Northwestern Next For Men's Hoops
December 21, 1999 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 21, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The USC men's basketball team (6-5), under fourth-year head coach Henry Bibby and coming off its third win in four games (an 87-54 victory over San Diego State on Dec. 20), wraps up its non-conference schedule against Northwestern at the Sports Arena on Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m. USC, which made its sixth postseason appearance of the 1990s when it faced Wyoming in the first round of the 1999 NIT, finished 15-13 overall and 7-11 (tied for seventh) in the Pac-10 last season and returns four starters and six lettermen.
GAME #12
USC (6-5) vs. Northwestern (4-5) on Wednesday (Dec. 29). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised live nationally by FOX Sports Net and will broadcast live on KCTD-AM (1540). Northwestern Coach Kevin O'Neill is in his third season with Northwestern after previous head-coaching stints at Tennessee (1995-97) and Marquette (1990-94). The Wildcats are led by sophomore guard/forward Steve Lepore (14.4 ppg) and freshman guard Ben Johnson (11.7 ppg). Sophomore forward Tavaras Hardy is their leading rebounder (6.7 rpg). The Wildcats feature a team dominated by freshmen and sophomores and have had virtually all of their minutes played by underclassmen. As a team, Northwestern is .376 from the floor, .321 on three-pointers, .706 from the foul line and have been outrebounded, on average, 36.0 to 34.0. The Wildcats have won three straight, the last win a 78-54 triumph over Western Carolina on Dec. 18.
LAST GAME
Behind a career-high 24 points from sophomore guard Brandon Granville and a double-double from junior forward/center Brian Scalabrine (season-high-tying 21 points and a career-high 11 rebounds), USC cruised by host San Diego State on Dec. 20, 87-54, at Cox Arena. Granville reached his career high in large part through his 5-of-7 effort from beyond the arc, a season high (and career-high tying mark) for three-pointers. Sophomore forward Sam Clancy just missed his fifth double-double of the season with 18 points and nine rebounds and junior guard Jeff Trepagnier added 15 points and a game-high five steals. The Trojans, in fact, had a season-high 17 steals with each starter getting at least two. USC outrebounded San Diego State, 40-28, and outshot the Aztecs, .542 to .358. The Trojans trailed early at 7-6, four minutes into the game, but used a 22-2 run over the next seven minutes to take a 28-9 lead with 9:16 to go in the first. San Diego State, led by reserve Jeffrey Berokoff's 11 points, stormed back toward the end of the half and trailed only 38-32 at halftime. The Trojans shot out of the gate in the second half, outscoring the Aztecs, 19-3, in the first 6:45 to take command of the game. From there, USC's pressure defense stifled any attempts by San Diego State and first-year head coach Steve Fisher to come back. The final margin of victory tied USC's biggest lead of the game.
LAST GAME NOTES
USC's .630 shooting percentage (17-of-27) in the second half was its best 20-minute mark of the season, regardless of which half ... Brian Scalabrine's 17 first-half points marks the seventh time this year he has scored in double figures in the first half of games and the sixth time he's been the Trojans' leading scorer at the break ... The Trojans' 11 first-half steals are a season high ... In its last two games against San Diego State, USC has a combined 39 steals ... Sophomore forward David Bluthenthal had a career-high four steals ... Not only has Jeff Trepagnier had at least three steals in all but one of his games, but his five steals against the Aztecs marked the fourth time he has had that many this year (and the fifth time of his career) ... USC's .542 field goal percentage (32-of-59), its .500 three-point percentage (7-of-14) and its .762 free throw percentage (16-of-21) are all the second-highest marks of the season in their respective categories ... San Diego State's 28 rebounds are an opponent low.
ROSTER ADDITION
USC Coach Henry Bibby has added true freshman football player Sandy Fletcher to the Trojans' roster. Fletcher, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound guard from Los Angeles, began the football season as a safety but finished as a receiver, redshirting. He was named USC's Black Shirt (scout team) Offensive Player of the Year. He began practicing with the Trojans on Dec. 13. Fletcher averaged 19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals as a 1999 senior at Inglewood (Calif.) High, earning 1999 All-CIF Division II first team, South Bay Daily Breeze All-South Bay first team, Bay League Co-MVP, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West honorable mention and team MVP honors. He was a three-year starter at guard. He was also a three-year starter as a receiver and cornerback on the football team at Inglewood and competed in track and field as a sprinter as well.
