University Southern California Trojans
Men's Hoops To Host ASU, Arizona
January 19, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 19, 2000
LOS ANGELES - The USC men's basketball team (10-5 overall, 3-0 in the Pacific-10 Conference), under fourth-year head coach Henry Bibby and a winner of a season-high five consecutive games and seven of its last eight, continues the home part of its league schedule by hosting Arizona State (11-4, 3-1) on Thursday (Jan. 20) at 7 p.m. and No. 2 Arizona (15-2, 4-0) on Saturday (Jan. 22) at 7:30 p.m. The Trojans, who opened 3-0 in the Pac-10 for the first time since the 1993-94 season, are coming off of a 91-79 win over UCLA on Jan. 12 that snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Bruins. USC, which made its sixth postseason appearance of the 1990s when it 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 and returns four starters and six lettermen.
GAME #16
USC (10-5, 3-0) vs. Arizona State (11-4, 3-1) at the Sports Arena on Thursday (Jan. 20). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on XTRA-AM (690). The Sun Devils, directed by second-year coach Rob Evans, feature Pac-10 leading scorer Eddie House. The senior guard is averaging 24.4 points per game and has already scored at least 40 points three times, including a 61-point effort in a double-overtime win over California that tied Lew Alcindor's conference record for points in a game. In his two games against USC last year, he averaged only 8.0 points. Freshman forward Shawn Redhage is second on the team in scoring (12.1) while sophomore guard/forward Awvee Storey leads the team in rebounds (8.4). The Trojans swept the Sun Devils last year.
GAME #17
USC vs. Arizona (15-2, 4-0) at the Sports Arena on Saturday (Jan. 22). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on FOX Sports Net and will be broadcast live on XTRA-AM (690). The Wildcats, under 17th-year coach Lute Olson, feature a balanced scoring attack led by junior center Loren Woods (15.4). Sophomore forward Michael Wright is scoring 14.4 points per game and leads the team in rebounds (8.7). Woods and Wright also combine to shoot .553 from the field. Freshman guard Gilbert Arenas averages 12.4 points per game and fellow freshman guard Jason Gardner leads the team in assists (5.3). The Wildcats swept USC last year.
LAST GAME
USC reclaimed city champ rights - at least for a month - with a thorough 91-79 win over No. 25 UCLA on Jan. 12 at the Sports Arena, snapping a 10-game losing streak to the Bruins. Junior guard Jeff Trepagnier led all scorers with a career-high 26 points and added 10 rebounds to boot. Sophomore forward Sam Clancy scored 18 points, sophomore guard Brandon Granville had 17 points and 10 assists, junior forward/center Brian Scalabrine had 15 points and sophomore forward David Bluthenthal had 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. The Trojans controlled the game just about from start to finish and shot .493 from the field, the best by a UCLA opponent this year. The Trojans got off to a 12-5 start, and when UCLA closed it to 14-13, built it back to 20-13. USC's lead grew to 35-23 with 5:23 to go in the first half, but the Bruins, led by Jason Kapono's career-high 21 points, got to within 39-34 with 2:04 to go. USC, however, used an 8-0 run to close out the half, punctuated by a Jeff Trepagnier steal and dunk, and went into halftime up 47-34. The Trojans continued to dominate the game into the second half and didn't lead by less than 12 points at any time. USC built its lead to 20 points at 77-57 with 8:18 to play on two Trepagnier free throws. A 7-0 UCLA run got the Bruins to within 77-64 with 6:50 to play, but they couldn't get any closer until the final margin. The Trojans held UCLA to .457 shooting and outrebounded the Bruins, 45-35.
LAST GAME NOTES
The 91 points matches the most points USC has ever scored in a win against UCLA (91-71, 1960). The most points USC has ever scored against UCLA is 94 (a loss in 1979) ... The 12-point margin of victory was USC's largest against UCLA since a 15-point win in 1986 (79-64) ... Each USC starter scored in double figures for the fourth time this year ... Brandon Granville reached double-digits in assists for the sixth time this season and for the second consecutive game (he did it three times in a row earlier in the season) ... Clancy's 18 points marked the 11th consecutive game he has scored in double figures, the longest streak on the team ... Brandon Granville's two treys marked the seventh game in a row he's had at least that many ... Jeff Trepagnier's three steals marked the 13th time of his 14 games that he has had at least three thefts in a game ... Granville had his fourth double-double, Jeff Trepagnier his third and David Bluthenthal his second.
