New Look Suits USC

Henry Bibby is anything but shy when it comes to doling out punishment.

The USC coach’s doghouse has a revolving door and there’s always a Trojan taking up residence in it.

Tuesday night, his three seniors--forwards David Bluthenthal and Sam Clancy and point guard Brandon Granville--found themselves sharing the rent in the cramped crib as they started the Trojans’ game against Rhode Island on the bench and stayed there for the first 10-plus minutes.

No matter.

USC’s impromptu starters--three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior--set the tone early and the Trojans ran off to an 82-54 win in front of 4,943 at the Sports Arena.

“The seniors haven’t been playing well and they haven’t been playing hard,” Bibby said. “That’s one reason we’re struggling right now. They don’t deserve to start.”

USC may be 4-1 but the win against the Rams (3-3) was the Trojans’ first true blowout of the young season. And it was made possible by USC’s young players.

Sophomore guard Desmon Farmer, who felt Bibby’s wrath Saturday at Bradley when he didn’t play despite having 12 family members make the trip to Peoria, Ill., from Flint, Mich., apparently got the message.

Farmer started at small forward against Rhode Island and had his first career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes, including a career-best four three-pointers. The only family he had at the Sports Arena was his brother Tim, USC’s director of basketball operations.

“I kind of got punished for what was going on in practice,” Farmer said of his benching. “Coach told me to pick myself up and bring it. It kind of hurt my feelings to not play with all my family there but I just had to pick myself up.

“Coach is known for punishing people.”

Freshman guard Errick Craven, making his second consecutive start, also had 20 points. He tied USC’s record for most three-pointers without a miss as he went five for five to equal the feat of Brad Winslow, who did it in 1987 against California.

“It was feeling good,” said Craven, who also had three rebounds, three blocks, three turnovers and an assist in 27 minutes, “real good. I just kept stroking it.”

Although Lamar Odom was busy a few blocks north on Figueroa Street, Rhode Island surely could have found a way to get the former Ram-turned-Clipper forward eligible.

Rhode Island somehow pulled off the trick before, but that was when Jim Harrick was coaching the Rams.

But not even Odom, who was playing at Staples Center for the Clippers, could have helped Rhode Island and new coach Jim Baron. Not on a night when the Trojan starters--Craven, Farmer, center Rory O’Neil, power forward Nick Curtis and point guard Robert Hutchinson--got USC out to a 16-point lead, 23-7, 10 minutes into the game.

After Bibby inserted his seniors, Rhode Island clawed back to within eight points, 23-15, within two minutes.

Granville said while he didn’t fully understand Bibby’s benching of him and his fellow upperclassmen, he could deal with it.

“I didn’t start because it was coach’s decision and that’s all I know,” said a smiling Granville, who had five points and six assists in 21 minutes.

“He keeps pushing buttons ‘till something hits home.”

There must be a method to Bibby’s seeming madness.

The Trojans shot a season-high 52.6% from the field and 57.9% (11 of 19) from three-point territory while holding the Rams to 31.7% shooting from the field.

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Aaron Burgin, a sophomore broadcast major at USC, thought he won $10,000 worth of tuition after making a layup, a free throw, a three-pointer and a half-court shot in 25 seconds at halftime of the Trojans’ Nov. 26 game against UC Santa Barbara. He received a letter Tuesday telling him that he wasn’t getting the scholarship after all.

SCA Promotions, which runs the contest, made its decision after a video tape revealed Burgin’s foot was on the line for the three-pointer and that both feet were over the line on the half-court shot.

“Granted, my foot was over the line,” Burgin said, “but I think they should have more compassion for the feat.

“I’m in a financial situation where my bank account is at zero and I might not be able to be in school next semester. This was kind of like a prayer answered for me.”

Said Dan Brewster, USC’s director of event marketing: “It’s really too bad. Basically, it’s not our money to give. I’d love to pay the thing but it’s pretty conclusive [that his feet were over the lines].”