Kasey Cunningham injures knee, could miss rest of season

Kasey Cunningham, a forward on the USC men’s basketball team who has missed all or most of the last three seasons because of injuries to his left knee, probably will be sidelined for the remainder of this season.

Cunningham, a redshirt junior, started the Trojans’ first two games before injuring the same knee early in the second half of Saturday’s 67-59 loss to Loyola Marymount.

The Trojans were ahead, 46-36, when Cunningham suffered the injury.

David Borchardt, the USC team trainer, said an MRI exam revealed ACL and medial meniscus tears.

Cunningham first injured the knee while a senior at Cibola High in Albuquerque. He sat out his freshman season at USC in 2006-07. He played in nine games in 2007-08 before injuring the knee again, and played in only four games last season before another injury, which led to his third surgery.

He had been starting this season because of injuries and eligibility issues involving other players.

The Trojans had eight players available against Loyola Marymount, and used six.

USC will get senior forward Marcus Johnson back for Friday’s home game against Coppin State. Johnson was ineligible for the first two games because of issues related to his transfer from Connecticut.

-- Pete Thomas