University Southern California Trojans
Men's Hoops Heads For Bay Area Trip
February 28, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2000
LOS ANGELES - The USC men's basketball team (14-12 overall, 7-7 in the Pacific-10 Conference, in fifth place), under fourth-year head coach Henry Bibby, is in the hunt for postseason action as it travels to the Bay Area to face No. 1 Stanford on (24-1, 13-1, tied for first) Thursday (March 2) at 7:30 p.m. and California (15-11, 6-8, tied for sixth place) on Saturday (March 4) at 5 p.m. USC, coming off of a split at home against the Oregon schools, appeared in the AP rankings for the first time since 1992 earlier this season and has remained as competitive as ever despite losing both sophomore forward Sam Clancy (USC's leading scorer and rebounder when he went down) and senior forward Jarvis Turner (USC's top reserve) to long-term injuries during the Arizona State game on Jan. 20. 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 #26
USC (14-12, 7-7) at No. 1 Stanford (24-1, 13-1) on Thursday (March 2). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on XTRA-AM (690). The Cardinal, under 14th-year coach Mike Montgomery, have won 12 consecutive games, including a road sweep of the Washington schools last weekend. Four players are scoring in double figures, led by freshman forward Casey Jacobsen (13.9). Senior forward Mark Madsen is averaging 12.5 points and a team-best 9.5 rebounds. David Moseley is averaging 12.1 points and has made a team-best .450 of his three-pointer attempts. Junior forward Jarron Collins averages 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds. Stanford has held its opposition to a combined .339 from the field and .275 on three-pointers. It also outrebounds teams, 42.3 to 32.2.
GAME #27
USC at California (15-11, 6-8) on Saturday (March 4). Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. The game will be televised live on FOX Sports Net 2 and will be broadcast live on XTRA-AM (690). The Bears, under fourth-year coach Ben Braun, split last week at the Washington schools, defeating Washington but falling to Washington State in overtime as the Cougars won their first Pac-10 game. The Bears are led by junior forward Sean Lampley, whose 16.2 scoring average makes him the only Cal player scoring in double figures. His 7.1 rebounds is second on the team. Freshman center Nick Vander Laan is averaging 9.9 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds and freshman guard Joe Shipp is averaging 9.8 points.
LAST TIME VS. NO. 1
USC's date against No. 1 Stanford on Thursday will be the Trojans' first game against a top-ranked team since facing UMass in the second round of the Rainbow Classic on Dec. 29, 1995, in Honolulu. USC lost to the Minutemen, 78-63. The Trojans last defeated a No. 1 team on March 6, 1970, when they downed UCLA, 87-86, at Pauley Pavilion. It was actually the second straight win over a No. 1 team, as the Trojans downed the top-ranked Bruins in their previous meeting the season before, 46-44.
INJURY UPDATE
Out since Jan. 20 with a fracture in his right foot, sophomore forward Sam Clancy is listed as probable for this week's games at Stanford on March 2 and California on March 4. He and senior forward Jarvis Turner have both been out since Jan. 20 while recovering from injuries suffered against Arizona State. Turner, who missed seven games with a stress fracture earlier in the season, suffered a fracture in his left ankle in the first half of the game against the Sun Devils. Clancy sustained his injury in the second half. Both injuries occurred while the players were attempting layups on fastbreaks.
