Stanley Decision Explained : Jurisprudence: Judge says USC women’s coach did not provide evidence of sex discrimination.

Marianne Stanley, the USC women’s basketball coach for four years, was denied reinstatement because she failed to provide a federal court judge with evidence of sex discrimination in her bitter contract negotiations with the school.

The decision could be a serious blow to Stanley’s federal suit against Athletic Director Mike Garrett and USC because Judge John G. Davies of U.S. District Court in Los Angeles said in an opinion made public Friday that the Trojan men’s and women’s basketball coaches perform different duties. Stanley argued she should receive the same salary as Coach George Raveling based on equal wage for equal work provisions.

Davies said his decision could cause Stanley irreparable harm because USC is free to hire a new coach, leaving her jobless. But he said her injury had to be balanced with that of the school’s, which does not have a coach as the fall semester is about to start.

Garrett said Thursday he wants to hire a new coach within a week.

Stanley filed a sex discrimination suit against Garrett and the school this month after negotiations broke down and her contract expired. She asked for equal pay for equal work, alleging a $96,000 one-year offer was substantially less than Raveling’s yearly salary, reportedly $150,000.

Davies said it would go beyond the status quo to reinstate Stanley at $96,000 a year, a 39% wage increase from last season.

The suit will continue in federal court because of allegations of civil rights violations. It will take at least a year before going to trial.

Stanley refused to comment, but Robert L. Bell, her attorney, said she was disappointed and “is trying to pull herself together.”

“(She) feels that none of her rights have been protected, that her whole history of achievement is in jeopardy of being destroyed.”