Trojans Find the Right Forum Against Cougars

A steady diet of early-season Pac-10 patsies has USC confidence at a season high.

Thanks to a quirk in their schedule, the Trojans are facing the two Washington schools, who were picked to finish ninth and 10th in the league, for their first four Pacific 10 Conference games.

To its credit, USC is taking care of business.

With five players scoring in double figures Friday night, the Trojans steamrolled Washington State, 85-64, in front of 3,923 at the Forum.

It was the seventh consecutive victory of the season for USC (11-2 overall, 3-0 in Pac-10 play) and the Trojans’ series-high seventh consecutive victory against the Cougars (4-7, 0-3), who are mired in a five-game losing funk.

Senior small forward David Bluthenthal led USC with 16 points while senior point guard Brandon Granville and sophomore guard Desmon Farmer, who came off the bench, each scored 15 points. Senior power forward Sam Clancy had 14 and freshman center Rory O’Neil scored a career-high 11 in 20 minutes before fouling out as a substitute.

Cougar guard Marcus Moore, who grew up blocks from the Forum, led Washington State with 15 points.

“We’re getting into the rhythm at the right time,” said Granville, who sat out two practices earlier this week because of a sore left foot but came back to get a season-high 12 assists and three steals with only one turnover. It was his second double-double of the season.

“Coach [Henry Bibby] is getting more confidence in us and letting us go.

“But I think Washington State is a good team. They’re going to surprise some people down the road. I just think we’re playing well at the right time, at the start of Pac-10.”

Granville passed Arizona’s Damon Stoudamire for fifth place on the Pac 10’s all-time assist list on the night. Granville, a four-year starter, has 664 assists.

Washington State led by as many as five points, 16-11, eight minutes into the game before Bibby’s frenetic substitution pattern began to spark the Trojan offense Friday.

USC made 56.1% of its field-goal attempts, including 25% accuracy (four for 16) from beyond the three-point arc, and outscored Washington State, 24-2, on fastbreak opportunities.

The Trojans, who played 13 players, had 11 steals and forced 18 Cougar turnovers as freshman guard Derrick Craven, who had been out with a broken bone in his right leg, and football player Greg Guenther, a freshman forward who just joined the team, played for the first time this season.

“It was fun tonight because this was a team effort,” said Clancy, who also had seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.

With 1,261 points, Clancy moved up to 10th on USC’s all-time scoring list, passing Stais Boseman. And with 651 rebounds, Clancy passed Purvis Miller and Chris Munk for 11th on the school’s all-time rebounding list.

Freshman guard Errick Craven--after scoring a career-high 29 points at Washington State on Saturday--was held scoreless in the first half Friday, going 0 for 2 on his field-goal attempts with two fouls and an assist in six minutes.

There were 22:15 gone in the game when Craven finally sank his first basket of the night, but, soon after, he quickly found his touch, making three consecutive shots, including an acrobatic reverse layup.

His third basket, an 18-foot jump shot from the left wing, gave USC a 19-point lead, 57-38, with 13:45 to play.

In establishing its big lead, USC limited Washington State to one field goal in the first 7:50 of the second half, three field goals in the first 14:47.

A Bluthenthal score at the 6:10 mark gave USC a game-high 27-point lead, 72-45.

“We making steps, baby steps,” Bibby said.

“Each game we’re getting a little more confident. We’re figuring out where people are, and who’s going to play, and when they’re going to come in.”

Clancy was more direct in his assessment.

“It’s starting to feel like last year when we went on our run [in the NCAA tournament, when the Trojans advanced to the Elite Eight],” he said.

“We feel like we can beat anyone right now.”