Turner Comes Back from Bruise

USC got some good news Saturday when 6-foot-8 swingman Jarvis Turner, who missed the last two games of the Maui Invitational because of a sore left foot, was able to dress for the Duke game.

Coach Henry Bibby said an MRI exam revealed that Turner has a bone bruise.

“He probably needs a week off,” Bibby said. “We’re not sure yet if we’re going to play him against Santa Barbara on Wednesday, but he’ll be ready after that.”

Turner scored two points and had a steal in 12 minutes Saturday.

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Although USC’s offense has bogged down at critical junctures the past two games against Utah State and Duke, Bibby said he is not yet worried about the Trojans’ point production.

“You only need about 68 points to win a game,” Bibby said. “I’m more concerned about our ability to stop people. Are we playing defense, are we rebounding, are we not getting beat by dribble penetration like we were today?”

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It figured that Stanford freshman Curtis Borchardt would get the picture--that 6-10 centers typically aren’t supposed to shoot from three-point range--after missing his first two three-point attempts during the Cardinal’s victory over Auburn on Saturday.

But Borchardt clearly isn’t your typical freshman. With the score tied, 56-56, late in the game, Borchardt found himself open outside the three-point line at the top of the key and decided once again to fire away.

“I missed one earlier in the second half and I told myself if I was open, I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot again,” said Borchardt, who finished with 15 points and six rebounds. “I caught the ball and thought I could make it.”

This time the shot went in and the Cardinal was on its way to victory.

Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery noted that the big man is a threat outside and inside.

“In some ways, he’s like a three-man in a [6-10] body,” Montgomery said. “He’s got real good skills.”

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Auburn sophomore forward David Hamilton, of Compton, did not make the trip to Anaheim because of academic problems that will keep him sidelined until the Tigers’ sixth game of the season, against Pennsylvania on Dec. 11.