LAST TWO GAMES
Looking for a sweep to bolster its postseason opportunities, USC had to settle for a split last week, beating Oregon State, 82-71, on Thursday (Feb. 24), but falling to Oregon, 80-77, on Saturday (Feb. 26). USC's Brian Scalabrine scored a career-high 29 points to go with 10 rebounds and David Bluthenthal posted his third straight double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome an Oregon squad led by Alex Scales' 30 points. USC trailed most of the first half and was still down eight points early in the second half but rallied to take the lead at 51-50 with 13:18 to go. The Trojans got their biggest lead of the game at 67-61 on a three-point play by Scalabrine with 4:55 left. But the Ducks promptly responded with an 8-0 run to go up by two with 3:04 left. USC regained the lead shortly at 71-69 with 2:43 to go and was still tied at 74-74 with 1:10 left. Trailing 78-74 with nine seconds left, Scalabrine came through with another three-point play. The Ducks turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds play, but the Trojans did the same on their next possession. Julius Hicks was fouled and made two free throws to give Oregon a three-point lead with five seconds left. After the free throws, USC guard Brandon Granville drove the length of the court and heaved a three-point attempt, but it missed as time expired. Oregon entered the game last in the Pac-10 in three-point percentage at .288 but made nine-of-21 from beyond the arc (.429). Two days earlier against the Beavers, USC got 26 points from Scalabrine and 19 points and 11 boards from Bluthenthal to snap its five-game losing streak. The Trojans also got 23 points from Jeff Trepagnier, who made a career-high four three-pointers. Oregon State was led by 16 points apiece from Josh Steinthal and Deaundra Tanner. The Beavers led early at 11-6, but the Trojans used a 9-0 to take the lead and never trailed again. USC went into the lockerroom up 32-30 and slowly increased its lead from there. USC went up 45-37 with 16:05 to go but Oregon State rallied to within 47-43 with 14:37 left. The Trojans then used an 11-0 run to take a 58-43 lead with 11:16 remaining. The Beavers rallied again to within four at 65-61 with 5:20, but Trepagnier hit his fourth three-pointer and the Trojans never led by less than five points again.
LAST GAME NOTES
With his three steals, Jeff Trepagnier now has 82 for the season, putting him in a tie for eighth place on the Pac-10 single-season steals chart with UCLA's Cameron Dollar (1997) ... Brian Scalabrine's 29 points marked the seventh time this season he's scored at least 24 points in a game and the 11th time he's scored at least 20 points. His 10 rebounds were his most since 11 at San Diego State and gave him his third double-double of the season ... David Bluthenthal's double-double was his third straight, fourth in the last five games and was his seventh overall ... Bluthenthal has made 22 consecutive free throws and counting ... USC made a season-low one three-point field goal and failed to make one in the first half for the first time since the season-opener against Cal State Northridge ... Alex Scales' 30 points was the most against USC since ASU's Bobby Lazor scored 30 in last season's regular-season finale in Tempe.
WOODEN AWARD
USC's Brian Scalabrine is among 11 players that have received grade checks in order to be added to the John R. Wooden Award's list of candidates for the Wooden Award and the Wooden Award All-American team. The original midseason list included 30 players up for both honors. Those players, plus the qualifiers from the new list will be considered by the National Advisory Board for the national ballot. From there, more than 1,000 voters will decide the 10 players for the 2000 All-American Team. The five All-Americans who receive the most votes will be brought to Los Angeles for the presentation of the Wooden Award.
RANKINGS
USC made its first appearance in the AP Top 25 since the end of the 1992 season on Jan. 24 at No. 23. USC has since dropped out. As of Feb. 27, USC is No. 38 in Sagarin and its strength of schedule is 16th. As of Feb. 20, USC's RPI clocked in at No. 67.
THREE QUICK FACTS
Brian Scalabrine currently leads USC in scoring with 18.8 points overall and 21.7 in the Pac-10. Those are the highest averages for a Trojan since Harold Miner led USC with a 26.3 scoring average overall and a 26.9 clip in Pac-10 games in 1991-92. Also, David Bluthenthal's 8.3 rebounds are the most by a Trojan since Jaha Wilson recorded 10.1 in 1995 and his 10.4 clip in the Pac-10 is on pace to break USC's previous Pac-10 rebounding best (Cliff Robinson, 9.8, 1979) ... In its last six games, USC has made 123-of-159 foul shots for an impressive clip of .774.