TRENDS * Brandon Granville is averaging 20.0 points per game in his last three outings and has made 10-of-16 three-pointers (62.5%) in that span. He was 10-of-52 (23.1%) on his trey attempts in the previous eight games ... USC is forcing opponents into an average of 21.0 turnovers a game. Last year, opponents averaged 18.0 turnovers ... USC has held opponents to 23 points or less in the first half four times, has held opponents to less than 60 points five times and has held opponents to less then 40.0% shooting five times ... In the Trojans' six wins, they have outscored their foes by an average of 27.5 points (87.8 to 60.3) ... All five regular USC starters have at least one double-double.
STARTING TO FIND THE RANGE
* The Trojans struggled from three-point range at the start of the season but have recently showed signs of climbing out of the slump. USC made only 23-of-97 three pointers (23.7%) in its first six games but have improved in the last five contests, making 38-of-94 (40.4%). USC's top long-distance marksman continues to be forward/center Brian Scalabrine, who has made 15-of-27 (.556) after making 1-of-6 all of last year.
USC AMONG THE NATIONAL LEADERS
* USC guards Brandon Granville and Jeff Trepagnier are both among the nation's leaders in their respective specialties, assists and steals (through Dec. 16). Granville (8.0 apg) and Trepagnier (4.3 spg) are sixth and fourth in the country, respectively. Trepagnier's school-record 10 steals against Utah State on Nov. 24 are the most in the nation this year.
INJURY UPDATE
* USC has been without senior forward Jarvis Turner, the Trojans' top reserve, since the fifth game of the season because of a stress fracture in his foot. The injury originally occurred in USC's first exhibition game on Nov. 5. He is shooting for a possible return at the start of the Pac-10 schedule at the Washington schools.
CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS
* Sophomore forward Sam Clancy has surpassed junior guard Jeff Trepagnier on the USC career blocked shot chart. Clancy is now eighth with (55) while Trepagnier, standing only 6-foot-4 but possessing fantastic leaping ability, is 10th with 53. The USC record is 128 by Lorenzo Orr (1992-95). Trepagnier is also working his way up the USC Top 10 in steals with 121, good for third place. Derrick Dowell is second with 179 and Stais Boseman (1994-97) owns the record with 208.
STARTERS - AND FINISHERS
* USC is relying heavily on its five chief starters. The group of guards Jeff Trepagnier and Brandon Granville, forwards Sam Clancy and David Bluthenthal and forward/center Brian Scalabrine have combined to start all but two times and have accounted for 81.3% of the minutes played. The quintet has scored 774 of the team's 843 points (91.8%).
40-MINUTE CLUB
* Each regular starter has played at least a full game once this season. Guards Brandon Granville and Jeff Trepagnier have played 40 minutes twice and Brian Scalabrine, Sam Clancy and David Bluthenthal have done it once each.
PAC-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior forward/center Brian Scalabrine was named the Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 6-12. Scalabrine averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in blowout wins against Hawai'i and Loyola Marymount. In the latter game, he recorded his first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds and added a career-high seven assists. It's the first time he's been honored with the Pac-10's weekly award and the 18th all-time for USC. The last Trojan to win the award was guard Gary Johnson in the last week of the 1997-98 season.
SEASON STANDARDS
* It's never too early to take a peek at the school season records. The way USC guards Brandon Granville and Jeff Trepagnier are playing, why not? Trepagnier is already more than two thirds of the way to the steals record after 11 games with 43. The season record is 62, set by Derrick Dowell in 1987. Granville's 88 assists is exactly halfway to the record of 176, set by Larry Friend in 1985.
THOU SHALL STEAL
* Thanks mainly to guards Jeff Trepagnier (43 steals) and Brandon Granville (27), USC has 125 steals as a team, compared to its opponents' 87. As a team, the Trojans are averaging 11.4 steals a game. Last year, the Trojans averaged 9.4.
BROKEN RECORDS
* Guard Jeff Trepagnier set a USC (and Maui Invitational) single-game steals record with 10 against Utah State in the final game of the tournament on Nov. 24. He broke his own record of eight set against Loyola Marymount last season on Dec. 9. Sophomore guard Brandon Granville also posted a USC and Maui Invitational single-game record. His came with 15 assists against Memphis on the second day of the tournament on Nov. 23. The record was previously shared by Larry Friend (1986) and Stais Boseman (1996), who both had 14.
SHAQ IMPRESSIONS
* After making 29-of-36 free throws (80.6%) in their season-opener, the Trojans have made only 119-of-195 (61.0%) in their last 10 games combined. Overall, USC is 148-of-231 (64.1%). USC did, however, make 16-of-21 in its last outing at San Diego State.