RECORD WATCH
USC junior guard Jeff Trepagnier needs just three steals to break Derrick Dowell's school season record of 62 set in 1987. The Pac-10 season record is 110 set by Jason Kidd in 1993. He needs 18 to tie Brevin Knight for 10th place on the Pac-10 chart at 78.
TRENDS
USC's five starters are shooting a combined .491 from the field ... During USC's stretch of seven wins in its last eight games, the Trojans have held opponents to a combined .394 field goal percentage (.294 from three-point range). In contrast, USC is shooting .488 from the field and .387 from beyond the arc in that same time frame. Sam Clancy is USC's leading scorer in that span (17.4) while David Bluthenthal leads in rebounds (7.8). Brandon Granville has done the best from three-point range (.475, 19-of-40) and Jeff Trepagnier is tops in field goal percentage (.566, 56-of-99) ... USC has held opponents to 23 points or less in the first half five times, has held opponents to 61 points or less seven times and has held opponents to less then 40.0% shooting seven times ... In the Trojans' 10 wins, they have outscored their foes by an average of 24.2 points (86.7 to 62.5) ... All five regular USC starters have at least two double-doubles.
TURN THIS OVER
USC is turning the ball over the least in the Pac-10 (14.73) and is forcing the most turnovers (21.1). That translates into a 6.3 turnover margin, tops in the league.
ROSTER MOVE
Sandy Fletcher, a freshman football player who played four games with the basketball team as a guard this season, has left the squad to concentrate on academics. Fletcher joined the team in mid-December and saw 11 combined minutes of action in games against Long Beach State, San Diego State, Washington State and Washington. He scored a total of four points.
FINDING THE RANGE
The Trojans struggled from three-point range at the start of the season but continue to show signs of climbing out of the slump. USC made only 23-of-97 three pointers (23.7%) in its first six games but have improved in the last nine contests, making 56-of-146 (38.4%). USC's top long-distance marksman continues to be forward/center Brian Scalabrine, who has made 16-of-34 (.471) after making 1-of-6 all of last year.
USC AMONG THE NATIONAL LEADERS
USC guards Brandon Granville and Jeff Trepagnier are both among the nation's leaders in their respective specialties, assists and steals (through Jan. 17). Trepagnier (4.3 spg) is first in the country, percentage points ahead of Liberty's Carl Williams, and Granville (8.2 apg) is fourth. Trepagnier's school-record 10 steals against Utah State on Nov. 24 are the most in the nation this year.
USC IN THE PAC-10
USC players continue to dominate the Pac-10 charts. Sam Clancy is second in scoring (17.6), tied for fourth in blocks (1.6) and fifth in rebounding (7.8). Brian Scalabrine is sixth in scoring (15.9), third in three-point percentage (.471), seventh in field goal percentage (.532), ninth in assists (3.5) and 13th in rebounding (6.5). Jeff Trepagnier is fifth in scoring (16.5), sixth in rebounding (7.2), first in steals (4.3) and 10th in field goal percentage (.516). Brandon Granville is first in assists (8.2) and fifth in steals (2.5). David Bluthenthal is tied for 10th in rebounding (6.6). As a team, USC is tops in assists (18.2) and steals (11.5).
CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS
Sophomore forward Sam Clancy has surpassed junior guard Jeff Trepagnier on the USC career blocked shot chart. Clancy is now sixth with 63 while Trepagnier, standing only 6-foot-4 but possessing fantastic leaping ability, is ninth with 57. The USC record is 128 by Lorenzo Orr (1992-95). Trepagnier is also working his way up the USC Top 10 in steals with 138, good for third place. Derrick Dowell is second with 179 and Stais Boseman (1994-97) owns the record with 208.
SEASON STANDARDS
USC guards Brandon Granville and Jeff Trepagnier have both already posted USC single-game records in assists and steals, respectively, this year. Now, they are closing in on the school season records in their respective specialties. Granville's 123 assists are more than two-thirds of the record of 176, set by Larry Friend in 1985. Trepagnier is closing in fast on the steals record after 15 games with 60. The season record is 62, set by Derrick Dowell in 1987.
