As Dupree’s World Turns

The soap opera that has been Jerry Dupree’s junior season took another turn Sunday when Coach Henry Bibby gave the forward the day off for missing two treatments on his injured right foot and getting kicked out of Saturday’s practice.

This a mere three days after Dupree started for the first time in nearly a year. Dupree, who starred in last season’s Pacific 10 Conference tournament, has already served a seven-game suspension to help him concentrate on academics, battled health issues and been booted from practice twice.

Still, Bibby said he expected Dupree, who did not attend the Trojans’ 91-76 victory over No. 22 Oregon, to rejoin the team for practice today.

“My interest is not in kicking people off the team,” Bibby said. “My interest is in educating young people.

“I have no animosity toward Jerry. I think I did him a favor.”

Said forward Gregg Guenther: “We all feel for Jerry. I don’t think it’s just one thing with him but the culmination of everything -- missing all the games at the beginning, the injuries -- that’s got him down right now.”

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Brandon Brooks, who had season-ending surgery to repair a broken left leg and dislocated ankle, said he would remain in a cast for another five weeks before beginning rehabilitation. He also disputed recent speculation that he might transfer.

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The 15-point margin of victory was the Trojans’ largest against Oregon since an 85-56 victory over the Ducks in 1992 at the Sports Arena.... USC’s 45-28 rebounding advantage was its largest in Pac-10 play this season.

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UP NEXT FOR USC

Wednesday vs. UCLA, 7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net 2 -- The Trojans are looking for their first season sweep of the Bruins since 1992. USC’s 80-75 victory at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 8, its first win there since 1993, began UCLA’s eight-game losing streak.