Players Would Prefer Bruins

While USC will be playing Stanford, a team it swept in convincing fashion, in the first round of the Pacific 10 Conference tournament on Thursday, the Trojans would rather face a team they split with in the regular season.

“[Stanford is] going to be gunning for us,” senior forward Sam Clancy said. “I’d rather play UCLA, to be honest.”

But why?

“I think we owe [UCLA] one and I think Stanford’s better,” Clancy said, matter-of-factly.

Freshman guard Errick Craven pointed to the enmity between the programs.

“I’d prefer to play UCLA,” Craven said. “Especially with the rivalry and the tournament being at Staples [Center], that would have been a lot of fun.”

The only way the Trojans and Bruins can meet at Staples Center this week is in the title game Saturday.

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When USC Coach Henry Bibby emptied his bench with 1:25 remaining in Saturday’s 79-45 victory over Oregon State, the Trojan lineup was composed of three walk-ons--Joe Buck, Peter McCaslin and Anthony Saadey--and freshmen Nick Curtis and Gregg Guenther.

With time running down, Saadey was trapped at the top of the key. Panicking, Saadey passed to ... Jerry Dupree, who was standing on the Trojan sideline, eliciting a big laugh from the USC bench.

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Looking at the stat sheet, you’d think Saturday’s contest would be one of those games Brandon Granville would just as soon forget--no points on 0-of-8 shooting.

But the Trojan point guard, who was still recovering from flu, was feeling nostalgic Saturday night after playing his final game in the Sports Arena.

“These are the times when you look back on when you’re 40, 50 years old and remember the camaraderie of being on the team,” said Granville, USC’s all-time leader in steals, assists, three-pointers and games played.