IT'S THE SEASON OF GIVING
* After never having had more than nine assists in a game as a freshman, guard Brandon Granville has had at least 10 assists four times as a sophomore, including in all three games of the Maui Invitational. He also had nine assists against Duke. No Trojan since Burt Harris in the 1992-93 season has even posted double digits in assists in two games in a row. Granville also has posted two double-doubles this season.
RANDOM NOTES
* Guard Jeff Trepagnier has had at least three steals in all but one game he has played in this year and has a team-high 43 thefts (4.3 per game). He is also second on the team in rebounds (7.0) and has two double-doubles.
* The 52 points USC allowed against Utah State was the lowest opponent total for the Trojans since holding Arkansas State to 48 points last season (Dec. 29, 1998). USC's 58.3% shooting in the first half vs. LMU was a season best, its 56 first-half points against the Lions were a season best and its 10 three-pointers matched a season high.
* With 16 points and 11 rebounds against Hawai'i, forward Sam Clancy became the first Trojan to record three straight double-doubles since Jaha Wilson had four straight in 1995-96 (vs. Oregon, Stanford, California and Arizona State).
* Brandon Granville has had at least four treys four times in his career, including two times this year (four against Memphis and five vs. San Diego State). He has also had at least five steals five times in his career.
* Sam Clancy posted his third career 20-point plus outing (all this season) with 22 points against UC Santa Barbara. He is USC's leading scorer, averaging 17.5 points per game.
* USC received its only AP vote of the 1999-2000 season in the Nov. 15 rankings.
* Brian Scalabrine's .532 field goal percentage in 1999 was good enough to put him fourth all-time on USC's career field goal percentage chart. He has continued his fine shooting in 1999-2000 and is at a .540 clip (67-of-124).
* For seasons that have spanned the change of a decade (like 1989-90 or 1999-2000), USC has had seven winning seasons and only two losing ones. * USC's 25 assists against Memphis was its most since the 1997-98 season.
* USC opens its home portion of the Pac-10 schedule against UCLA on Jan. 12, the first time the Trojans face the Bruins in their home conference opener since the 1989-90 season.
PACIFIC-10 PRESEASON POLL
USC was picked to finish seventh in the 1999-2000 Pac-10 media poll. Arizona (356 points), with 32 of a possible 36 first-place votes, was tabbed as the favorite to win the title this season. UCLA (307) finished second and had three first-place votes and Stanford (296) was picked for third with one first-place vote. Oregon (246) was fourth, followed by Oregon State (174), California (152), USC (151), Arizona State (129), Washington (117) and Washington State (44).
TOURNEY TEAMS ON THE SCHEDULE
The Trojans will face six teams this season that reached the 1998-99 NCAA Tournament (North Carolina, Duke, Washington, UCLA, Arizona and Stanford) and another three that played in the 1999 NIT (Northwestern, Oregon and California) for a combined 15 games against teams that reached the postseason a year ago.
RANKED TEAMS ON THE SCHEDULE
USC is slated to play eight games against five teams ranked in the Associated Press' Preseason Top 25. They are No. 6 North Carolina, No. 9 Arizona, No. 10 Duke, No. 12 UCLA and No. 13 Stanford (all rankings preseason).
USC AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
The Trojans were 1-6 against ranked teams in 1998-99, are 0-2 against such teams this year and are 4-21 versus ranked teams since December of 1996. USC's lone win over a ranked team last year was at then-No. 6 Stanford, 86-82, in overtime. In USC's other three wins in the above stretch (all at home), USC shocked then-No. 6 (and eventual NCAA champion) Arizona, 75-62, on Jan. 16, 1997, defeated then-No. 16 Stanford, 84-81, on Feb. 6, 1997, and toppled then-No. 2 Arizona, 91-90 (OT), on March 5, 1998.
USC AT HOME
Dating back to 1996-97, the Trojans are 30-13 in their last 43 games at the Sports Arena and USC is 88-37 (.704) at the Sports Arena since the beginning of the 1991 season, including a 16-game winning streak over a span of the 1992 and 1993 seasons and a nine-game winning streak spanning the end of 1997-98 and the beginning of 1998-99.
TROJANS ON TELEVISION
USC will be quite visible throughout the year. Currently, USC has 16 games that will be televised live in Los Angeles. Two of those games (against North Carolina and at Long Beach State) will be broadcast nationally on ESPN and five other games will be aired nationally on FOX Sports Net (FOX Sports Net West locally). Nine other games will be televised by FOX Sports Net 2 and the Duke game aired on KCAL (Channel 9).
