Bibby Again Warns Against a Panic

When USC split its first 10 games of the season, Coach Henry Bibby told followers not to panic. Now that USC has slipped again, having lost three of its past four games, he’s repeating the message.

“The easy thing to say is, ‘Get Sam Clancy and Jarvis Turner back right away,’ ” said Bibby, referring to his starting forward and top reserve who are sidelined by foot injuries.

“But we have played well without those two guys. You play better with them, but other guys have stepped it up. The bench has played better for us; Nate Hair has been good, Kostas [Charissis] has given us minutes here and there. That has helped.”

Also key, Bibby said, was that USC was flat against Oregon and Cal and still had chances to win those games.

“The starters have been up and down, but we’ve been in ballgames. We haven’t really been blown out,” he said.

“I’m not discouraged, at all. It’s a young team and they have to know how good they are, how good they can play, and I think they do. We just have to buckle down and play a little tougher.”

Bibby did say the Trojans had better expect a battle at UCLA on Wednesday. Both teams need to win to stay in the NCAA tournament hunt.

“It’s going to be two heavyweights coming into the middle of the ring to fight,” Bibby said. “We have to see what the knockout blow is going to be. Both are coming with our best games out there, and we’re both leading with our chins.”

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UP NEXT

at UCLA

Wednesday

7:30

Fox Sports Net 2