MINUTIA
It is no secret that USC's starters have played the lion's share of the minutes this season. But how does it compare to past Trojan teams? Since minute records began being kept in 1983, only three USC teams (1985, 1990 and 1991) featured as many as four players averaging at least 30 minutes a game and none had five. As of the home Oregon game, all five USC starters (including the injured Sam Clancy) averaged at least 33.8 minutes per game. Jeff Trepagnier tops the list at 37.1, followed by Brandon Granville (36.5), Brian Scalabrine (35.8), David Bluthenthal (34.4) and Clancy (33.8). In the 10 games since the injury to Clancy on Jan. 20, Nate Hair and Konstantinos Charissis have taken over most of his minutes. Hair has averaged 24.6 minutes per game in that span and Charissis has averaged 12.0. (They have combined to average 7.6 points and 5.7 rebounds.) In Pac-10 play (which includes two single-overtime games), the minute numbers are more extreme. Brandon Granville is averaging a startling 39.6 minutes per game, followed by Scalabrine (38.7), Trepagnier (38.4) and Bluthenthal (37.6). Trepagnier's overall minutes average (37.1) is the most since Wayne Carlander averaged 38.2 minutes in 1985 (Derrick Dowell checked in at 36.8 in 1987). Granville's Pac-10 average (39.6) is the most since Carlander averaged 40.0, also in 1985. That year, of course, USC played a four-overtime game against UCLA, another two-overtime game against the Bruins and a single overtime game against Oregon State. Interestingly enough, USC only had one player average more than 30 minutes in each of the past three seasons. Last year, Scalabrine led USC in overall minutes (31.0) and in the Pac-10 (30.3).
PLATINUM RECORDS
* Sophomore forward David Bluthenthal tied a 22-year-old USC record with 28 rebounds vs. Arizona State on Jan. 20 at the Sports Arena. He tied Cliff Robinson, who had 28 boards vs. Portland State on the same date in 1978. It was the most in the conference since Robinson's effort and is tied for fifth-best ever in the Pac-10. Bluthenthal's 28 rebounds is the third-most ever in a Pac-10 game (tied with Washington's Steve Hawes in 1972) and the most in a conference game since Hawes' effort. The Pac-10 record in any game is 36, set by Swede Halbrook of Oregon State (Feb. 15, 1955). For perspective, no one in the Big Ten or the ACC has had at least 28 rebounds in the last 30 years.
* Junior 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. It is the most in the nation this year and it's one off the Pac-10 record (Tyus Edney, UCLA, 11, 1994).
* Sophomore guard Brandon Granville posted a USC and Maui Invitational single-game record 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. It is the most in the Pac-10 in two seasons and ties for sixth all-time in the conference. The Pac-10 record is 19 by Arizona's Russell Brown in 1979.
* USC set a Pac-10, USC and a Gill Coliseum record for three-pointers made when they connected on 20-of-29 three-point attempts at Oregon State on Jan. 29. The previous conference record was 18 by Washington State vs. Seattle on Dec. 29, 1990. The previous USC record was 15, set against Arizona State in 1998 and Oregon State in 1992. The 20 three-pointers are the most in the nation this year. The NCAA record is 28 (Troy St., 1994).
ALL THINGS ASSISTS
* USC sophomore guard Brandon Granville, who set a school record earlier this year with 15 assists against Memphis (third most in the nation this year), has set a USC season record with 210 assists. He broke the old record (of 176 set by Larry Friend in 1985 in 29 games) with nine assists at UCLA (USC's 22nd game). The Pac-10 season record is 294 (Ahlon Lewis, ASU, 1998). Tenth-place on the Pac-10 season assist chart is 230 by Gary Payton in 1988. Granville's total for all of last year was 140.
* In less than two seasons, Granville already has 350 career assists, good for fifth place on USC's career chart. The career record is 409 by Larry Friend (1983-86). The Pac-10 record is 938 (Gary Payton, Oregon State, 1987-90). Tenth place on the Pac-10 list is 554 (Reggie Geary, Arizona, 1993-96).
* After never having had more than nine assists in a game as a freshman, Granville has had at least 10 assists 10 times as a sophomore, including one stretch of four straight and in all three games of the Maui Invitational. 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 eight double-doubles this season.