HE'S STILL GIVING
Only halfway through his sophomore season, guard Brandon Granville has already cracked USC's all-time top 10 in assists. With his 10 assists vs. UCLA, he now has 263 for his career, moving ahead of Don Carfino for 10th place. The career record is 409 (Larry Friend, 1983-86). After never having had more than nine assists in a game as a freshman, Granville has had at least 10 assists six times as a sophomore, including in all three games of the Maui Invitational. He also had nine assists against Duke. No Trojan since Burt Harris in the 1992-93 season has even posted double digits in assists in two games in a row. Granville also has posted four double-doubles this season.
STARTERS - AND FINISHERS
USC is relying heavily on its five chief starters. The group of guards Jeff Trepagnier and Brandon Granville, forwards Sam Clancy and David Bluthenthal and forward/center Brian Scalabrine have combined to start all but two times and have accounted for 83.0% of the minutes played. The quintet has scored 1,100 of the team's 1,183 points (93.0%).
40/45-MINUTE CLUB
Each regular starter has played at least a full game once this season (including overtime). Guard Brandon Granville has played a complete game three times, Jeff Trepagnier and Brian Scalabrine have each done it twice and Sam Clancy and David Bluthenthal have each done it once. At Washington, Granville and Scalabrine both played 45 minutes.
20-POINT PERFORMANCES
Each regular starter has scored at least 20 points once this season. Sam Clancy and Jeff Trepagnier have each done it four times, Brandon Granville and Brian Scalabrine have each done it three times and David Bluthenthal has done it once.
PAC-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior forward/center Brian Scalabrine was named the Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 6-12. Scalabrine averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in blowout wins against Hawai'i and Loyola Marymount. In the latter game, he recorded his first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds and added a career-high seven assists. It's the first time he's been honored with the Pac-10's weekly award and the 18th all-time for USC. The last Trojan to win the award was guard Gary Johnson in the last week of the 1997-98 season.
THOU SHALL STEAL
Thanks mainly to guards Jeff Trepagnier (60 steals) and Brandon Granville (38), USC has 172 steals as a team, compared to its opponents' 110. As a team, the Trojans are averaging 11.5 steals a game. Last year, the Trojans averaged 9.4. In fact, as a pair, they average 6.8 steals per game, the top tandem in the nation through Jan. 14.
BROKEN RECORDS
Guard Jeff Trepagnier set a USC (and Maui Invitational) single-game steals record with 10 against Utah State in the final game of the tournament on Nov. 24. He broke his own record of eight set against Loyola Marymount last season on Dec. 9. Sophomore guard Brandon Granville also posted a USC and Maui Invitational single-game record. His came with 15 assists against Memphis on the second day of the tournament on Nov. 23. The record was previously shared by Larry Friend (1986) and Stais Boseman (1996), who both had 14.
SHAQ IMPRESSIONS
After making 29-of-36 free throws (80.6%) in their season opener, the Trojans have made only 187-of-292 (64.0%) in their last 14 games combined. Overall, USC is 216-of-328 (65.9%).
ARIZONA-ASU-USC CONNECTIONS
USC head coach Henry Bibby's son, Mike, was Arizona's starting point guard for the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons and was picked second overall in the 1998 NBA draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies. The Bibbys have combined for four NCAA basketball championships (three for Henry at UCLA and one for Mike in 1996-97) ... Henry Bibby and Trojan assistant coach David Miller are both former Arizona State assistant coaches. Bibby spent three seasons in Tempe (1983-85), while Miller was there for the 1990 season ... USC director of basketball operations Sam Williams was a three-year letterman at Arizona State (1979-81). "Sam-the-Slam" was selected as the Sun Devil's MVP in 1981 after leading Arizona State to a 24-4 record and second-place in the Pac-10, which is still the school's highest finish in 20 years of league play.
RANDOM NOTES
* USC received its most AP votes of the 1999-2000 season in the Jan. 17 poll (12). That placed the Trojans 37th in the poll.
