Trepagnier Expected to Play

Starting guard Jeff Trepagnier has recovered enough from the stress fracture in his left foot to play in the Trojans’ opener Saturday against Bradley.

“He’ll test the leg in practice,” Coach Henry Bibby said. “But he’s shown no soreness in the last week-and-a half.”

Trepagnier, a senior, did not play in either of USC’s two exhibition games. But he is coming off a solid junior season, in which he was the team’s second leading scorer with a 15.9-point average and third-leading rebounder with 6.6.

The news was not as good for reserve guard Nate Hair, recovering from a right knee tendon strain. Bibby ruled the sophomore out of Saturday’s game and said he probably is two weeks away from returning.

Junior forward David Bluthenthal, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in October, also did not play in the exhibition games but is back to practicing at full speed. Freshman guard Gennaro Busterna is hobbled because of a sore toe.

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They won’t know their opponent for some time or if they will get a home game, but USC has a spot in next year’s preseason NIT, Daryl Gross, assistant athletic director, said Tuesday.