* Granville is averaging 8.1 assists per game. The Pac-10 record for assists average in a season is 9.19 (Ahlon Lewis, ASU, 1998).
* As a team, USC is averaging 16.8 assists per game, compared to its opponents' 13.7. Last year, the Trojans averaged 15.6.
ALL THINGS STEALS
* USC junior guard Jeff Trepagnier, who earlier this year set a USC school record with 10 steals in one game against Utah State (the most in the nation this year), broke Derrick Dowell's USC season record of 62 steals set in 1987 at Oregon (Jan. 27). Trepagnier, who now has 82, broke the record in his 17th game compared to Dowell's 28. The Pac-10 season record is 110 set by Jason Kidd (California) in 1993. Trepagnier is now tied for eighth on the Pac-10 single-season chart at 82 (with UCLA's Cameron Dollar). He needs only three more to tie Jason Terry's 1997 fifth-place total of 85 and nine more to tie for third at 91.
* Trepagnier is averaging 3.3 steals per game. The Pac-10 record for steals average in a season is 3.8 (Jason Kidd, California, 1993).
* Trepagnier has had at least three steals 16 times and has had at least five steals six times.
* Trepagnier is working his way up the USC career Top 10 in steals with 160, good for third place. Derrick Dowell is second with 179 and Stais Boseman (1994-97) owns the record with 208. Brandon Granville has quietly followed Trepagnier up the list and is fifth on the career chart with 112. The Pac-10 career record for steals us 321 (Gary Payton, Oregon State, 1986-90). Tenth-place on the list is Boseman at 208.
* Led by Trepagnier (82 steals) and Granville (58), USC has 245 steals as a team, compared to its opponents' 199.
USC PAC-10 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Junior forward Brian Scalabrine and sophomore forward David Bluthenthal have both earned Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Week honors this year. Bluthenthal was named for the week of Jan. 17-23. He averaged 22.0 points and 17.5 rebounds in the Trojans' sweep of the Arizona schools. He had 18 points and a USC-record-tying 28 rebounds against Arizona State and a career-high 26 points and seven rebounds vs. Arizona. It was Bluthenthal's first such honor, the second for USC this season and the 19th all-time for the Trojans. Scalabrine earned his award 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 was the first time he's been honored with the Pac-10 award.
FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH
Since the second half of the Pac-10 started (five games), Brian Scalabrine leads USC in scoring at 24.0 points per game and he is the only Trojan shooting better than .500 in that span (.553). David Bluthenthal is averaging 10.8 rebounds in those five games and has also made .897 of his free throws ... USC has allowed opponents to shoot .500 or better only five times this year and only more than .517 twice ... On the other hand, USC has shot .500 or better eight times ... 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 40.0% shooting or less eight times ... All five regular USC starters have at least two double-doubles.
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.
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 (Feb. 21). Trepagnier (3.3 spg) is sixth and Granville (8.1 apg) is fifth. Trepagnier's school-record 10 steals against Utah State on Nov. 24 are the most in the nation this year.
PAC-10 STAT NEWS
Overall in the Pac-10, Brian Scalabrine is second in scoring (18.8), fifth in field goal percentage (.537) and 13th in rebounding (6.3). Jeff Trepagnier is first in steals (3.3), seventh in scoring (15.6), sixth in blocks (1.3), ninth in three-point percentage (.379) and 10th in field goal percentage (.481) and 10th in rebounding (6.7). Brandon Granville is first in assists (8.1), tied for second in steals (2.2), 15th in scoring (13.6) and 10th in free throw percentage (.795). David Bluthenthal is third in rebounds (8.3), sixth in free throw percentage (.818) and 16th in scoring (13.5).
In Pac-10 play only, Scalabrine is second in the conference in scoring (21.7) and Bluthenthal is tops in rebounding (10.4). Granville leads the Pac-10 in assists (8.2) and Trepagnier leads in steals (2.4). The Trojans are shooting .458 in conference play and are holding their opponents to a combined .453. USC is even on rebounds (35.6) and outscored its opponents, 78.6 to 76.6. The Trojans are also shooting .375 from three-point range and .740 from the foul line.
