Charissis and Smiley Rebound From Injuries

USC had two scares in the second half of its 78-72 loss to Missouri when starters Kostas Charissis and Roy Smiley went down and to the bench with lower leg injuries.

But both returned to the game and left the arena with bags of ice attached to their respective body parts.

Charissis, who had a Trojan-high eight rebounds in 16 minutes before fouling out, was diagnosed with a bruise to his right knee after a scrum for a loose ball and Smiley, who had a game-high four steals to atone for his four turnovers, endured cramps in his right calf.

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Missouri Coach Quin Snyder was into the spirit of all things Wooden in getting all over referee Vern Harris after one of his star players picked up two fouls in the first 1:54 of the game.

“That’s two fouls on Rickey Paulding in two minutes, no way,” Snyder said. “He’s a Wooden Award candidate and he has to go to the bench now.”

Paulding, who finished with 12 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes, did not get called for his third foul until the 13:25 mark of the second half.

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The 32.9% USC shot from the field was slightly better than its shooting percentage in Tuesday’s 69-53 loss at UC Santa Barbara. USC shot a season-low 32.8% against the Gauchos. And the Trojans’ 26.7% (four of 15) rate from beyond the three-point arc was a season low.

But USC’s 83.3% (20 of 24) success rate from the free-throw line Saturday was a season high, eclipsing the 81% (17 of 21) the Trojans converted in their season-opening 81-68 win over UC Riverside.

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Without UCLA in the Wooden Classic for only the third time in nine years -- and with UCLA and Washington State playing to determine USC’s bowl fate -- attendance seemed even more sparse than the announced crowd of 9,889.

The field next year should be a dramatically better draw: UCLA plays Kentucky in a rematch of the first Wooden Classic matchup in 1994, an 82-81 UCLA victory.

The other game also will be a strong draw: Kansas vs. Stanford.

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Honoring John Wooden is part of the tradition at the Wooden Classic, and each coach this year was asked to mention a little bit of Wooden’s wisdom.

Missouri’s Snyder told a story about USC’s Henry Bibby, who played for Wooden at UCLA.

“Coach Bibby and I were getting a cup of coffee and sneaking a few Krispy Kremes on the way over,” Snyder said.

“And I heard him say, ‘Be quick, don’t hurry.’ ”

Bibby recalled another Wooden saying: “Discipline yourself, so others don’t have to.”

“As most of the L.A. writers know, I’m big on discipline.”

Most of his players who have been suspended at one time or another know it too.

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Georgia (3-3), playing without a center on the roster and no player over 6 feet 8, is awaiting word on whether center Steve Thomas will regain his academic eligibility Dec. 17.

“We’re just keeping the ship going until he gets back,” forward Jarvis Hayes said.