USC Trojans

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1 USC Trojans MEN S BASKETBALL NEWS RELEASE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE TIM TESSALONE, DIRECTOR (MEN S BASKETBALL SID: PAUL GOLDBERG pgoldber@usc.edu) HERITAGE HALL 103, L.A., CA TELEPHONE: (213) FAX: (213) November 28, 2000 No. 15 USC faces No. 18 Utah in Wooden Classic RECORD USC Quick Look 3-0 overall; 0-0 in the Pac-10 RANKING AP (15); ESPN/USA TODAY (18) THIS WEEK Utah Sat. (12/2) 2:30 p.m Schedule DATE OPPONENT RESULT/TIME 11/18 Bradley W /21 San Diego (FS WEST) W /25 Loyola Marymount W /2 ^ Utah (KCAL) 2:30 p.m. 12/5 Cal State Northridge 7:30 p.m. 12/9 at UC Santa Barbara 7 p.m. 12/14 Pepperdine (FSW2) 7:30 p.m. 12/21! BYU-Hawai i 8 p.m. (HST) 12/22! Southern Ill./Miss. 3 p.m./8 p.m. (HST) 12/23! TBA TBA 12/27 at Northwestern 7 p.m. (CST) 12/30 Long Beach State (FSW2) 5:30 p.m. 1/4 * Washington State (FS NET) 7:30 p.m. 1/6 * Washington (FSW2) 7 p.m. 1/11 * at UCLA (FS NET) 7:30 p.m. 1/18 * at Arizona (FS NET) 8:30 p.m. (MST) 1/20 * at Arizona State(ABC) 4 p.m. (MST) 1/25 * Oregon 7:30 p.m. 1/27 * Oregon State (FS WEST) 7 p.m. 2/1 * at Stanford 7:30 p.m. 2/3 * at California (FS NET) 5 p.m. 2/8 * UCLA (FSW2) 7:30 p.m. 2/15 * Arizona State (FSW2) 7:30 p.m. 2/17 * Arizona (CBS) 11 a.m. 2/22 * at Oregon State (FS NET) 7:30 p.m. 2/24 * at Oregon (FS WEST) 7 p.m. 3/1 * Stanford (FSW2) 7:30 p.m. 3/3 * California (FSW2) 5 p.m. 3/8 * at Washington 7 p.m. 3/10 * at Washington State 1 p.m. 3/15-18 NCAA 1st and 2nd Rounds TBA 3/22-25 NCAA Regionals TBA 3/31, 4/2 NCAA Final Four TBA Home games in bold * Pacific-10 Conference game! Pearl Harbor Invitational ^ Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif. USC Quick Facts LOCATION: Los Angeles, Calif. ENROLLMENT: 28,800 NICKNAME: Trojans HEAD COACH: Henry Bibby ASSISTANTS: Silvey Dominguez, David Miller, Damon Archibald DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS: Tim Farmer LOS ANGELES The USC men s basketball team (No. 15 AP/No. 20 ESPN/USA Today), which returns all five starters and three other lettermen from last year s team, will face its toughest challenge to date this season when it squares off against Utah (No. 18/20) in the second game of the Wooden Classic at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif., on Saturday (Dec. 2). UCLA faces Georgia Tech at noon in the first game and the USC-Utah game will follow 30 minutes after. The Trojans, winners of their first three games this year, have won five in a row dating back to last season. GAME #4 USC (3-0) vs. Utah (3-1) at the Arrowhead Pond on Saturday (Dec. 2). The game is the second in a doubleheader. It will follow 30 minutes after the UCLA-Georgia Tech game, which tips at noon. The game will be televised live locally by KCAL (Channel 9) and broadcast live on KXTA-AM (1150). The Utes are directed by 12th-year Coach Rick Majerus. Utah returns only one starter and three lettermen from last year s squad that went 23-9 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. This season, the Utes have won three of their first four games, defeating Idaho State (71-65), American-Puerto Rico (94-37) and Memphis (61-58). Their only loss is to Georgia (60-65). Senior center Nate Althoff is averaging a team-high 10.0 points per game while junior forward Jeff Johnsen, junior guard Kevin Bradley and first-year junior center Chris Burgess are all averaging 9.8 points per game. Junior forward Phil Cullen leads the team in rebounds at 5.2 boards per game. As a team, Utah is shooting.500 from the field and.369 on three-pointers (24-of-65). A SHOOTER S BEST FRIEND After posting nine assists against OF NOTE Loyola Marymount last Saturday, USC junior point guard Brandon Granville now owns the Trojans career record with 412. He passed the old record holder, Larry Friend, who finished his career with 409 ( ). Granville also possesses the USC record for assists in a season (248 last year) and in a game (15 vs. Memphis last season). The Pac-10 career record for assists is 938 (Gary Payton, Oregon State, ). Tenth place on the Pac-10 list is 554 (Reggie Geary, Arizona, ) TROJANS PROBABLE STARTERS NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. YR. HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 5 Brandon Granville G Jr. Los Angeles, CA (Westchester HS) 24 Brian Scalabrine F *Sr. Enumclaw, WA (Highline C.C.) 33 Desmon Farmer G Fr. Flint, MI (Northwestern HS) 34 David Bluthenthal F Jr. Los Angeles, CA (Westchester HS) 50 Sam Clancy F Jr. Fairview, OH (St. Edward HS) RESERVES 00 Anthony Saadey # G Fr. Canfield, OH (Canfield HS) 1 Nate Hair G So. Mission Viejo, CA (Capistrano Valley HS) 2 Jarvis Turner F **Sr. Bakersfield, CA (South Bakersfield HS) 4 Robert Hutchinson G *So. Albany, GA (Okaloosa-Walton College) 11 Jamie Hooper # G *Jr. San Diego, CA (Montana State) 12 Jeff Trepagnier G Sr. Compton, CA (Compton HS) 14 Gennaro Busterna G Jr. Denver, CO (McCook College) 15 Kostas Charissis C So. Athens, Greece (Bachlitzanaki-Pireus) 25 Tyler Murphy G *Sr. Los Angeles, CA (Vermont) 30 Luke Minor C *Fr. Richmond, VA (Blue Ridge Academy) 31 Eze Burts # G Fr. Los Angeles, CA (St. Bernard HS) 44 Abdullah Elmagbari # F Sr. Greeley, CO (Otero JC) 52 Rob Eres # F Jr. Sacramento, CA (El Camino Fundamental HS) * Utilized redshirt year **received fifth year for medical hardship # walk-on