CAREER BLOCKED SHOTS CHART
Sophomore forward Sam Clancy had surpassed junior guard Jeff Trepagnier on the USC career blocked shot chart at 64. But Trepagnier has caught the injured Clancy and, standing only 6-foot-4 but possessing fantastic leaping ability, now has 77. Trepagnier is now fifth on the list and Clancy is seventh. Brian Scalabrine, with 46, is approaching the top 10. The USC record is 128 by Lorenzo Orr (1992-95).
STARTERS - AND FINISHERS
Prior to the injury to Sam Clancy against Arizona State on Jan. 20, USC was 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 had combined to start all but two times and accounted for 83.0% of the minutes played. Including the injuries and missed games, the quintet has still scored 1,861 of the team's 2,029 points.
40/45-MINUTE CLUB
Each regular starter has played at least a full game once this season (including overtime). Jeff Trepagnier has done it seven times, followed by Brandon Granville (six), Brian Scalabrine (five), David Bluthenthal (four) and Sam Clancy (once). Granville and Scalabrine both played 45 minutes in an overtime game at Washington and Granville did the same vs. Arizona State. Additionally, Bluthenthal played all but 15 seconds of the Arizona State game.
20-POINT PERFORMANCES
Each regular starter has scored at least 20 points once this season. Brian Scalabrine has done it 11 times, followed by Brandon Granville and Jeff Trepagnier (seven each), Sam Clancy (four) and David Bluthenthal (three).
RANDOM NOTES
* No Trojan had posted three consecutive double-doubles since Jaha Wilson did it in 1995-96. This season, two Trojans have done it. Sam Clancy did it earlier this year against UC Santa Barbara, St. Bonaventure and Hawai`i. David Bluthenthal has matched it with three straight vs. Arizona State, Oregon State and Oregon. * USC has had seven games decided by five points or less and the Trojans are 2-5 in those games. * All five USC starters have scored in double figures in the same game six times this year. * When David Bluthenthal made 10-of-10 free throws at ASU, he tied the USC single-game record for free throw percentage (minimum 10 attempts). The most any Trojan has attempted without a miss was John Block, who went 21-of-21 against Washington in 1966, a Pac-10 record. David Crouse also made 11-of-11 in 1996. When Bluthenthal scored 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 .652 shooting percentage (15-of-23) in the second half at Oregon State was its best 20-minute mark of the season, regardless of which half. * 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 and its 56 first-half points against the Lions were a season best. * Brandon Granville has had at least four treys seven times in his career, including five times this year. 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 .537 clip. * 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 4-8 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 2-4 against ranked teams this year with wins over then-No. 2 Arizona and then-No. 25 UCLA and losses to then-No. 5 North Carolina, then-No. 15 Duke, then-No. 2 Stanford and then-No. 4 Arizona. USC's wins over Arizona and UCLA gave the Trojans back-to-back wins over ranked teams for the first time since the 1993-94 season. That year, USC downed No. 18 California, 86-78, and No. 15 UCLA, 85-79. The last time USC defeated ranked teams more than twice in a row was in 1991-92, when the Trojans did it four straight times. They beat No. 24 Stanford, 82-72, No. 2 UCLA, 86-82, No. 4 UCLA, 83-79, and No. 2 Arizona, 70-69. Counting wins over No. 5 Arizona and No. 12 UCLA at the end of the 1990-91 season, the Trojans defeated six straight ranked teams. USC went 1-6 against ranked teams in 1998-99 and is 6-22 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
USC saw its nine-game home winning streak snapped against California on Feb. 3. Dating back to 1996-97, the Trojans are 35-16 (.686) in their last 51 games at the Sports Arena and USC is 93-40 (.699) 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 two nine-game winning streaks that spanned the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons and the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons.