* Guard Jeff Trepagnier has had at least three steals in all but one game he has played in this year, has had at least five steals six times and has a team-high 60 thefts (4.3 per game, first in the Pac-10, second in the nation). He is also second on the team in rebounds (7.2) and has three double-doubles.
* When David Bluthenthal scored a career-high 20 points against Northwestern, he did so on 9-of-10 shooting. That fell just short of the Trojans' individual record for field goal percentage, held by numerous people at 10-of-11.
* USC's .630 shooting percentage (17-of-27) in the second half at SDSU was its best 20-minute mark of the season, regardless of which half and the Trojans' 11 first-half steals were a season high.
* The 44 points USC allowed against Northwestern was the lowest opponent total for the Trojans since holding Loyola Marymount to 43 points last season (Dec. 9, 1998). USC's 58.3% shooting in the first half vs. LMU this year was a season best, its 56 first-half points against the Lions were a season best and its 10 three-pointers matched a season high.
* With 16 points and 11 rebounds against Hawai'i, forward Sam Clancy became the first Trojan to record three straight double-doubles since Jaha Wilson had four straight in 1995-96 (vs. Oregon, Stanford, California and Arizona State).
* Brandon Granville has had at least four treys four times in his career, including two times this year (four against Memphis and five vs. San Diego State). He has also had at least five steals five times in his career.
* Brian Scalabrine's .5315 field goal percentage in 1999 was good enough to put him fourth all-time on USC's career field goal percentage chart. He has continued his fine shooting in 1999-2000 and is at a .532 clip (91-of-171).
* 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.
* USC's 25 assists against Memphis was its most since the 1997-98 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).
TOURNEY TEAMS ON THE SCHEDULE
The Trojans will face six teams this season that reached the 1998-99 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. So far, USC is 3-2 against the above teams.
RANKED TEAMS ON THE SCHEDULE
USC is slated to play eight games against five teams ranked in the Associated Press' Preseason Top 25. They are North Carolina (No. 6 ), Arizona (No. 9 ), Duke (No. 10 ), UCLA (No. 12 ) and Stanford (No. 13). All rankings preseason.
USC AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
The Trojans are 1-2 against ranked teams in 1999-2000, went 1-6 against ranked teams in 1998-99 and are 5-21 versus ranked teams since December of 1996. USC's lone win over a ranked team last year was at then-No. 6 Stanford, 86-82, in overtime. In USC's other three wins in the above stretch (all at home), USC shocked then-No. 6 (and eventual NCAA champion) Arizona, 75-62, on Jan. 16, 1997, defeated then-No. 16 Stanford, 84-81, on Feb. 6, 1997, and toppled then-No. 2 Arizona, 91-90 (OT), on March 5, 1998.
USC AT HOME
Dating back to 1996-97, the Trojans are 32-13 (.711) in their last 45 games at the Sports Arena and USC is 90-37 (.709) 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) were broadcast nationally on ESPN and five other games will be aired nationally on FOX Sports Net (FOX Sports Net locally). Nine other games will be televised by FOX Sports Net 2 and the Duke game aired on KCAL (Channel 9).
HENRY BIBBY
Henry Bibby, a coach with 17 years of college and professional experience and the only player to ever play for an NCAA, NBA and CBA championship team, is in his fourth full season as the head coach of the USC men's basketball program. Last season, he directed the Trojans to a 15-13 overall mark (7-11 in the Pac-10, tied for seventh) and a first-round appearance in the NIT. USC went 9-19 the previous season, but closed out the year with a stunning 91-90 overtime victory over then-No. 2 Arizona and a 117-71 rout of Arizona State. In his first full season at the helm of the Trojan program, Bibby did not waste any time in moving Troy in the right direction. The 1996-97 campaign saw the Trojans finish second in the Pacific-10 Conference and make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1992. The previous year, the Trojans went 11-19 and finished ninth in the conference. The seven-game improvement is the third-biggest turnaround in USC history and the seven spot increase in the standings matches a school best. In addition, Bibby's 17-11 mark in 1996-97 is the best by a Trojan coach in his first full year since Forrest Twogood went 21-6 in his debut season in 1951. Bibby was named USC's head coach on March 15, 1996. Bibby joined the Trojan program in May of 1995 as an assistant coach. He was named USC's interim head coach on Feb. 7, 1996, replacing Charlie Parker. Bibby came to USC after coaching a club team in Venezuela in 1995. He was a head coach for eight seasons in the Continental Basketball Association. His teams made it into the CBA playoffs six times and posted a 223-213 regular season record, making him only the fourth CBA coach to post 200 wins.