2 Game 4 Utah Dec. 2, 2000 Arrowhead Pond Anaheim, CA 2:30 p.m. On the Air The USC-Utah game will be broadcast live by KCAL (Channel 9) and carried live on KXTA-AM (1150). 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 The series is tied at 14-14, though Utah has won the last two meetings. The schools first met in 1934, when the Trojans downed the Utes, One of the more interesting games came in 1960, when Utah snapped a five-game losing streak to USC and defeated the Trojans, 80-73, in a District 8 NCAA Tournament game. Utah last visited the Sports Arena in the season, defeating the Trojans, The last USC win against the Utes at the Sports Arena was a decade earlier, a win in the season. Last Game Utah had an easy time of it the last time it faced USC, cruising by the Trojans, 84-49, in Salt Lake City on Dec. 23, Reserve guard Tyson Reuter was the only Trojan to score in double figures (12 points). Keith Van Horne scored 25 points to lead Utah. USC trailed at the half. The Trojans made only 19- of-56 shots (33.9%) and was outrebounded, Coach Rick Majerus is in his 12th year as the head coach at Utah. His career in Salt Lake City has been highlighted by a Final Four appearance in 1998, when the Utes lost to Kentucky in the final game. In 16 seasons at Marquette, Ball State and Utah, Majerus has posted an impressive career record (entering this year). His career winning percentage of.742 is the fifth-highest among active Division I coaches and ranks 15th all-time. Majerus, who has never had a losing season, has averaged 23 wins a year over the course of his career. Probable Starters Ht. Yr. pts. reb. G 10 Kevin Bradley 6-0 Jr G 15 Nick Jacobson 6-4 Fr F 35 Jeff Johnsen 6-4 Jr F 40 Phil Cullen 6-9 Jr C 52 Nate Althoff 6-11 Sr USC IN THE RANKINGS USC is ranked No. 15 by the AP Top 25 Poll (Nov. 27) and No. 18 by the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Poll (Nov. 27). It is USC s highest ranking since finishing the season ranked No. 8. When USC opened in both preseason polls, it marked the first time since the season that USC opened a season ranked in the Top 25 in one of the two major polls. The last time USC was ranked in the preseason, the Trojans were tabbed No. 12 in the AP poll at the start of the year. LAST GAME The Trojans remained unbeaten with a victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday (Nov. 25) at the Sports Arena. Senior Brian Scalabrine had a game-high 22 points while junior Brandon Granville had 19 points and nine assists. Granville s nine assists gave him 412 for his career, the most in school history. He passed former record-holder Larry Friend, who had 409. Freshman Desmon Farmer had season bests with 14 points and seven rebounds and senior Tyler Murphy had a season-best 10 points. The Lions were led by Robert Davis 21 points. USC led from the outset and posted its first double-digit lead at on two free throws from Scalabrine with 6:32 to go in the half. The Trojans ultimately went into the half up USC, which outrebounded LMU, 34-31, opened the second half with a 13-4 run for a lead with 14:53 remaining. The Trojans kept building their lead, which grew as large as 32 points at with 7:12 to go. The Trojans made 12-of-24 three-point attempts and 21-of-27 foul shots (77.8%). LAST GAME NOTES USC won its fifth game in a row in the series with LMU... Brian Scalabrine scored 20 or more points for the 19th time in his career... Brandon Granville made four three-pointers, giving him 106 for his career, good for 10th on USC s all-time list. NOTES ARCHIVE Sam Clancy s 31 points against Bradley were the most for a Trojan since Gary Johnson had 32 against Arizona State in the 1998 season finale... Clancy made his first career three-pointer against San Diego. Prior to that, he was 0-for-2 in his career. TO START A SEASON USC s three-game win streak to start the season marks only the second time the Trojans have started a season with more than two consecutive wins since The other was in the season with six wins in a row. The 1975 team opened with eight straight victories while the 1971 team won its first 16 games. The record for best start at USC, however, is 17, courtesy of the 1910 Trojans. THREES A POPPIN The Trojans, who ranked fourth in the Pac- 10 a year ago in three-point percentage and total three-pointers, are off to their most productive start on three-point baskets since the season. USC has made a combined 30-of-60 from beyond the arc in three games, its most makes in its first three contests since canning 31- of-77 to start the season. The 1993 team set school records for makes and attempts (259-of-720). THREES AND COUNTING Junior Brandon Granville currently resides in 10th on USC s all-time three-point chart with 106 career bombs. At his current pace of 49 treys a season, he will surpass Harold Miner s record total of 176 as a senior. But let s not get ahead of ourselves. He still needs 28 to join the Top 5. GOING FOR A GRAND Seniors Brian Scalabrine and Jeff Trepagnier are both nearing the 1,000-point threshold in their USC careers. Scalabrine now has 977 while Trepagnier has 939. Both appear to be locks to crack the Trojans all-time Top 10 scoring chart. Purvis Miller ( ) current stands 10th with 1,247 points. THIRD S A CHARM The Trojans were picked to finish third in the Pacific-10 Conference men s basketball race, according to a poll of media members who cover Pac-10 men s basketball. Arizona was chosen first and garnered all 29 first-place votes (290 points). Defending Pac-10 co-champion Stanford was picked second (255) and USC (206) edged UCLA (205) for third. California was picked fifth (160), followed by Oregon (138), Oregon State (133), Arizona State (109),

3 ROSTER ADDITION No. 25 Tyler Murphy Senior guard Tyler Murphy, who transferred from Vermont last year and spent the season as a redshirt, received USC s final scholarship for the season. A 6-foot-5, 190- pound guard from Los Angeles (Sherman Oaks-Notre Dame HS), Murphy played 80 games in three years at Vermont. As a junior in , Murphy averaged 6.6 points in 20.3 minutes per game, starting four of 27 games. Murphy, a fine outside shooter, made 67-of-189 three-point attempts (35.4%) in his career at Vermont. Washington (58) and Washington State (41). INJURY UPDATE The Trojans, hit hard by serious foot injuries to forwards Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner last season, have had their share of nicks and cuts early on, but nothing major (find your own wood on which to knock). The most recent casualty was senior guard Jeff Trepagnier, who suffered a hairline fracture in his left foot at the end of October. Though the injury did not require surgery, Trepagnier missed USC s first three games. He is listed as questionable for the Wooden Classic game against Utah on Saturday (Dec. 2). Returning reserve guard Nate Hair suffered a strained tendon in his knee in late October. The injury did not require surgery, but Hair has missed USC s first three games and is listed as possible for the Utah game. First-year junior college