HENRY BIBBY
Henry Bibby, a coach with 17 years of college and professional experience and the only player to ever play for an NCAA, NBA and CBA championship team, is in his fourth full season as the head coach of the USC men's basketball program. Last season, he directed the Trojans to a 15-13 overall mark (7-11 in the Pac-10, tied for seventh) and a first-round appearance in the NIT. USC went 9-19 the previous season, but closed out the year with a stunning 91-90 overtime victory over then-No. 2 Arizona and a 117-71 rout of Arizona State. In his first full season at the helm of the Trojan program, Bibby did not waste any time in moving Troy in the right direction. The 1996-97 campaign saw the Trojans finish second in the Pacific-10 Conference and make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1992. The previous year, the Trojans went 11-19 and finished ninth in the conference. The seven-game improvement is the third-biggest turnaround in USC history and the seven spot increase in the standings matches a school best. In addition, Bibby's 17-11 mark in 1996-97 is the best by a Trojan coach in his first full year since Forrest Twogood went 21-6 in his debut season in 1951. Bibby was named USC's head coach on March 15, 1996. Bibby joined the Trojan program in May of 1995 as an assistant coach. He was named USC's interim head coach on Feb. 7, 1996, replacing Charlie Parker. Bibby came to USC after coaching a club team in Venezuela in 1995. He was a head coach for eight seasons in the Continental Basketball Association. His teams made it into the CBA playoffs six times and posted a 223-213 regular season record, making him only the fourth CBA coach to post 200 wins.
BRIAN SCALABRINE
Junior o forward/center o 6-foot-9 o 250 pounds
* Averaging 15.9 points (second best on the team), 6.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals (both third best). His .540 field goal percentage (67-of-124) and his .556 three-point percentage (15-of-27) are both tops on the team and his 3.2 assists per game is second. * 1999-2000 Top-50 Wooden Award and All-American candidate. * Named Pac-10 Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 6-12, the first such honor of his career and the 18th overall for USC. During games against Hawai'i and Loyola Marymount, Scalabrine averaged 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds. * Posted second and third career double-doubles with season-high tying 21 points and career-high 11 rebounds at San Diego State and 16 points and 10 rebounds at Loyola Marymount. * Scored 21 points and had three steals against UC Santa Barbara. Had 19 points at St. Bonaventure and against Hawai'i, 18 points vs. Cal State Northridge and 17 points against both Memphis and then-No. 15 Duke. * 1998-99 Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year and also received All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors. * Led USC in scoring (14.6), rebounding (6.4) and field goal percentage (.531, 152-of-286) last year. Was second in assists (68) and third in blocks (25). * Had career-high 26 points, seven rebounds and two blocks against American last year. * "(Scalabrine) is an all-leaguer. He's the closest thing I've seen to Detlef Schrempf since Detlef Schrempf. He can bring it on the break. He can pass it and he can shoot it. He's a pro, no question." - Arizona Coach Lute Olson * "(USC) is well-rounded with a great inside guy (Scalabrine) who will be a professional player. He's as good as it gets." - Arkansas State Coach Dickey Nutt * "Scalabrine is a great Division I player. I think he's terrific." - Long Beach State Coach Wayne Morgan
JEFF TREPAGNIER
Junior o guard o 6-foot-4 o 195 pounds
* One of the top athletes and best leapers in the nation whose dunks and athleticism (he has a 40-inch vertical leap) often land him on Plays of the Week highlight reels around the country. * Leads the team in steals (4.3, first in the Pac-10) and minutes (35.6), is second in rebounding (7.0) and is third in scoring (15.6). * He has made at least three steals in nine of his 10 games and has had at least five steals four times. * Had a spectacular game against Utah State in defeat at the Maui Invitational. Had 19 points, broke his own USC single-game steals record with 10 steals (the old mark was eight), blocked four shots and had seven rebounds. Overall in Maui, Trepagnier averaged 15.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.3 steals, 2.7 assists and 1.7 blocks in 39.0 minutes per game. * Had second double-double of season vs. then-No. 15 Duke with 15 points and season-high 12 rebounds. * Had season-high 23 points vs. UC Santa Barbara to go with five steals. Posted 20 points vs Hawai'i and had 19 points, six steals and four assists against Memphis. * Missed the St. Bonaventure game while attending a funeral for his grandmother in Southern California. * Was the only Pac-10 player to finish in the Top 10 in steals, blocks and field goal percentage (.492, 125-of-154) last year and he averaged a double-double in his last five games (16.