TROJANS ON TELEVISION
USC will be quite visible throughout the year. Currently, USC has 17 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 * forward/center * 6-foot-9 * 250 pounds
* Averaging team-best 18.8 points and is also averaging 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals. His .431 three-point percentage (25-of-57) leads the team and is on pace to break USC's single-season record of .426 (Anthony Pendleton, 1989). His .537 field goal percentage is also tops on the team and his 2.9 assists per game are second on the team. * Averaging 21.7 points in Pac-10 play (second in the league) and has scored at least 20 points in nine of 14 Pac-10 games. He has scored in double figures in 14 consecutive games. * 1999-2000 Top-50 Wooden Award and All-American candidate. * 2000 NABC All-District 15 first team. * Named Pac-10 Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 6-12, the first such honor of his career. During games against Hawai`i and Loyola Marymount, Scalabrine averaged 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds. * Posted career-high 29 points to go with 10 rebounds in loss vs. Oregon at Sports Arena. * Had 28 points in loss at No. 4 Arizona. * His 28 points at Arizona was the fourth consecutive game he had had at least 20 points, marking the first time a Trojan has done it since Lorenzo Orr did it six straight times in 1994-95. The four-game streak ended the next game at ASU. * Scored 27 points and six rebounds in upset of then-No. 2 Arizona at the Sports Arena. * Had 26 points vs. Arizona State, including seven points in overtime, and had 26 points vs. Oregon State. * Scored 25 points and had nine rebounds in losing effort vs. California. * Had 24 points and nine rebounds at Washington, playing all 45 minutes of overtime game. * 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. * 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 showed us how smart of a player he is. He took our guys to school. He is arguably the best player in the league." -- Oregon State Coach Eddie Payne (2000) * "(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 (1999) * "(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 (1999) * "Scalabrine is a great Division I player. I think he's terrific." -- Long Beach State Coach Wayne Morgan (1999)
JEFF TREPAGNIER
Junior * guard * 6-foot-4 * 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. ESPN.com also had Trepagnier among its nominees for the best dunker in the country. * Leads the team in steals (3.3, first in the Pac-10) and minutes (37.1) and is second among active players in scoring (15.6) and second among active players in rebounding (6.7). He has five double-doubles. * 2000 NABC All-District 15 second team. * Set USC season record for steals with 82 and counting (tied for eighth on Pac-10 single-season chart). The old USC record was 62 by Derrick Dowell. He has made at least three steals 16 times and has had at least five steals six times. * Scored a career-high 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting to go with 10 rebounds in win over then-No. 25 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. * Scored five of his 16 points vs. ASU in the final 90 seconds of regulation to erase an 82-77 USC deficit and force overtime in an eventual Trojan win. * Scored 23 points and had career-high four three-pointers vs. Oregon State. * Had fourth double-double of season with 20 points and season-high 13 rebounds at No. 4 Arizona and followed it with fifth double-double at ASU (11 points, 10 boards). * Posted double-double vs. then-No. 15 Duke with 15 points and 12 rebounds. * Had 23 points vs. UC Santa Barbara to go with five steals. Posted 21 points at UCLA, 20 points vs. both Northwestern and Hawai`i and had 19 points, six steals and four assists against Memphis. * Had 17 points, including three treys, at Oregon 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), earning All-Pac-10 first team honors. * 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 (2000) * "(Jeff Trepagnier) is the conference's top defender." - Richard Obert, Arizona Republic. (2000) * "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 (2000)
BRANDON GRANVILLE
Sophomore * guard * 5-foot-9 * 175 pounds