transfer guard Gennaro Busterna has been slowed by an injured toe and is out indefinitely. Returning starting forward David Bluthenthal underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to remove cartilage in late October, but he is back at full strength. First-year junior college transfer Robert Hutchinson, a sophomore point guard slated to back-up starter Brandon Granville, was slowed slightly by a fracture on his little finger, but he is back at full strength and did not miss any time while the injury healed. TROJANS VS TOURNA- MENT TEAMS The Trojans will face a host of teams that played in the postseason last year. USC will face six teams that played in last year s NCAA Tournament: Arizona, UCLA, Oregon and Stanford (twice each) and Pepperdine and Utah. A seventh NCAA Tourney team Iowa State looms as a possible third-round match-up in the Pearl Harbor Invitational. The Trojans will also face 2000 NIT teams Arizona State and California (twice each), Long Beach State and either Mississippi or Southern Illinois (one of which will face the Trojans in the second round of the Hawai i tournament). BYU is another NIT team that USC could play in the islands. PRESEASON HYPE The Trojans received more than their share of hype in the preseason and have been ranked as high as No. 14 in some polls. Both the Trojans backcourt and frontcourt have been listed among the nation s Top 10 and each of the starting five are rated by numerous sources as first or second team in the Pac-10 or as the most underrated player in the Pac-10. Lindy s ranks Brian Scalabrine as the No. 2 power forward in the country and The Sporting News has him at No. 4. Jeff Trepagnier is listed as the Pac-10 s top defender by Lindy s and Preview Sports. The Sporting News lists Brandon Granville as the seventh-best point guard in the country and Lindy s dubbed him the top playmaker in the Pac-10. Athlon Sports called Sam Clancy the most underrated player in the Pac-10 while The Sporting News gave the same distinction to David Bluthenthal. IT S ALL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Among the 12 non-conference games USC will play before the Pacific-10 Conference season, only the three games at the Pearl Harbor Classic in Laie, Hawai i (within an hour s drive of Honolulu on the North Shore of Oahu) and the game at Northwestern are beyond 100 miles from campus. The Trojans open the season with four of its first five games at the Sports Arena and the fifth at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif. USC began by hosting Bradley, San Diego and Loyola Marymount. USC next plays Utah at the Arrowhead Pond in the Wooden Classic. The Trojan-Ute rumble will follow the matinee match-up of UCLA-Georgia Tech, which begins at noon. The USC contest will start 30 minutes after the completion of the first game. The Trojans return to the Sports Arena on Dec. 5 to host Cal State Northridge at 7:30 p.m. USC will play at UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. but returns home once more to host Pepperdine on Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Then, after the Hawai i tournament and the game at Northwestern, USC concludes its non-conference slate by hosting Long Beach State at 5:30 p.m. USC AGAINST PRESEASON RANKED TEAMS There were five teams on USC s schedule ranked in the preseason polls: Arizona (No. 1 AP/No. 1 ESPN/USA Today), Stanford (No. 4/3), UCLA (No. 17/19) and Utah (No. 13/16). Iowa State, a possible match-up in the Pearl Harbor Invitational in December, was ranked No. 25 in AP and No. 23 in ESPN/USA Today). Other USC opponents who received votes in the AP poll included California (13), Cal State Northridge (3), Oregon (1) and Pepperdine (1). Possible Pearl Harbor opponent BYU had five. The only other USC opponent that got a mention in the ESPN/USA Today poll was Cal State Northridge, which received one vote. FREE THROW STUD David Bluthenthal made his first eight free throws (four against Bradley and four against San Diego) this season before missing his ninth. The eight straight foul shots gave him 41 in a row, which set a school and Pac-10 record. The former USC record was held by John Block (37, 1966) while the old Pac- 10 mark of 40 was shared by Oregon s John Greig ( ) and Stanford s Todd Lichti 2001 Pac-10 Standings Pac-10 Overall W L W L Stanford USC Oregon Arizona State Oregon State Arizona Wash. State California Washington UCLA Rankings ESPN/USA Today (Nov. 27) 1. Duke (30) 2. Michigan St. 3. Stanford (1) 4. Kansas 5. Arizona 6. North Carolina 7. Tennessee 8. Illinois 9. Seton Hall 10. Florida 11. Notre Dame 12. Wake Forest 13. Oklahoma 14. Maryland 15. Temple 16. Connecticut 27. Cincinnati 18. USC 19. Syracuse 20. Utah 21. St. John s 22. Virginia 23. Wisconsin 24. Arkansas 25. DePaul AP Top 25 (Nov. 27) 1. Duke (60) 2. Kansas (1) 3. Michigan St. (8) 4. Stanford 5. Arizona (1) 6. North Carolina 7. Tennessee 8. Seton Hall 9. Illinois 10. Florida 11. Notre Dame 12. Wake Forest 13. Maryland 14. Oklahoma 15. USC 16. Connecticut 17. Temple 18. Utah 19. St. John s 20. Syracuse 21. Virginia 22. Cincinnati 23. Wisconsin 24. Dayton 25. Arkansas USC Ranking by Week ESPN/ AP USA Today Preseason Nov Nov Nov Consecutive weeks ranked by: AP 4 ESPN/USA Today 4

4 (1989). The Pac-10 record for consecutive free throws made during conference play is 41, also held by Lichti (1989). Bluthenthal, who finished last season making 33 straight in the Pac-10, will begin his quest at Lichti s other mark when USC hosts Washington State on Jan. 4. TROY ON THE TUBE The Trojans will play 18 games that will be broadcast live in Los Angeles. Five games will be aired nationally on FOX Sports Net (Fox Net West in Los Angeles). Three games will be aired on FOX Sports Net West (Los Angeles only) and seven will be broadcast on FOX Sports Net West 2 (Los Angeles only). The game against Utah will be shown on KCAL (Channel 9). USC s game at Arizona State will be shown regionally on ABC and the Trojans home game vs. Arizona will air regionally on CBS. Refer to USC s composite schedule at for complete TV listings. TROY ON THE RADIO Twenty of USC s 30 games 18 Pac-10 games plus the Loyola Marymount and Long Beach State games will be broadcast