Bibby Explores Lineup Options

Trying to figure out who will be in the starting lineup for USC can be an exercise in futility.

In seven games, Coach Henry Bibby has utilized six different starting lineups composed of 10 different players. It’s a mini-mystery as to who Bibby will send out today for the opening tip against Miami (Ohio).

Bibby has sent out the same starting five in consecutive games once. In the first two games of the season, senior Brandon Granville and sophomore Desmon Farmer were in the backcourt, sophomore Jerry Dupree and freshman Nick Curtis were the starting forwards and senior Sam Clancy was at center.

Having the deepest roster in his six-year tenure at USC has given Bibby more flexibility, more options and more interchangeable pieces.

“It’s an adjustment for me to start playing more people and looking at where they fit in and how comfortable I am,” Bibby said. “I’ve been comfortable with Brandon, Sam and Dave [Bluthenthal] for the last four years and it’s kind of tough to change that.

“Some of my coaches say, ‘Let’s look at other people in other situations.’ I’ve been going with those guys and those guys took me to the Elite Eight last year and I’m staying with them as long as I have to right now. I’ll make some adjustments here and there with their time but again ... those guys are the heart and soul of the basketball team. I know what those guys can do for me.”

Still, Bibby has spent most of the nonconference schedule prodding his senior starters--Bluthenthal, Clancy and Granville--to the point of not starting them against Rhode Island.

Clancy responded with a big game against Pepperdine--25 points, 14 rebounds--and Granville scored a career-high 25 points with a career-best six three-pointers against Long Beach State. Bluthenthal, though, has continued to struggle.

The 15 minutes he logged against the 49ers were his fewest since his freshman season.

Granville says it’s been different this year, what with a deeper and more talented, albeit younger, bench.

“I mean, in years past, five guys were playing all the minutes,” said Granville, who is averaging 33 minutes.

“This year we don’t have to do that and [Bibby] is trying to substitute a little more. The main guys are still playing a lot of minutes but we’re trying to acclimate the young guys into the game and get them ready for Pac-10 [play].”

Playing a more up-tempo style of late has appeased anyone frustrated with a cut in playing time.

“I’m surprised,” Granville said. “I haven’t played like this since I’ve been here but he’s cutting the leash and just letting us go on offense. Rebound and go.

“[Bibby’s] given us the confidence to pull up and shoot the ball and I think that’s why everybody’s been excelling. We’re going to score a lot more points. We scored 86 [against Long Beach State]. Everybody gets to get on the scoreboard when you have that many points. I think that’s more fun for us and that’s more fun to watch.”

TODAY

vs. Miami (Ohio), 3 p.m. Fox Sports Net

Site--Sports Arena.

Radio--KMPC (1540)

Records--USC 5-2, Miami 2-4.

Update--Since riding Wally Szczerbiak to the Sweet 16 of the 1999 NCAA tournament, the RedHawks have a more mundane 34-35 overall record. Senior center Alex Shorts (6 feet 8, 236 pounds) leads Miami in scoring, averaging 15 points, while senior point guard Doug Davis, who transferred from Michigan State after backing up Mateen Cleaves, is averaging 13.8 points and 2.8 assists.