A Rough Patch Leaves Bibby in a Foul Mood

USC is licking its wounds from Thursday night’s loss to No. 2 Arizona in preparation for tonight’s game against Arizona State, and Coach Henry Bibby is angry at what he perceives as physical, bordering on dirty, play. He is resigned, however, to the Pacific 10 Conference’s looking the other way.

Which is why, he said, he will not call or write to Lou Campanelli, the league’s coordinator of men’s basketball officiating.

“I don’t bother because nothing is going to be done about it,” Bibby said Friday afternoon. “They say they’re going to look at situations and that’s it, that they’re going to get back in touch with you.”

Bibby also says USC gets the short end of the stick on foul calls -- the Trojans shot six free throws to Arizona’s 18 -- but he said he would not change his team’s approach.

“There’s no adjustment because that’s not the way it’s supposed to be called,” Bibby said. “It’s never been this physical and ... they’re supposed to be cleaning up the physical play.

“We play the way it’s supposed to be played, the way we as coaches have been told [how] the game is supposed to be played. We’re not going to be any more physical than we’ve ever been. We’re not a physical basketball team.”

Arizona State is arguably the most physical team in the Pac-10. Because of that, 6-foot-8, 245-pound USC forward Gregg Guenther figures to get time against the Sun Devils.

“That fits right into my style,” said Guenther, who joined the basketball team on Jan. 6 after playing backup tight end for the football team. “I can use both sports in one.”

Bibby, though, maintained his position that his is a finesse team.

“What’s going to happen is that [fouls are] going to be called on my end and not on the other end,” he said. “That’s the way it’s been.”

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Bibby said center Jonathan Oliver, who was kicked out of Monday’s practice along with Jerry Dupree and Robert Hutchinson and did not play against Arizona, may not play tonight because of a lack of effort in practice.

“I just keep waiting,” Oliver said. “Nothing’s going to make me get in there faster, so I’ve just got to keep waiting and work harder.”

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TONIGHT

vs. Arizona State, 8

Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Sports Arena.

Radio -- KMPC (1540), KPLS (830).

Records -- USC 6-6, 2-2 in Pac-10; Arizona State 12-4, 4-1.

Update -- In conference games, the Trojans boast league leaders in scoring (Desmon Farmer, 24.8 points), rebounding (Nick Curtis, 9.5) and steals (Errick Craven, 3.0).... Dupree is questionable for tonight’s game after twisting his right foot in practice Friday.