live on XTRA-AM (690). The game against Utah will be broadcast live on KXTA-AM (1150) while the remaining nine games will be broadcast live on KMPC-AM (1540). Rory Markas returns for his third year as the play-by-play voice of the Trojans while former USC assistant coach Jim Hefner is back for his fifth year providing commentary. NUMBER CRUNCHING USC has just about all of its firepower back from a year ago. All five starters return in addition to three key reserves. Percentage-wise the numbers are impressive. USC returns 97.2% of its scoring, 86.4% of its rebounding, 97.9% of its threepoint production, 99.2% of its blocked shots, 95.8% of its assists and 93.8% of its steals. Overall, USC has eight players coming back who accounted for 94.4% of the minutes played last year. EARLY TRENDS USC has picked up where it left off last year in the way of forcing turnovers. After causing the second-most turnovers in the Pac-10 last year (18.6), USC has forced an average of 19.0 in three games this year... The Trojans are also getting to the foul line often. They have averaged 35.0 trips to the foul line this year, compared to 22.4 last season... Sure, USC is off the charts on three-pointers so far, making 50.0% of their attempts (30-of- 60). Unfortunately, the Trojans opponents are doing quite well from afar as well. USC s first three opponents have combined to make 19-of- 47 treys (40.4%), well above last year s opponent average of 35.6%. USC CAREER BLOCKED SHOTS CHART Lorenzo Orr Rod Keller Avondre Jones , Jeff Trepagnier Chris Munk David Crouse , Sam Clancy Charlie Simpson Ronnie Coleman Derrick Dowell Brian Scalabrine USC CAREER STEALS CHART Stais Boseman Derrick Dowell Jeff Trepagnier Brandon Granville Mark Boyd Ronnie Coleman Rich Grande Larry Friend Harold Miner Elias Ayuso USC CAREER ASSISTS CHART Brandon Granville Larry Friend Duane Cooper , Jacque Hill Gus Williams FIRST RANDOM NOTE OF THE YEAR (BUT STILL PERTINENT) USC opened the season with three consecutive home games for the first time since the season when the Trojans hosted their first four games. That year, USC won its first four contests against Delaware, Howard, Portland and U.S. International, but lost 22 of its remaining 28 games. COMING FROM BEHIND USC was 0-8 last year after trailing at the half. But in their first two games of the season, the Trojans reversed the trend. They trailed Bradley, 49-48, at the half and San Diego, The last time USC came back from a halftime deficit before those games was when Adam Spanich made a halfcourt buzzer-beater to down Oregon on Jan. 7, FIFTH RANDOM NOTE OF THE YEAR So far, juniors Brandon Granville and Sam Clancy are the only Trojans to score in double figures in each of the first three games. USC INFORMATION OUTLETS TROJANS ON INFO CONNECTION USC updated stats, box scores and releases can be found on Info Connection, which is updated as often as possible. To access Info Connection, using the handset on your fax machine, dial (770) The Pac-10 pass code is Codes for key USC information include: Latest box score: Latest release: TROJANS ON THE WEB Current and historical USC men s basketball information as well as news and features can be found on the internet at: The Pacific-10 Conference web site address is: TROJANS ON TELEVISION Date Opponent Time Outlet 11/21 San Diego 7:30 p.m. FOX West 12/2 Utah 2:30 p.m. KCAL 12/14 Pepperdine 7:30 p.m. FOX West 2 12/30 Long Beach State 5:30 p.m. FOX West 2 1/4 Washington State 7:30 p.m. FOX Net 1/6 Washington 7 p.m. FOX West 2 1/11 at UCLA 7:30 p.m. FOX Net 1/18 at Arizona 7:30 p.m. FOX Net 1/20 at Arizona State 4 p.m. ABC 1/27 Oregon State 7 p.m. FOX West 2/3 at California 5 p.m. FOX Net 2/8 UCLA 7:30 p.m. FOX West 2 2/15 Arizona State 7:30 p.m. FOX West 2 2/17 Arizona 11 a.m. CBS 2/22 at Oregon State 7:30 p.m. FOX Net 2/24 at Oregon 7 p.m. FOX West 3/1 Stanford 7:30 p.m. FOX West 2 3/3 California 5 p.m. FOX West 2 All times local to site. TROJANS ON THE RADIO Twenty of USC s 30 games will be broadcast by XTRA-AM Sports 690. Included in that package are all 18 Pac-10 games as well as the Loyola Marymount and Long Beach State games. The Utah game will be aired on KXTA-1150 AM and the remaining 10 games will be aired on KCTD- AM TROJAN BROADCASTS ON THE WEB Fans can listen to USC games live on the internet as a cybercast (www. usctrojans.com). Click on the men s hoops page to access the live feeds. PAC-10 MEDIA TELECONFERENCES The Pac-10 media teleconferences will begin on Wednesday (Dec. 13). Starting Tuesday, Jan. 9, and then each Tuesday thereafter, the Pac-10 will conduct the remaining nine calls. Media can dial in to the call at (913) To listen to the taped replay, call (402) The men s coaches begin at 10:35 a.m. and Henry Bibby s time slot begins at 11:31 a.m. USC ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR NEW ARENA On Oct. 21, 1999, USC announced plans to begin construction of a multipurpose on-campus events center that will be home to USC s men s and women s basketball and volleyball teams. Construction is set to begin in the coming months and it is expected that the 12,000-seat arena will be completed in PRONUNCIATION GUIDE David Bluthenthal... blooth-in-thall Gennaro Busterna. JUH-nair-oh Buh-STIR-nuh Konstantinos Charissis...HA-riss-iss Brian Scalabrine... scal-uh-bree-nee Jeff Trepagnier... truh-pan-yea

