Bibby Already Looking to Future

With four games left in USC’s regular season, including today’s matinee against California, Coach Henry Bibby is looking at ways to improve his team -- for next season.

“There are a lot of things we have to do this summer to get this basketball team where I would like for it to be,” Bibby said Friday. “A lot of things we have to do.”

Told that it sounded as if he were campaigning to keep his job, just in case his seat was getting warmer with every loss, Bibby shrugged. His contract expires after next season.

“I’m not concerned about the contract and where it is,” he said. “I think I’ve proven I can coach at this level and it’s not about that anymore. I’m concerned about the kids growing and getting better each summer, how much we can do. We’re very limited [by NCAA rules] in what we can do.

“I think as the summer approaches, we’ve got to sit down and really make sure that the kids are working on getting better for next year, more so than ever.”

And what about the rest of the current schedule?

“But I haven’t given up on this season,” he said.

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Bibby also intimated that his leading scorer, senior guard Desmon Farmer, was not given a fair shake by the referees in the Trojans’ 76-67 loss to No. 1 Stanford on Thursday.

Farmer, who scored 11 points in the first seven-plus minutes but none thereafter, picked up three fouls before the game was 11 minutes old and his fourth foul midway through the second half.

“Desmon’s my superstar, so to speak,” Bibby said, “and he has to be protected like [Josh] Childress on their team.”

Said Farmer: “I thought I was going to have my night.”

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Today’s game reunites Trojan guard Errick Craven with Cal guard Richard Midgley for the first time since Craven kicked a fallen Midgley in the Golden Bears’ controversial 63-62 win at Berkeley on Jan. 22.

Craven, who was held out of the Trojans’ subsequent game for a half by USC as punishment, said he does not expect another tussle with Midgley, even if, as Craven claimed, Midgley is again physical from the get-go.

“I’m focusing on winning the game,” Craven said. “I can’t take it in my hands again. I’ll let the refs know if it happens.”

Craven also said he will not approach Midgley as a good-faith effort.

“I don’t think any words will be exchanged,” he said.

Said Bibby: “It was in the heat of the moment. Errick Craven is not that kind of kid. It was a reaction. We don’t condone that, but all that’s over and done.”

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Craven was quick to dismiss rumors of disharmony among the Trojans.

“It’s the closest we’ve ever been,” he said. “I know it’s late in the season, but it’s still a learning process.”

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TODAY

vs. California, 3 p.m., Channel 7

Site -- Sports Arena.

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

Records -- USC 10-13 overall, 5-9 in Pacific 10; California 11-11, 7-6.

Update -- Cal has defeated USC in five of the last six meetings at the Sports Arena, though the last two victories have been by a combined three points. Cal’s Leon Powe is averaging a Pac-10 best 9.2 rebounds in conference games.