* Averaging 8.1 assists per game (first in the Pac-10) and has 10 double-digit assist efforts and eight double-doubles. He is second on the team in steals (2.2) and fourth in scoring (13.6). * With nine assists at UCLA on Feb. 9, Granville broke Larry Friend's 1985 USC season assist record of 176. Granville now has 210 and counting. Earlier in the year, he set the USC single-game record for assists with 15 against Memphis in the Maui Invitational, also setting a tournament record. He also had 19 points and five steals in the game. * Averaging 14.6 points and 8.2 assists in Pac-10 play. * His 92 career three-pointers puts him 11th on USC's career chart. Rodney Chatman is 10th with 105. Harold Miner owns the school record with 176. His 51 treys this year puts him 12th on USC's single-season chart. * Reached double digits in assists in four straight games once this season and did it three straight times earlier this year. * Had USC best eighth double-double with 20 points and 11 assists at No. 4 Arizona. He also had 21 points and 11 assists at Oregon State and tied career high with five three-pointers. * 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. * Had second-best scoring outing of season vs. Arizona State, scoring 22 points and dishing out 11 assists. * 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 17 points and 10 assists against then-No. 25 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 * forward * 6-foot-7 * 220 pounds
* After coming off the bench last year, has earned a starting role in 1999-2000 at small forward. * USC's leading rebounder (8.3) and fifth-leading scorer (13.5) and he has seven double-doubles, including three in a row. * Averaging 15.1 points and 10.4 rebounds (first in the league) in Pac-10 play and has made 54-of-62 foul shots (.871), including a current streak of 22 in a row. * Named Pac-10 Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 17-23, the first such honor of his career. During games against Arizona State and Arizona, Bluthenthal averaged 22.0 points and 17.5 rebounds and made 14-of-23 field goals and 14-of-17 free throws. It is USC's 19th such honor. * Had a monster performance vs. Arizona State, recording 28 rebounds and scoring 18 points. The 28 boards tied USC's school record (Cliff Robinson, 1978, Portland State) and was the most rebounds in the Pac-10 since that same game. * Had career-high 26 points (on 9-of-12 shooting) and had seven rebounds in win over then-No. 2 Arizona. * Posted third straight double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds vs. Oregon at Sports Arena. * Had 19 points and 15 rebounds at UCLA, 19 points (including 10-of-10 from the foul line) and 12 rebounds at ASU and 19 points and 11 rebounds vs. Oregon State. * Scored 20 points vs. Northwestern on 9-of-10 shooting. * Made career-high five three-pointers at Oregon State. * 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 12 rebounds and 12 points against UCLA at Sports Arena. * 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.
SAM CLANCY
Sophomore * forward * 6-foot-7 * 240 pounds
* Clancy is listed as probable for the games at Stanford and California this week after sitting out the last six weeks while recovering from a fractured right foot suffered in the second half of the Arizona State game at the Sports Arena on Jan. 20. * Clancy left the lineup as USC's leading scorer (17.25), second-leading rebounder (7.7) and leading shot blocker (1.6). He also led the team in free throws made (68) and attempted (112) when he was hurt. * Scored in double figures in 12 consecutive games, which has been suspended by his injury. * 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. * Seventh on USC's career blocked shot chart (64). * 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.
JARVIS TURNER
Senior * forward * 6-foot-8 * 240 pounds
* After missing seven games earlier in the season with a stress fracture in his left foot, he has missed the last six weeks recovering from a fracture in his left ankle against Arizona State on Jan. 20. His return this season is still doubtful. * Turner has only played in seven games this year, averaging 1.7 points and 1.6 rebounds in 14.1 minutes of action. * 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. * 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.
NATE HAIR
Freshman * guard * 6-foot-3 * 195 pounds
* An athletic guard, Hair has become an oft-used reserve in the Trojans' guard rotation and has seen considerably more playing time since the injuries to Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner, starting twice. * Averaging 3.6 points in 17.1 minutes overall and 4.4 points in 21.0 minutes in the Pac-10. * Made first career start at Oregon State and posted season highs in points (14), three-pointers (four), assists (seven), steals (three) and minutes (39). * Had 13 points in 35 minutes at Oregon off the bench, hitting 3-of-4 three-point attempts. He tied season high with five rebounds. * He has made 14-of-35 (.400) three-point attempts in Pac-10 play. * Scored nine points (on 3-of-5 three-pointers) vs. then-No. 2 Stanford. * Had nine points and 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. * Had three rebounds and three points in 16 minutes against then-No. 2 Arizona. * 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 rebounds his senior year in high school.