5 ALL THINGS ASSISTS Junior guard Brandon Granville now owns all of USC s major assist records. With his nine assists against LMU on Nov. 25, Granville became the Trojans career leader with 412, surpassing Larry Friend s previous top mark of 409 (set in ). The Pac-10 record is 938 (Gary Payton, Oregon State, ). Tenth place on the Pac-10 list is 554 (Reggie Geary, Arizona, ). He had at least 10 assists 13 times as a sophomore last year. ALL THINGS STEALS USC junior guard Jeff Trepagnier owns both USC s record for steals in a game (10 vs. Utah State last year) and for a season (94). Trepagnier is working his way up the USC career Top 10 in steals with 172, good for third place. Derrick Dowell is second with 179 and Stais Boseman ( ) owns the record with 208. Brandon Granville has quietly followed Trepagnier up the list and is fourth on the career chart with 120. The Pac- 10 career record for steals us 321 (Gary Payton, Oregon State, ). Tenth-place on the list is Boseman at 208. A (BRIEF) LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR USC opened by splitting its first 10 games, but two of those losses were to powers North Carolina and Duke and another came in a heartbreaking, buzzer-beating loss to Utah State. USC righted the ship by winning its last two non-conference games and then opened the Pac-10 season tied for first place at 6-1. The opening conference stretch included a road sweep of the Washington schools, a convincing win over No. 25 UCLA to snap a 10- game losing streak to the Bruins and then sweeping Arizona State (an OT win) and No. 2 Arizona before splitting two games in Oregon. But foot injuries to forwards Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner in the Arizona State overtime win eventually took the steam out of the hot start. After the 6-1 beginning, the Trojans dropped eight of nine, most of them close losses as the Trojans lack of depth began to show. Included in the tight losses were a four-point defeat to California, a 10-point loss to No. 2 Stanford, a five-point loss at UCLA, a seven-point defeat œ Possibly the most athletic player in the nation, Jeff Trepagnier finishes as well as anyone in the land. His dunks routinely land him on various Plays of the Week 0 shows. We counted his dunks last year and the high-flyer recorded 52 slams. Once again, this year, we will track Trepagnier s dunks all season. (after leading for much of the game) at No. 4 Arizona and a three-point loss to Oregon. USC finished the season by sweeping, once again, the Washington schools, but it wasn t enough to earn the Trojans a postseason berth PAC-10 HONORS Forward/ center Brian Scalabrine earned Pac-10 first team honors last year as a junior, the first Trojan to earn the honor since guard Stais Boseman did so in Three Trojans also earned All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors last year: guard Jeff Trepagnier guard Brandon Granville and forward David Bluthenthal. The four Trojans selected were the most USC ever had in one season. USC AT THE SPORTS ARENA Dating back to , the Trojans are (.714) in their last 56 games at the Sports Arena and USC is (.710) 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 and seasons and the and seasons. GOOD WILL With the holiday season just around the corner, the Los Angeles Kings Wives and the USC Athletic Department are teaming up on the Kings Wives annual holiday Toy Drive presented by Pepsi. Kings Wives will be joined by USC student-athletes in collecting toys and distributing raffle tickets on Nov. 7, 9, and 11 before Kings home games at STAPLES Center. Toys will also be collected at USC men s basketball games on Nov. 18 and 21. All proceeds from the toy collection will benefit Children s Hospital of Los Angeles, Shriner s Hospital for Children, USC Women s and Children s Center, and Centinela Hospital Medical Center. Fans who donate a new unwrapped toy will be entered into a drawing to win a team signed hockey stick, a special gift courtesy of Pepsi, or an autographed piece of USC Athletics memorabilia. In December, USC studentathletes will deliver toys collected from the toy drive to USC Women s and Children s Center, while Kings players and their wives will present gifts to pediatric patients during their annual holiday hospital visits. For fans who are unable to drop off their toys at the selected games, USC Athletics will continue to collect toys at Heritage Hall until distribution on Dec. 8. A FEW OF LAST YEAR S MORE-INTERESTING NOTES Forward David Bluthenthal tied a 22-yearold USC record with 28 rebounds vs. Arizona State on Jan. 20 at the Sports Arena last season. He tied Cliff Robinson, who had 28 boards vs. Portland State on the same date in 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, The Trojans When At the Sports Arena On the Road At a Neutral Site Scoring First Leading at Halftime Trailing at Halftime Tied at Halftime Leading or Tied with 5:00 Left Trailing with 5:00 Left In Overtime In Double Overtime Scoring Less Than 70 Points Scoring Between Points Scoring Between Points Scoring Between Points Scoring More Than 100 Points Trojans in Double Figures Trojans in Double Figures Trojans in Double Figures Trojans in Double Figures Trojans or less in Double Figures USC 50% or Better from Field USC Under 50% from Field USC Outrebounds Opponent Opponent Outrebounds USC USC Has More Turnovers Opponent Has More Turnovers USC Has More Assists Opponent Has More Assists The Last Time A Trojan... Scored 40 or More Points... Harold Miner (43), 11/25/91 Scored 30 or More Points... Sam Clancy (31), 11/18/00 Got 15 or More Rebounds... David Bluthenthal (15), 2/9/00 Had 10 or More Assists...Brandon Granville (10), 3/9/00 Had a 20-Point, 20-Rebound Game... Derrick Dowell (24, 21), 2/1/85 The Last Time the Trojans... Scored 100 or More Points...vs. Bradley (107), 11/18/00 Allowed 100 or More Points... at No. 1 Stanford (111), 3/2/00 Had 50 or More Rebounds... vs. Arizona State (51), 1/20/00 Allowed 50 or More Rebounds... vs. Stanford (#2) (50), 2/5/00 Had 25 or More Assists... vs. Memphis (25), 11/23/99 Made 15 or More Steals... at Washington (15), 1/8/00 5 or More Score in Double Figures... vs. Loyola Marymount (5), 11/25/00 Beat an Opponent by 20 or More... vs. Loyola Marymount (91-68), 11/25/00 Beat a Ranked Opponent... vs. Arizona (AP #2) 80-72, 1/22/00 Beat a Top-10 Ranked Opponent... vs. Arizona (AP #2) 80-72, 1/22/00