BRIAN SCALABRINE
Junior o forward/center o 6-foot-9 o 250 pounds
* Averaging 15.9 points (sixth in the Pac-10), 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals. His .471 three-point percentage (16-of-34) and .532 field goal percentage are tops on the team and his 3.5 assists per game are second on the team (and ninth in the Pac-10). * 1999-2000 Top-50 Wooden Award and All-American candidate. * Named Pac-10 Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 6-12, the first such honor of his career and the 18th overall for USC. During games against Hawai'i and Loyola Marymount, Scalabrine averaged 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds. * Had season-high 24 points and nine rebounds at Washington, playing all 45 minutes of overtime game. His 10-of-18 field goals made and attempted both tied career highs. * Posted second and third career double-doubles with 21 points and career-high 11 rebounds at San Diego State and 16 points and 10 rebounds at Loyola Marymount. * Scored 21 points and had three steals against UC Santa Barbara. Had 19 points at St. Bonaventure and against Hawai'i, 18 points vs. Cal State Northridge and 17 points against both Memphis and then-No. 15 Duke. * 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) last year. Was second in assists (68) and third in blocks (25). * "(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
SAM CLANCY
Sophomore o forward o 6-foot-7 o 240 pounds
* USC's leading scorer (17.6, second in the Pac-10), rebounder (7.8, fifth in the Pac-10) and shot blocker (1.6, tied for fourth in the Pac-10). He also leads the team in free throws made (64) and attempted (104) and in double-doubles (five). * Has scored in double figures in team-best 11 consecutive games. * Scored career-high 24 points on 8-of-9 field goals and 8-of-9 free throws and also had eight rebounds against Cal State Northridge. * Had 23 points (including career-high 11 field goals) and three steals against then-No. 5 North Carolina and had 23 points at Washington. * Posted fifth double-double of season with 17 points and 10 rebounds in Pac-10 opener at Washington State. * Had 18 points, nine rebounds vs. UCLA. * Sixth on USC's career blocked shot chart (63). * First Trojan to post three consecutive double-doubles since Jaha Wilson did it four consecutive times in the 1995-96 season (vs. Oregon, Stanford, California and Arizona State). Clancy's double-doubles came against UC Santa Barbara (22 points and 11 rebounds), St. Bonaventure (15 and 11) and Hawai'i (16 and 11). * Had 19 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks at Long Beach State, had 19 points, eight rebounds, two blocks vs. then-No. 15 Duke and 18 points and nine boards at San Diego State.
JEFF TREPAGNIER
Junior o guard o 6-foot-4 o 195 pounds
* One of the top athletes and best leapers in the nation whose dunks and athleticism (he has a 40-inch vertical leap) often land him on Plays of the Week highlight reels around the country. * Leads the team in steals (4.3, first in the nation, first in the Pac-10) and minutes (36.0) and is second in scoring (16.5, fifth in the Pac-10) and rebounding (7.2, sixth in the Pac-10). * He has made at least three steals in 13 of his 14 games and has had at least five steals six times. His 60 steals leaves him just three short of breaking Derrick Dowell's USC season record of 62. * Scored a career-high 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting to go with 10 rebounds for third double-double in win over UCLA. * Had a spectacular game against Utah State in defeat at the Maui Invitational. Had 19 points, broke his own USC single-game steals record with 10 steals (the old mark was eight), blocked four shots and had seven rebounds. Overall in Maui, Trepagnier averaged 15.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.3 steals, 2.7 assists and 1.7 blocks in 39.0 minutes per game. * Had second double-double of season vs. then-No. 15 Duke with 15 points and season-high 12 rebounds. * Had season-high 23 points vs. UC Santa Barbara to go with five steals. Posted 20 points vs. both Northwestern and Hawai'i and had 19 points, six steals and four assists against Memphis and 18 points and four steals at Washington State. * Missed the St. Bonaventure game while attending a funeral for his grandmother in Southern California. * Was the only Pac-10 player to finish in the Top 10 in steals, blocks and field goal percentage (.492, 125-of-154) last year and he averaged a double-double in his last 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). * Posted fifth double-double of last season with a then-career-high 24 points and career-high 17 rebounds at Wyoming in the first round of the NIT. * "Jeff Trepagnier is as good of an athlete as we've played against and he's got courage, too." - Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Head Coach * "(Jeff Trepagnier) is the conference's top defender." - Richard Obert, Arizona Republic. * "Trepagnier has been the missing link for the Trojans ... He has given the Trojans the scoring pop on the wing that they lacked a year ago." - Andy Katz, ESPN.com