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg). * Was also a two-sport athlete in 1999, competing in the high jump for the track and field team in a dual meet with UCLA and at the Pac-10 Championships. New to the sport, he won the event against the Bruins (6-9 3/4) and finished second at the Pac-10s (7-0 1/2). * Posted fifth double-double of last season with career-high 24 points and career-high 17 rebounds at Wyoming in the first round of the NIT. * "Jeff Trepagnier is as good of an athlete as we've played against and he's got courage, too." - Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Head Coach * "Trepagnier is a sensational athlete who has improved his fundamentals and gives the Trojans' backcourt some much-needed size." - Jon Wilner, Los Angeles Daily News
SAM CLANCY
Sophomore o forward o 6-foot-7 o 240 pounds
* USC's leading scorer (17.5, first in the Pac-10), rebounder (8.5) and shot blocker (1.5). He also leads the team in free throws made (51) and attempted (81) and in double-doubles (four). * Scored career-high 24 points on 8-of-9 field goals and 8-of-9 free throws and also had eight rebounds against Cal State Northridge. * Had 23 points (including career-high 11 field goals) and three steals against then-No. 5 North Carolina and had 15 points and seven boards against Memphis. * First Trojan to post three consecutive double-doubles since Jaha Wilson did it four consecutive times in the 1995-96 season (vs. Oregon, Stanford, California and Arizona State). Clancy's double-doubles came against UC Santa Barbara (22 points and 11 rebounds), St. Bonaventure (15 and 11) and Hawai'i (16 and 11). * Had 19 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks at Long Beach State, had 19 points, eight rebounds, two blocks vs. then-No. 15 Duke and 18 points and nine boards at San Diego State.
BRANDON GRANVILLE
Sophomore o guard o 5-foot-9 o 175 pounds
* Averaging 8.0 assists per game (first in the Pac-10) and has four double-digit assist efforts and two double-doubles. He is second on the team in steals (2.4) and fourth in scoring (11.7). * Had USC single-game record 15 assists against Memphis in the Maui Invitational, also setting a tournament record. He also had 19 points and five steals in the game. * Posted career highs in points (24) and field goals (eight) at San Diego State and made a career-high tying 5-of-7 three-pointers. * Had 20 points in only 22 minutes at Loyola Marymount and made 3-of-4 three-pointers and had a career-high two blocks. * Had 16 points and five rebounds at Long Beach State. * Scored 15 points and had 11 assists against then-No. 5 North Carolina and had 12 assists and five steals vs. UC Santa Barbara. * Earned 1998-99 Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention honors. * Made 5-of-9 three pointers en route to career-high 22 points at UC Santa Barbara last year, adding eight assists and three steals.
DAVID BLUTHENTHAL
Sophomore o forward o 6-foot-7 o 220 pounds
* After coming off the bench last year, has earned a starting role in 1999-2000 at small forward. * Had career high 19 points (17 in the first half) and nine rebounds at Long Beach State and played all 40 minutes for the first time. * Posted 18 points and a career-high 11 rebounds against Memphis in the Maui Invitational for first career double-double. He shot 9-of-12 in the game. * Scored 17 points (including 4-of-7 on three-pointers) at St. Bonaventure and had career-high four steals at San Diego State. * Fifth in scoring (11.0) and fourth in rebounding (6.0) on the team. * Scored 14 points and had nine rebounds against Utah State in the final game of the Maui Invitational. He averaged a team-high 8.7 rebounds in the tournament and also averaged 12.7 points. * Played in 20 games and averaged 7.6 minutes, 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds per game as a freshman.
JARVIS TURNER
Senior o forward o 6-foot-8 o 240 pounds
* USC's lone senior, he was fourth on team in scoring (5.6) and rebounding (3.5) in 1998-99 in only 13.1 minutes per game. * Has missed USC's last six games recovering from a stress fracture in his foot. He hopes to return at the start of the Pac-10 season. * Played in only three games this season while nursing the foot injury that will keep him out four to six weeks. He suffered the injury in the preseason but initially tried to play on it. * Started three times last season but has 23 career starts to his credit. * Scored season-high 16 points and had six rebounds against St. Bonaventure last year.