6 1955). For perspective, no one in the Big Ten or the ACC has had at least 28 rebounds in the last 30 years. 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, USC had three different Pac-10 Players of the Week last year (Brian Scalabrine, David Bluthenthal and Jeff Trepagnier). It was the first time USC had three different players earn the award in one season. David Bluthenthal finished one rebound short of averaging a doubledouble in Pac-10 play. HENRY BIBBY Henry Bibby, a coach with 18 years of college and professional experience and the only player to ever play for an NCAA, NBA and CBA championship team, will begin his fifth full season in as the head coach of the USC men s basketball program. With the Trojans on the rise, Bibby was rewarded with a three-year contract extension on Aug. 4, which will take him through the season. In , Bibby directed the Trojans to a overall finish and a 9-9 mark in the Pac-10 (sixth place), but USC fell just short of receiving a postseason berth. The Trojans looked to be headed to the NCAA Tournament after opening the Pac-10 season 6-1, but injuries to starting forward Sam Clancy and top reserve Jarvis Turner early in the conference schedule derailed the Trojans. The previous year, USC (7-11 in the Pac-10, tied for seventh) and made a first-round appearance in the NIT. USC went 9-19 in , but closed out the year with a stunning overtime victory over then-no. 2 Arizona and a 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 campaign saw the Trojans finish second in the Pacific-10 Conference and make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since The previous year, the Trojans went 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 mark in is the best by a Trojan coach in his first full year since Forrest Twogood went 21-6 in his debut season in Bibby was named USC s head coach on March 15, 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 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 regular season record, making him only the fourth CBA coach to post 200 wins. BRIAN SCALABRINE (RS) Senior forward/center 6-foot pounds Brian Scalabrine, a 2001 Playboy pre-season All-American and 2001 Wooden and Naismith Award candidate, is one of the Pac-10 s top offensive threats and most versatile players who can score equally well from the inside or outside. One of five Trojan returning starters, he is the Pac-10 s leading returning scorer. He has started all 61 games of his USC career. He had a season-high 22 points vs. Loyola Marymount. Scalabrine has scored at least 20 points 19 times in his USC career. Scalabrine earned 2000 The Sporting News All-American honorable mention, All-Pac-10 and NABC All-District 15 first team honors as a 2000 junior forward/center, finishing as the Pac-10 s second-leading and USC s top scorer at 17.8 points per game. He led the Trojans in field goal percentage (.531, fifth in the conference), tied for the best three-point percentage (.403), was second in assists (2.83) and was fourth in rebounds (6.0) last year. His 19.4 scoring average in Pac-10 games was second in the league. He scored in double figures in 26 of 30 games, scoring at least 20 points 12 times and at least 25 points six times. Scalabrine s 534 points on the season were the eighth most ever by a Trojan. He had a career-high 29 points and 10 rebounds against Oregon, 28 points at Arizona, 27 points at home vs. Arizona and 26 points against both Arizona State and Oregon State USC Starting Lineups USC Coach Henry Bibby used six different starting lineups last year, but used the same one 14 times. This year, with Jeff Trepagnier injured to start the season, Bibby used freshman Desmon Farmer at shooting guard. We will track USC s starting lineups throughout the year. Farmer Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 11/18/00 W Farmer Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 11/21/00 W Farmer Granville Scalabrine Bluthenthal Clancy 11/25/00 W (Arizona Coach Lute Olson on Scalabrine): (Scalabrine) is an allleaguer. He s the closest thing I ve seen to (ex-washington and NBA star) 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. (Former Oregon State Coach Eddie Payne): 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. (Ken Goe of the Oregonian): Strong, mobile, able to play inside and out, the 6-foot-9 Scalabrine almost certainly has a professional career waiting for him when he leaves the Trojans. JEFF TREPAGNIER Senior guard 6-foot pounds Jeff Trepagnier is set to start for his third consecutive season, is a well-rounded swingman and one of the top athletes in the nation, as evidenced by his 40-inch vertical leap and high-jumping performance for the Trojan track team. Trepagnier, USC s second-leading returning scorer and third-leading returning rebounder, looks to continue the improvements that have made him one of the country s most versatile players in Trepagnier has missed USC s first three games while recovering from a hairline fracture in his left foot. He is listed as questionable for the game against Utah in the Wooden Classic on Dec. 2. Trepagnier has started 58 of his 85 games at USC. He enters 2001 third on USC s career chart in steals (178), fourth in blocked shots (84) and tied for 15th in three-pointers (53). Trepagnier earned 2000 All-Pac-10 honorable mention and NABC All-District 15 second team honors as a 2000 junior guard. He led the Pac-10 in steals (3.2, ninth nationally) and was the only player in the league to finish in the Top 10 in five statistical categories, posting career highs in each: steals, blocked shots (1.4, fourth), scoring (15.9, sixth), rebounding (6.6, 10th) and three-point percentage (.380, 10th). He had a USC single-season record 94 steals (third-most ever in the Pac-10), breaking the old mark of 62 (Derrick Dowell). He set a school record with 10 steals vs. Utah State in the Maui Invitational, breaking his old mark of eight. He scored a career-high 28 points on 13-of-18 shooting vs. Washington and 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting plus 10 rebounds vs. UCLA. He was one of only two players shorter than 6-foot-8 to be in the Pac- 10 s Top 10 in blocks (the other was Washington State s 6-foot-6 Tyrone Evans). (Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski): Jeff Trepagnier is as good of an athlete as we ve played against and he s got courage, too. (Gordon Wittenmyer, formerly of the Riverside Press-Enterprise): Jeff Trepagnier can be spectacular the way he starts that quick first step, that where d-he-come-from vertical leap that dazzles fans and demoralizes opponents. (Stacy Clardie of The Sporting News): On the basketball court, his quickness and leaping translate into acrobatic moves under the hoop, stunning dunks and steals galore. (Trojan teammate Brian Scalabrine, on Trepagnier s athleticism): Jeff breaks all basketball rules.

