Farmer, USC Like the Feeling

Desmon Farmer was feeling it early.

Then he was feeling it late.

The USC senior guard with the expressive and electric game shared his sentiments with fans at the Sports Arena on Thursday and it lasted throughout the night.

Farmer’s career-high 40 points led the Trojans to a shocking 99-90 upset of No. 7 Arizona before a season-high crowd of 7,543, most of which began the “o-ver-rat-ed” chant with just under a minute to play.

“It’s a big upset for us,” said Farmer, whose previous career best was 35 points at Washington State last January. “I think this is going to be our turnaround. We’re going to win a lot of games.

“Guys bought in. They bought into what the coaches had been telling us.”

Farmer’s 40 points were the most scored in a Pacific 10 Conference game this year and the most by a Trojan since Harold Miner had 43 in 1991. His total tied John Rudometkin, who had 40 points in 1961, for the fifth-highest scoring mark by a Trojan.

“I felt real good out there; I let it come to me,” said Farmer, who also tied a career high with seven three-point baskets while shooting 11 for 19 from the field and 11 for 12 from the free-throw line.

“By us having that intensity tonight, it made [Arizona] look twice. They were looking to get an easy game. We brought them a different story.”

It was the highest scoring total by a USC team against Arizona since the Trojans scored 100 points against the Wildcats in 1974.

“When Farmer shoots like that, it opens up our inside game,” said USC Coach Henry Bibby. “It was one of the best individual performances I’ve seen since I’ve been here. He made his shots and was focused.

“I wanted to kick him out of practice three times this week ... but Desmon bounced back.”

With the victory, USC improved to 8-6 overall, 3-2 in Pac-10 play. Arizona, which was led by junior center Channing Frye’s 17 points and six rebounds, suffered a second consecutive defeat game for the first time since getting swept at UCLA and USC in 2002. The Wildcats, who lost at home to Stanford on Saturday, fell to 10-3, 2-2.

“We did a good job preparing,” said Arizona Coach Lute Olson, “but it just doesn’t do any good if you get into a game situation and can’t execute.

“Their guards got deep penetration into the lane.”

USC, playing with a passion not previously seen this season -- and with nearly 30 NBA scouts in the stands -- bushwhacked the Wildcats early, using 9-0 and 9-1 runs to go up by 11 points, 46-35, with 2:43 remaining in the first half.

Arizona, though, was able to cut the deficit to five points at halftime, 48-43.

USC would not fold, even though Farmer, who had 23 points at the half, was shut out for the first 11 minutes of the second half as Andre Iguodala pulled defensive duty, and even though Arizona twice closed to within one point, at 54-53 and 58-57.

Enter Farmer, who was about to find his groove again.

Farmer scored USC’s next 11 points and the Trojans built the lead to 15 points, 89-74, following a Farmer basket with 2:38 to play.

USC also turned up the defensive intensity -- the Trojans had 14 steals and forced 18 turnovers -- and surprised Arizona by starting seldom-used senior Jonathan Oliver at center in place of Rory O’Neil.

Junior forward Gregg Guenther came off the bench to tie his career high with 11 rebounds.

“We have all the talent in the world,” said junior guard Errick Craven, who had 16 points and four steals. “It’s just a matter of playing together.”

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Freshman guard Lodrick Stewart was not on the Trojan bench because of what Bibby called “an action not conducive to what a Trojan needs to be.... He’ll be back for Saturday’s game.”

Stewart, who along with his twin brother Rodrick had his speaking-to-the-media privileges pulled this week by Bibby for the second time this season, has been dealing with an injury, according to his father, Bull Stewart.

“I just heard today that he wasn’t dressing,” Bull Stewart said Thursday night from the family’s Seattle home. “He told me his ankle was hurting him and I’m not questioning it.”

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A Salute to Bibby

A Henry Bibby-coached USC team defeated a nationally ranked Lute Olson-coached Arizona team for the fifth time when the Trojans prevailed, 99-90, over the No. 7-ranked Wildcats Thursday night at the Sports Arena. A look at USC’s other four victories over Arizona under Bibby, who is in his ninth season as the Trojans’ interim or head coach:

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No. 25 USC 94,

No. 9 ARIZONA 89

Feb. 16, 2002 at the Sports Arena

The Trojans , 18-6 overall, moved into a tie for first place in the Pac-10 standings with Stanford and Oregon at 10-4 with an upset of the Wildcats. David Bluthenthal led USC with 31 points, including seven three-pointers, and Sam Clancy added 28 points and 11 rebounds for his 10th consecutive double-double.

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USC 80,

No. 2 ARIZONA 72

Jan. 22, 2000 at the Sports Arena

Playing without leading scorer Sam Clancy and top reserve Jarvis Turner, USC (12-5) stunned the Wildcats and moved into sole possession of first place in the Pac-10 at 5-0. Brian Scalabrini scored a career-high 27 points and David Bluthenthal had a then career-high 26 points for the Trojans.

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USC 91,

No. 2 ARIZONA 90 (OT)

March 5, 2000 at Sports Arena

Junior forward Adam Spanich made a game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation, then made a desperation off-balance three-pointer at the overtime buzzer as the Trojans (8-19, 4-13 Pac-10) ended a Wildcat winning streak at 19 games. USC came in with a seven-game losing streak.

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USC 75,

No. 6 ARIZONA 62

Jan. 16, 1997 at the Sports Arena

The Trojans beat a ranked opponent for the first time since upsetting the Wildcats on March 14, 1992, as Stais Boseman (21 points) and Elias Ayuso (17 points) led USC back from a 30-22 halftime deficit. Bibby’s son, Arizona freshman point guard Mike Bibby, had only four points on two-for-eight shooting.

Note: USC’s 12 losses to Arizona under Bibby have been by an average of 17.3 points