Shackleford Takes a Seat Because of a Familiar Injury

Dwayne Shackleford did not play against Alcorn State on Sunday after experiencing swelling in the same knee that bothered him most of last season, but the senior guard said he expected to return for USC’s game against No. 19 North Carolina on Wednesday.

Shackleford was limited to 16 games last season after tearing cartilage in his left knee on the first day of practice.

He experienced soreness Saturday that worsened during the Trojans’ shoot-around before their 76-53 victory over Alcorn State at the Sports Arena.

“It’s been good all preseason and up until now,” said Shackleford, who had fluid drained from the knee. “It just kind of flared up on me.”

Without Shackleford, who backs up point guards Ryan Francis and Gabe Pruitt, Coach Tim Floyd turned to freshman Collin Robinson, who had three points, two rebounds, one assist and no turnovers in eight minutes.

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Floyd, whose victory Sunday was the 250th of his college coaching career, said he was impressed with junior center Abdoulaye N’diaye, who had nine points and nine rebounds in 23 minutes.

The most impressive statistic for the foul-prone big man might have been his zero fouls.

“We got a real good effort out of Abdoulaye,” Floyd said. “I thought it was the best he’s played, the best he’s rebounded it. I would have played him more minutes in the second half; I was just trying to get those freshmen [RouSean Cromwell and Jeremy Barr] some more minutes.”

N’diaye, who also had two steals and two assists, said he can only get better.

“I really don’t know if it was my best game or not,” N’diaye said. “I think I still have a lot of room to show people that I’m a good player.”

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Attendance at Friday’s game against Western Michigan, inadvertently left out of the box score, was 2,134.

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UP NEXT

Wednesday vs. North Carolina, 7:30 p.m., Sports Arena, FSN West -- The seemingly endless procession of opponents from mid-major conferences concludes when the Tar Heels make their first visit to Los Angeles to play the Trojans. North Carolina is 7-0 all-time against USC, including a 97-65 victory last season at Chapel Hill, and 6-1 overall this season.