Guenther Brings Confidence From Football

Gregg Guenther, less than 24 hours removed from winning the Rose Bowl and a probable share of a national championship with the USC football team, noticed something different the moment he walked into the Trojan basketball team’s locker room Friday.

Missing was that self-assurance that permeates the football team, the tight end-power forward said.

“The basketball team,” Guenther said, “is still not quite sure if it’s a true confidence or if they’re just talking themselves into it.

“But as soon as we get that swagger, we’ll be all right.”

It’s that conviction and toughness that Coach Henry Bibby hopes Guenther brings to his squad, particularly in the wake of Friday’s 92-74 loss to Oregon in the Pacific 10 Conference opener.

“I’ve always been a Gregg Guenther fan; he always helps us,” Bibby said of Guenther, who is on scholarship for football but has joined the basketball team the last three seasons. “I like the winning attitude he has. I like it because he’s proud to be a Trojan.

“He probably hasn’t picked up a basketball since last year, but he’s competitive and he has pride.”

Hubris will be needed in large doses this afternoon against Oregon State if the Trojans hope to rebound from the sound defeat.

“You’re supposed to win your home games,” Bibby said. “It means we have to win the game [against the Beavers] and we have to go on the road and win a couple of games.

“We just have to ... think about Oregon State now.”

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The seeming capo of The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight, junior shooting guard Errick Craven, missed his first two three-point tries against Oregon to run his consecutive three-point misses streak to 23 (he had last made one in the Trojans’ season-opening loss at Western Michigan on Nov. 22).

Before he finally converted from beyond the three-point arc, 1 minute 59 seconds into the second half, Craven was one for 24 on three-point shots (4.2%). He made another three-point shot with 17 seconds remaining.

“It was a light in the darkness,” Craven said.

Bibby was anything but impressed, though.

“Down by 25,” he said, “I can hit jump shots.”

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Senior guard Desmon Farmer (1,243 points) needs six points to pass Purvis Miller (1,247) and Stais Boseman (1,248) for 13th place on the USC career scoring list. David Bluthenthal (1,313) is in 12th place.

Farmer (148) also moved past Boseman (145) for sixth place on the school’s three-point baskets chart. Phil Glenn (156) is in fifth place.

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TODAY

vs. Oregon State

noon, Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Sports Arena.

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

Records -- USC 5-5 overall, 0-1 in the Pac-10; Oregon State 6-5, 0-1.

Update -- The Beavers, who are led by sophomore guard Chris Stephens’ 15.5 scoring average, swept USC last season for the first time since 1995, ending the Trojans’ seven-game winning streak against them at the Sports Arena. Stephens had 17 points, and made five of six three-point shots, at USC last year.