7 SAM CLANCY Junior forward 6-foot pounds Sam Clancy returns as a two-year starting forward after missing 10 games last year due to a fracture in his right foot. He is one of the Pac- 10 s top rebounders and is rounding into one of the league s most consistent scorers from the post or outside. He is also a fine shot blocker. Clancy currently leads USC in scoring (21.3) and rebounding (6.7). Clancy scored a career-high 31 points on 10-of-20 shooting and 11- of-13 shooting from the line against Bradley and followed it with a gamehigh 22 points vs. San Diego, which included his first career three-point basket. Clancy averaged 15.5 points and 6.9 rebounds as a 2000 sophomore forward, but had what was turning into a monster season derailed by a fractured foot suffered against Arizona State on Jan. 20. At the time of the injury, Clancy was averaging team highs in points (17.6, also second in the Pac-10), rebounds (7.8) and blocks (1.6). He scored a career-high 24 points in the season-opener against Cal State Northridge and had 23 points against both then-no. 5 North Carolina and at Washington. (Trojan teammate David Bluthenthal): Teams will try to trash-talk him, but you can t really get to Sam. When I guard him in practice, I talk at him and he talks back to me, but it doesn t affect the way he plays. You can t really faze him. BRANDON GRANVILLE Junior guard 5-foot pounds Brandon Granville returns for his third year as the starting point guard in Already USC s most prolific assist-makers in school history, Granville has established himself as one of the Pac-10 s most effective playmakers who has become a reliable scorer as well. Granville is first on USC s career charts in assists (412), fourth in steals (120) and 10th in three-pointers (106). He scored a season-high 19 points (including four three-pointers) vs. Loyola Marymount to go with nine assists. Granville scored 12 points and had nine assists in USC s opener against Bradley and had 18 points vs. San Diego. Granville dished out more assists than any USC guard in school history (and the third most ever in the Pac-10) as a 2000 sophomore when he had 248 en route to 2000 All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors. He led the Pac-10 in assists (8.3, fourth nationally), was fourth in steals (2.1) and 10th in free throw percentage (.786). Granville set a USC single-game record with 15 assists against Memphis in the Maui Invitational (tied for sixth-best in Pac-10 history). He finished with a team-best nine double-doubles and 13 doubledigit assist efforts. DAVID BLUTHENTHAL Junior forward 6-foot pounds David Bluthenthal returns as a starting small forward and one of the top all-around performers in the Pac-10 in Among the best rebounders in the league who also proved he could score on a regular basis, Bluthenthal brings a combination of size, strength and scoring potential to the Trojans frontcourt. Bluthenthal blossomed as a sophomore, starting 29 of 30 games at small forward en route to 2000 All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors. He averaged a USC-best 8.3 rebounds per game (third in the Pac-10 and the best USC mark since 1995) and his 250 rebounds were the 14th-most ever by a Trojan. After missing both exhibition games this year while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, Bluthenthal returned to play in fine fashion, scoring 23 points and grabbing 13 rebounds against Bradley in the season opener. It was his ninth career double-double. He followed it up with 10 points against San Diego and seven points in 18 minutes vs. LMU. Bluthenthal made his first four free throws against San Diego before missing his fifth attempt, ending his USC and Pac-10 record for consecutive free throws at 41. The Pac-10 record for consecutive free throws in conference games is 41, held by Todd Lichti in Bluthenthal has made 33 straight free throws in the Pac-10, a streak that will be live again when USC opens the league season on Jan. 4 against Washington State. The old USC record was 37 (John Block, 1966) and the old Pac-10 record was 40 (John Greig, , and Lichti, 1989). Bluthenthal was the Pac-10 s top rebounder in conference games last year, finishing with a 9.9 clip, the best ever by a Trojan in the Pac- 10. He was also the Trojans third-leading scorer in conference games at 15.3, finishing one rebound short of averaging a double-double in Pac- 10 games. In addition, he led the Pac-10 in free throw percentage in conference games at.890 (65-of-73), becoming the first Pac-10 player ever to lead the league in both free throw percentage and rebounds in Pac-10 games. Bluthenthal s season was highlighted by a monster performance against Arizona State at the Sports Arena when he tied a USC record (set by Cliff Robinson) with 28 rebounds (the third highest total ever in the Pac-10) to go with 18 points. He followed that up with a career-high 26 points and seven rebounds against Arizona to earn his first Pac-10 Player of the Week honor. What a fan told his dad, Ralph, following Bluthenthal s Dennis Rodman-esque 28 rebounds vs. Arizona State last year: He said he was expecting to see a big guy with green hair and they saw me instead. JARVIS TURNER Senior forward 6-foot pounds Jarvis Turner, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound senior forward, is back for a fifth season after the NCAA granted him a medical hardship for the season. Turner, who missed most of last season with foot injuries, will provide valuable experience off the bench at either forward spot. Turner is third on the team in rebounds with 4.3 per game. Turner came off the bench to score nine points and grab five rebounds against Sand Diego in 20 minutes after playing seven minutes and getting three rebounds in USC s season-opener. He had six points and five rebounds vs. LMU. Turner played in only seven of USC s 30 games during his 2000 senior season because of foot injuries. He missed nine games early in the season (not continuously) with a stress fracture in his left foot which he originally suffered in the preseason. He returned at the start of the Pac-10 season, but played in only four games before suffering a fracture in his left ankle against Arizona State on Jan. 20 which kept him out for the rest of the year. Overall, Turner averaged 1.7 points and 1.6 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game. He had a season-high five points in 14 minutes at Washington State and had a season-high five rebounds in a season-high 24 minutes in the Trojans opener against Cal State Northridge. KOSTAS CHARISSIS Sophomore center 6-foot pounds Kostas Charissis, a native of Greece, is a 2001 sophomore who will be a valuable reserve in the Trojans frontcourt. His full first name is Konstantinos. Charissis played in 26 of 30 games as a 2000 freshman center and started 13 times after injuries depleted USC s frontcourt, including the last 10 games in a row. Charissis scored two points and had two rebounds in three minutes in USC s opener. He had by far his most productive game of last season at No. 4 Arizona, posting career highs in points (nine), rebounds (eight), minutes (33), free throws made and attempted (3 of 4) and assists (four).