BRANDON GRANVILLE
Sophomore o guard o 5-foot-9 o 175 pounds
* Averaging 8.2 assists per game (first in the Pac-10, fourth in the nation) and has six double-digit assist efforts and four double-doubles. He is second on the team in steals (2.5, (fifth in the Pac-10) and fourth in scoring (12.9). * Had USC single-game record 15 assists against Memphis in the Maui Invitational, also setting a tournament record. He also had 19 points and five steals in the game. * Posted career highs in points (24) and field goals (eight) at San Diego State and made a career-high tying 5-of-7 three-pointers. * Scored 20 points, dished out seven assists and had five steals, without a turnover, against Northwestern. * Had 20 points in only 22 minutes at Loyola Marymount and made 3-of-4 three-pointers and had a career-high two blocks. * Had second consecutive double-double with 17 points and 10 assists against UCLA. * Posted 10 assists and 14 points at Washington. * Scored 15 points and had 11 assists against then-No. 5 North Carolina and had 12 assists and five steals vs. UC Santa Barbara. * Earned 1998-99 Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention honors.
DAVID BLUTHENTHAL
Sophomore o forward o 6-foot-7 o 220 pounds
* After coming off the bench last year, has earned a starting role in 1999-2000 at small forward. * Fifth in scoring (11.5) and third in rebounding (6.6, tied for 10th in the Pac-10). * Scored career-high 20 points vs. Northwestern on 9-of-10 shooting. * Had 19 points (17 in the first half) and nine rebounds at Long Beach State and played all 40 minutes for the first time. * Posted 18 points and 11 rebounds against Memphis in the Maui Invitational for first career double-double. He shot 9-of-12 in the game. * Had career-high 12 rebounds and added 12 points against UCLA for second career double-double. * Scored 17 points (including 4-of-7 on three-pointers) at St. Bonaventure and had career-high four steals at San Diego State. * Scored 14 points and had nine rebounds against Utah State in the final game of the Maui Invitational. He averaged a team-high 8.7 rebounds in the tournament and also averaged 12.7 points. * Played in 20 games and averaged 7.6 minutes, 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds per game as a freshman.
JARVIS TURNER
Senior o forward o 6-foot-8 o 240 pounds
* USC's lone senior, he was fourth on team in rebounding (3.5) in 1998-99 in only 13.1 minutes per game. * Returned from seven-game layoff at Washington State with five points in 14 minutes then played a key defensive role in USC's overtime win at Washington. * Since returning from foot injury, Turner is averaging 14.0 minutes in last three games. * Missed seven games recovering from a stress fracture in his foot. He suffered the injury in the preseason but initially tried to play on it. * 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 last year.
KONSTANTINOS CHARISSIS
Freshman o center o 6-foot-11 o 250 pounds
* A talented big man with a traditional European game, he has challenged for time at center. * Made first career start against Hawai'i and posted highs in points (four), rebounds (six) and minutes (23). * Averaging 1.4 rebounds in 5.8 minutes per game. * 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 o guard o 6-foot-3 o 195 pounds
* An athletic guard, Hair has become an oft-used reserve in the Trojans' guard rotation. * Had season-high nine points and season-high five rebounds at Loyola Marymount. * Subbed in for fouled-out Jeff Trepagnier in overtime win at Washington and helped hold Huskies to 1-of-10 shooting in extra frame. * Averaging 2.1 points in 10.9 minutes per game. * Scored first six points of his career at St. Bonaventure, going 2-of-3 on three-pointers, playing season-high 28 minutes. * Missed most of the preseason and both exhibition games recovering from a stress fracture in his knee. * 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
