With the Trojans, It’s Who’s in First?

If USC Coach Henry Bibby starts a different lineup tonight against Stanford, as he is apt to do, it will be his 10th in 14 games. Since the start of last season, Bibby has used 23 starting lineups and started 17 players.

This season, the constant in USC’s starting lineup has been senior point guard Gary Johnson, averaging 13.2 points, 4.9 assists and 2.6 steals.

Johnson tells anyone who will listen that he looks to pass the ball to his teammates, “get the others involved in the game,” but he has eyed the basket more in recent games.

He has overtaken three-point specialist Adam Spanich as the team’s leading scorer, mostly by driving the lane, but has become a threat from three-point range as well.

Johnson has made 23 of his 57 three-pointers (40.4%), and had a four-for-nine night against Arizona.

TONIGHT at Stanford

* 7:30

Site--Maples Pavilion.

Radio--KIEV (870).

Records--Trojans 6-8, 2-2; Cardinal, 14-0, 3-0.

Update--Stanford senior forward Mark Madsen is expected to be sidelined another month because of a stress fracture in his right foot. Madsen, averaging 12 points, was the Cardinal’s second-leading scorer behind junior guard Kris Weems (13.9 points). USC senior forward Anthony White, who bruised his foot against Oregon State last weekend, is expected to play tonight. Bibby said freshman guard Kevin Augustine is still suffering from tendinitis in his right shoulder, and it is hindering his outside shooting.