KONSTANTINOS CHARISSIS
Freshman * center * 6-foot-11 * 250 pounds
* A talented big man with a traditional European game, he has seen increased playing time since the injuries to Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner and has proved to be an effective rebounder. He has started nine times in 22 games, including in six straight games. * Averaging 5.5 rebounds in 20.8 minutes in last three games. * Had by far his most productive game of the season at No. 4 Arizona. He posted career highs in points (nine), rebounds (eight), minutes (33), free throws made and attempted (3 of 4) and assists (four). * Averaging 2.0 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per game overall and 2.6 rebounds in 11.2 minutes in Pac-10 play. * Had five points and six rebounds in only 15 minutes at ASU. * Made first career start against Hawai`i and had four points and six rebounds six in 23 minutes. * 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.
RASHAD JONES
Junior * guard * 6-foot-2 * 195 pounds
* A hard-working point guard, he backs up Brandon Granville in the backcourt in his first year as a Trojan. He has seen slightly more playing time with the injuries to Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner. * Played 24 minutes off the bench in USC's 1999-2000 season opener against Cal State Northridge, scoring six points (all on free throws) and grabbing six rebounds to go with two steals. He also played 21 minutes against Memphis and had three rebounds and two points. * Shooting .810 from free throw line (17-of-21). * His one point at ASU was his first since the LMU game. * Averaging 6.9 minutes as a reserve guard. * 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).
MALACHI THURSTON
Freshman * guard * 6-foot-4 * 200 pounds
* An athletic swingman, he competes for minutes as a reserve in the backcourt. His minutes increased somewhat with the injuries to Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner. * Made first career start at St. Bonaventure, scoring three points and getting four rebounds. * Played 26 minutes against UC Santa Barbara, grabbing a career-high five rebounds and scoring a career-high four points. * Averaging 5.6 minutes per game overall and 5.2 minutes in eight Pac-10 games. * 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.
LUKE MINOR
Freshman * center * 7-foot-3 * 320 pounds
* USC's tallest player ever, he is redshirting as a true freshman. * 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.
ABDULLAH ELMAGBARI, FRANKIE EVANISKO, ROB ERES AND SHELBY JORDAN , Rounding out the USC roster are four walk-ons: junior forward Shelby Jordan, sophomore forward Rob Eres, juniors forward Abdullah Elmagbari and freshman guard Frankie Evanisko. Of the four, Elmagbari has seen the most meaningful time, including a four-minute stint in the second half of USC's upset of then-No. 2 Arizona and two minutes against then-No. 2 Stanford. He has played 15 minutes in seven games overall. Jordan has played 15 minutes in six games, scoring two points at Loyola Marymount. Eres has played three minutes in two games without scoring and Evanisko has played two minutes in two games, scoring one point against the Lions.
STARTING LINEUPS
USC Coach Henry Bibby has used five different starting lineups, but used the same one 14 times. The injuries to Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner vs. ASU at home forced him to reshuffle. Konstantinos Charissis has started in place of Clancy eight times (and vs. Hawai'i, but that was in place of David Bluthenthal).At Oregon State, Nate Hair got the nod for the first time in his career. The only other deviation was at St. Bonaventure (which Jeff Trepagnier missed because of a funeral). Below is a game-by-game chart of USC's starting lineups.
Trepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 11/19/99 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 11/22/99 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 11/23/99 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 11/24/99 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 11/27/99 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 12/1/99 WThurston Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 12/4/99 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Charissis Clancy 12/8/99 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 12/11/99 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 12/16/99 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 12/20/99 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 12/29/99 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 1/6/2000 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 1/8/2000 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 1/12/2000 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 1/20/2000 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Charissis 1/22/2000 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Charissis 1/27/2000 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Hair 1/29/2000 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Hair 2/3/2000 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Charissis 2/5/2000 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Charissis 2/9/2000 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Charissis 2/17/2000 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Charissis 2/19/2000 LTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Charissis 2/24/2000 WTrepagnier Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Charissis 2/26/2000 L
