in the first meeting, a 49-45 Tar Heel victory in the 1951-52 season. USC lost 67-58 in the 1954-55 campaign, fell 73-62 in 1981-82 and lost 82-77 in the season opener of 1987-88.

Last Meeting
USC's most recent meeting with North Carolina resulted in a 99-84 loss to the then-No. 14 Tar Heels at the Harris Teeter Pepsi Challenge at the Charlotte Coliseum on Dec. 6, 1996. Guard Stais Boseman scored a career-high 26 points and forward Jaha Wilson had a career-high 24 points. The Trojans trailed, 45-41, at the half, but gave up ground in the second half. USC got to within nine points with six minutes to go, but would get no closer. Antawn Jamison scored 26 points to lead the Tar Heels.

Coach
Bill Guthridge, an assistant coach at North Carolina from 1967-97, is beginning his third year as head coach of the program. He has followed the legendary Dean Smith with a Final Four in his first year and a 24-win season and berth in the ACC Tournament championship game in year two. Guthridge directed the Tar Heels to 58 wins in his two years, the highest win total of any two-year coach in NCAA history.

Probable Starters                pts.  reb.
F 25 Jason Capel (6-8, So.)       9.1  4.1
F 42 Kris Lang (6-11, So.)       10.6  5.4
C 00 Brendan Haywood (7-0, Jr.)  12.0  6.9
G 5 Ed Cota (6-2, Sr.)           10.5 *7.4
G 24 Max Owens (6-5, Jr.)         7.8  2.0

*assists

University Southern California Trojans