8 NATE HAIR Sophomore guard 6-foot pounds Nate Hair should continue to provide a perimeter scoring threat off the bench in An athletic player, Hair can also create off the dribble. Hair strained a tendon in his knee in October during the preseason and hasn t played in USC s first three games. He is listed as possible for this week s game vs. Utah. Hair played in 27 of 30 games, starting three times, as a 2000 freshman guard. In conference games, Hair averaged 5.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game and his.453 three-point percentage (24-of-53) was best on the team and fifth best in the Pac-10. He finished last season as the top reserve off the bench and averaged 4.2 points in 16.7 minutes per game. He made.403 of his threepointers (29-of-72), tying him with Brian Scalabrine for the best accuracy on the team. It was also good enough for eighth best in the Pac-10. He made his first career start at Oregon State and posted season highs in points (14), three-pointers (four), assists (seven), steals (three) and minutes (39). TYLER MURPHY (RS) Senior guard 6-foot pounds Tyler Murphy, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound shooting guard, is a 2001 senior who transferred to USC from Vermont last season as a walk-on. He earned a scholarship both last year and this year and gives the Trojans another quality shooter off the bench. Murphy scored a USC career-high 10 points and grabbed four rebounds in 27 minutes vs. Loyola Marymount. He made his Trojan debut against Bradley, scoring eight points in 17 minutes off the bench. He played 21 minutes against San Diego, scoring five points and grabbing two boards. Murphy averaged 6.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game as a junior at Vermont in , starting four of 27 games. He made 34-of-97 three-point attempts (35.1%) and made 32-of-43 free throw attempts (74.4%). He scored a career-high 17 points against Yale and had 15 points against Towson. LUKE MINOR (RS) Freshman center 7-foot pounds Luke Minor, a 7-foot-3, 320-pound center, is a 2001 redshirt freshman who will look to earn minutes as a reserve. The tallest player ever at USC, Minor s size gives the Trojans a load of untapped potential in the post. Minor saw his first action as a Trojan in USC s opener against Bradley, scoring two points on a hook shot in three minutes. He also had one steal. He played one minute against both San Diego and LMU. Minor redshirted as a 2000 freshman center. He had surgery during the season to correct hammer toes, but resumed practice before the end of the year. DESMON FARMER Freshman guard 6-foot pounds Desmon Farmer, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound shooting guard, is a 2001 freshman who comes to the Trojans as one of the most highly rated prep shooting guards in the country. One of three first-year Trojans on the squad, he should get a chance to make major contributions off the bench at both guard spots or even at small forward. Farmer had season highs of 14 points and seven rebounds vs. Loyola Marymount. He started his first game as a Trojan against Bradley, scoring 13 points in 27 minutes. He scored six points against San Diego. Farmer prepped at Northwestern High in Flint, Mich. As a senior in 2000, he averaged 23 points per game in leading Northwestern to a 23-2 mark and a trip to the state regional playoffs. He earned Detroit News Michigan All-State second team honors and earned All-City first team honors. He injured his left knee in June of 1999 in an AAU game, but still played as a senior. ROBERT HUTCHINSON (RS) Sophomore guard 6-foot pounds Robert Hutchinson, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound point guard, is a JUCO transfer who will serve as the back-up point guard as a 2001 sophomore. He is one of three first-year Trojans on the squad. Hutchinson has only one turnover in 45 minutes this season. Hutchinson scored three points (on a three-pointer) in 14 minutes in his first game as a USC guard against Bradley. He had a very solid outing against San Diego, scoring eight points in 19 minutes, going 2-for-2 on three-pointers as well as from the foul line. He also had three assists without a turnover. Hutchinson played at Okaloosa-Walton College in Niceville, Fla., as a redshirt freshman in He was a 2000 All-Panhandle Conference and Region 8 state tournament first team selection. He led his team to a 26-5 overall mark, a first-place finish in the Panhandle Conference (9-3) and an appearance in the Region 8 state finals. On a team with six players scoring in double figures, Hutchinson averaged 13.5 points, 7.2 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game. He shot 44.0% from three-point range and 75.0% from the foul line. GENNARO BUSTERNA Junior guard 6-foot pounds Gennaro Busterna, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound shooting guard, is a JUCO transfer who will add potent perimeter shooting off the bench as a 2001 junior. He is one of three first-year Trojans on the squad. Busterna is currently sidelined by a toe injury and is out indefinitely. Busterna spent the last two seasons at McCook (Neb.) College. As a sophomore, Busterna was the 2000 Nebraska Junior College and Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference Player of the Year and earned 2000 All-Region 9 first team honors while leading McCook to a 25-6 record. He averaged 20.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last year. He shot.505 from the field (202-of-436),.491 from three-point range (113- of-230) and.744 from the foul line (64-of-86). He also had 55 assists. KEY WALK-ONS Coach Henry Bibby has a stable of able walk-ons from which to choose from in any situation. Senior forward Abdullah Elmagbari, from Greeley, Col., played in 10 games last year and saw meaningful minutes in USC s win over No. 2 Arizona and against Stanford in both games. Junior Jamie Hooper, a native of San Diego who redshirted with the Trojans last year after transferring from Montana State, is a talented point guard who could see time in the backcourt. He has been in one game, playing four minutes against San Diego. Junior forward Rob Eres, from Sacramento, Calif., is back for this third year. He saw action twice last year. There are two freshman walk-ons as well on this year s squad. They are Anthony Saadey from Canfield, Ohio, and Eze Burts, from Los Angeles.