Trojans Want Elbow Reviewed

USC has filed a grievance with the Pacific 10 Conference after two Trojans were hit above the shoulders by the same elbow late in their blowout victory over Washington on Thursday night.

Fighting his way through a double pick, Washington freshman forward Jeffrey Day’s elbow connected with freshman guard Errick Craven’s right eye and the top of sophomore forward Jerry Dupree’s head.

Play was stopped but no foul was called.

“We’ve sent the tapes in and, hopefully, something will be done about that,” USC Coach Henry Bibby said. “It was too bad that something like that happened so late in the game and it’s not seen by anybody, not by the three officials that are on the floor.”

Bibby said an appropriate punishment for Day would be a one-game suspension, so long as it was for the USC-Washington return game Jan. 6 at the Forum.

Craven, meanwhile, said he is suffering no ill effects.

“It hurt at the time, but I’m straight now,” he said. “I don’t know how the play happened, I just remember getting hit.”

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A preseason candidate for the Wooden Award, Sam Clancy has been named one of 30 semifinalists for the player-of-the-year honor.

“I don’t play for the individual accolades,” the senior power forward said, “but it’s great to get noticed with all the hard work and time you put into this.”

In 10 nonconference games, the senior power forward led USC in scoring with a 15.8-point average, in rebounding with 9.7, blocks with 1.5 and steals with 2.1, while getting a team-high six double-doubles.

Clancy, who twinged his back in practice earlier in the week, had 25 points, five rebounds, three steals and three assists in 37 minutes of the Trojans’ 87-65 win at Washington.

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With the Washington State football team in El Paso for Monday’s Sun Bowl game against Purdue, the Cougar basketball team is without its best player, senior shooting guard Mike Bush, who moonlights as a wide receiver.

“That’s good, I like that,” Bibby said when told that Bush would miss today’s game. “That takes away one of their weapons.”

Bush was Washington State’s leading scorer last year, averaging 15.9 points. He averaged 14.5 points in two games against USC.

He has shuttled between the football field and basketball court this semester, having played in eight basketball games with averages of 10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds.

TODAY

at Washington State, 4 p.m.

Fox Sports Net

Site--Friel Court.

Radio--KMPC (1540).

Records--USC 9-2, 1-0 in Pac-10; Washington State 4-5, 0-1.

Update--If USC is sluggish against the Cougars, the media’s pick to finish ninth in the Pac-10, it won’t be because of overconfidence. The Trojans endured a long day Friday as snowstorms in Eastern Washington canceled the team’s early-morning flight into Pullman. USC took a later flight into Spokane, then had a two-hour bus ride in dangerous conditions to the team hotel in Moscow, Idaho.