Stanford Presents Big Opportunity

Desmon Farmer has seen this before, the frustrating flashes of how good his team can be followed by a less-than-impressive record.

And Errick Craven has an inkling as to why it continues to happen.

Doing something about it, though -- especially tonight against No. 1 Stanford -- is key if USC hopes to maintain the positive momentum it got from Saturday’s overtime win at Arizona State.

“Every team I’ve been on has started out slow,” said Farmer, a senior guard. “My freshman year, we ended up going to the Elite Eight and then my sophomore year, we still went to the tournament. Last year we picked it up at [Pacific 10 Conference] tournament time, we just couldn’t get that last one.

“We wait until the end of the season to start playing our basketball. That’s what’s really been our problem these last two years.”

Craven said USC had been prone to distraction.

“At times we kind of point the finger,” the junior guard said. “But if we just look at ourselves ... there’s players on the team who want to win. But some players, you just don’t know.”

So where does the oft-restless Craven fit in?

“At times, I was a player that got complacent,” he said. “But for the most part, I think I’ve been a player who’s been trying to figure it out ... try to make something happen, try to stir something up.”

Farmer, whose 21.4-point scoring average in Pac-10 play ranks third, two-tenths of a point behind leader Ike Diogu of Arizona State, believes the Trojans have turned a corner. Then again, Farmer had similar sentiments after beating Arizona and USC then lost six of seven.

“We’re going to scare some teams if we start playing together as a team instead of as individuals,” Farmer said. “Everybody was trying to prove their point earlier in the season and now guys are really understanding what they need to do and I think we’re going to start pulling out victories.”

Farmer, once a regular guest in Coach Henry Bibby’s doghouse, also said the lack of a swagger might have hurt the Trojans.

“I think it’s guys playing and looking over their shoulder,” he said. “There was competition this year, competition in practice [and] guys were losing their confidence during the process of the season because of the switch of the rotations. Coach has got his mind set on what he wants to do and who he wants to go with. Players he’s going with are getting their confidence and starting to produce.”

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Bibby shrugged Wednesday when told that his name had already surfaced at Nevada Las Vegas as a potential candidate to replace Charlie Spoonhour, who resigned as Rebel coach on Tuesday.

“I’m concerned about this season,” said Bibby, also rumored to be a candidate at UNLV in 2001 before Spoonhour was hired. “I’m coaching at SC and this is what I’m concerned about. I’m only thinking of this year.”

Bibby, who took over as the Trojan coach in 1996, signed a contract extension with USC in 2000 that runs through 2005.

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With his next point scored, Craven will become the 29th Trojan to have scored at least 1,000 points, not that he’s all that impressed.

“You just have to average 10 points, right?” Craven said. “Anybody can get 1,000 points. It’s not too hard.”

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The Trojans’ 87-86 defeat of UCLA on March 6, 1970, at Pauley Pavilion represents the last time USC beat a No. 1-ranked team. The leading scorer that day was Bibby, who had 22 points for UCLA.

“I don’t remember,” he said.

**

TONIGHT

vs. No. 1 Stanford, 7:30

Site -- Sports Arena.

Radio -- KMPC (1540), KSPA (1510), XEMM (800).

Records -- USC 10-12 overall, 5-8 in Pacific 10; Stanford 21-0, 12-0.

Update -- Stanford senior power forward Justin Davis (11.5 points, 6.9 rebounds) has missed the last four games because of a left knee injury, but the Trojans would not be shocked to see him in uniform. “With our luck,” Craven said, “he’ll play.”