Highs and Lows for Craven

USC freshman guard Errick Craven was anything but melancholy after following last weekend’s career-high 29-point performance against Washington State with a subpar six-point outing against the Cougars on Friday night.

“I just made some dumb fouls and got in early foul trouble,” said Craven, who missed his first four shots and was held scoreless in six first-half minutes. “I was overly aggressive.”

It didn’t matter as the Trojans rolled to a 21-point victory against Washington State, 85-64.

“We’ve got too many weapons,” Craven said.

Although Craven struggled, five different Trojans scored in double figures. Craven was picked up by the guard he replaced in the starting lineup, sophomore Desmon Farmer.

Farmer began the year as a starter but his often erratic, though electric, play relegated him to substitute status on Coach Henry Bibby’s bench.

“I just want to play,” an exasperated Farmer said after scoring 15 points on seven-of-11 shooting in 25 minutes. “If that’s what coach wants me to do, I’ll accept it, being that spark off the bench.

“It’s kind of hard. I thought I’d take the place of [former USC guard Jeff] Trepagnier. But coach thinks it would be better for the team if I watch the game and then come in. I’m all about the win. Whatever it takes to get the win.”

Bibby, though, is still not sure if Farmer has accepted his role.

“Desmon, I think, is his own worst enemy,” Bibby said. “He gets wrapped up in starting and that takes him out of his game.

“It’s good when a guy can come in and pick up the slack and everyone else knows he can do that. People are starting to realize that we have other players besides [Sam] Clancy, [David] Bluthenthal and [Brandon] Granville to be concerned about.”

Thoughts of a redshirt year for Derrick Craven, Errick’s twin brother, came to a halt when the freshman point guard played the final two minutes Friday.

“I was pretty nervous,” said Craven, who had been sidelined because of a stress fracture in his right leg. “I just need to take my time.”

*

USC officials handed a tape of an alleged incident at Washington last week in which Errick Craven and Jerry Dupree were hit by errant elbows to Pacific 10 spokesman Dave Hirsch Friday night.

Hirsch will take the tape to the league offices for review by league coordinator of men’s basketball officiating Lou Campanelli, who will make a judgment for punishment should he deem it necessary.

TONIGHT

vs Washington, 6

Fox Sports Net 2

Site--The Forum.

Radio--KMPC (1540).

Records--USC 11-2, 3-0 in the Pac-10; Washington 6-7, 0-3.

Update--USC has won a series high-tying six consecutive games against Washington, including an 87-65 victory at Seattle on Dec. 27. Granville scored a career-high 27 points in the victory. USC, which has won seven games in a row, has held 12 of its 13 opponents to 70 points or less.

Tickets--213-740-4672