Opposing Defenses Slow Down Clancy

There are several reasons why USC is limping to the finish of the Pacific 10 Conference season.

But one of the biggest has been the drooping of Sam Clancy’s offensive output, after he’d torn up the Pac-10 in the first half of conference play.

Since scoring 25 points against Cal a month ago, Clancy has averaged 11.2 points, five below his season average and seven fewer than the 18.1 he averaged the first half.

USC is 2-4 in that span.

Clancy’s highest point total in the last six games was 17 against UCLA. He had a season-low three points against Arizona two weeks ago, after having scored 23 against the Wildcats when the teams played in January.

“People are double-teaming him now,” Coach Henry Bibby said. “It’s allowed Brian [Scalabrine] to get his game going. It’s the reverse of what [Clancy] had at the beginning of the season.

“I don’t think he’s tired. A constant double team wears on a guy and breaks him down to a degree. But Sam is very physical and he knows he has to keep focused.”

Asked if Clancy has been slow to react to the different defenses, Bibby said, “I think so. Sam hasn’t been as strong inside with the ball. This is something new for him because he has been open down there most of the time. Now he’s getting two, three guys hitting him every game.”

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Team manager Jonathan Landau, working his final home game, will be given a game uniform and warm-up suit, and will sit on the bench today with the Trojans. Landau will wear uniform No. 11.

TONIGHT

vs. Cal, 5, Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Sports Arena.

* Radio--XTRA (690)

* Records--USC 18-9, 8-7; Cal 19-8, 10-5.

* Update--No pressure today. Just another season-defining game in the Pacific 10 Conference. If the Bears win, they will clinch no worse than a fourth-place finish in conference and probably sew up an NCAA tournament bid before returning home to host Arizona and Arizona State. The Trojans, in fifth place, need the win to boost their tenuous NCAA hopes and move within a game of Cal for fourth. USC won the first meeting between the teams, 80-66, last month in Berkeley. Cal forward Sean Lampley (20.1), who had 19 points in the loss to UCLA, is a candidate for conference player of the year.

* Tickets--(213) 740-4672.