KONSTANTINOS CHARISSIS
Freshman o center o 6-foot-11 o 250 pounds
* A talented big man with a traditional European game, he will challenge for time at center. * Made first career start against Hawai'i and posted highs in points (four), rebounds (six) and minutes (23). * Averaging 1.4 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per game. * Also goes by the first name Kostas. * Was a reserve center on the mid-level Greek club team Papagou-Athens in 1999 and averaged 3.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in limited action.
NATE HAIR
Freshman o guard o 6-foot-3 o 195 pounds
* An athletic guard, Hair could add a strong presence to USC's perimeter game. * Had season-high nine points and season-high five rebounds at Loyola Marymount. Averaging 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per game. * Scored first six points of his career at St. Bonaventure, going 2-of-3 on three-pointers, playing season-high 28 minutes. * Missed most of the preseason and both exhibition games recovering from a stress fracture in his knee. * Was a 1999 Street & Smith's All-American honorable mention, an All-Stater Sports 1999 West Regional Dream Team fourth teamer and a 1999 Best in the West and 1999 Orange County Register Fab 15 second team pick as a senior at Capistrano Valley (Calif.) High. * Averaged 15 points and five rebounds his senior year.
RASHAD JONES
Junior o guard o 6-foot-2 o 195 pounds
* A hard-working point guard, he backs up Brandon Granville in the backcourt in his first year as a Trojan. * Played 24 minutes off the bench in USC's 1999-2000 season opener against Cal State Northridge, scoring six points (all on free throws) and grabbing six rebounds to go with two steals. He also played 21 minutes against Memphis and had three rebounds and two points. * Shooting team-best .842 from free throw line (16-of-19). * Averaging 11.3 minutes and 2.2 rebounds as a reserve guard. * Averaged 15.7 points, 6.0 assists and 3.1 steals per game in leading the Jaguars to a 19-10 mark as a 1999 sophomore at San Jose (Calif.) City College. He made 50.4 percent of his field goal attempts (120-of-238) and shot 80.1 percent from the foul line (125-of-156).
MALACHI THURSTON
Freshman o guard o 6-foot-4 o 200 pounds
* An athletic swingman, he will compete for minutes as a reserve in the backcourt. * Made first career start at St. Bonaventure, scoring three points and getting four rebounds. * Played 26 minutes against UC Santa Barbara, grabbing a career-high five rebounds and scoring a career-high four points. He has five steals in 50 minutes. * Averaging 6.4 minutes per game. * He averaged 24 points, nine rebounds and three assists last year at the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., and earned the William Duryee Award as the top player in the Tri-State League.
LUKE MINOR
Freshman o center o 7-foot-3 o 320 pounds
* USC's tallest player ever, he may redshirt as a true freshman. * Minor averaged 7.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks as 1999 senior at Blue Ride Academy in Dyke, Va., leading his team to a 19-6 mark and an appearance in the state semifinals of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools. * He broke the school's season block record with 67 and the career block record with 124. Minor was named Virginia's 10th best prospect by the Roanoke Times.
SANDY FLETCHER
Freshman o guard o 6-foot-3 o 185 pounds
* Redshirted as a true freshman on the football team and began practicing with the basketball team on Dec. 13. * Made his USC basketball debut in the final minute of the Long Beach State game. Scored his first points with two free throws at San Diego State and played five minutes. * Averaged 19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals as a 1999 senior at Inglewood (Calif.) High, earning 1999 All-CIF Division II first team, South Bay Daily Breeze All-South Bay first team, Bay League Co-MVP, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West honorable mention and team MVP honors. * He was a three-year starter at guard at Inglewood. He was also a three-year starter as a receiver and cornerback on the football team and also competed in track and field as a sprinter.
Game 12
Northwestern
December 29, 1999
Los Angeles Sports Arena (15,509)
Los Angeles, CA - 7:30 p.m.
On the Air
The USC-Northwestern game will be televised live on FOX Sports Net with Barry Tompkins and Dan Belluomini calling the action. It will also be carried on KCTD-AM (1540). Lee Hamilton will call the game, while ex-USC assistant coach Jim Hefner adds the color commentary. All of USC's radio broadcasts feature short pre- and post-game shows immediately before and after the game.
Series
USC leads the series with Northwestern, 5-2, but the teams haven't played each other since the 1966 season, when USC won at the Sports Arena, 75-63. USC lost the first game between the two teams back in 1932, 22-20, on the road. The Trojans won three straight more on the road in 1939, 1947 and 1948 before falling to the Wildcats at home, 38-35, in 1949. The teams resumed the series in the 1960 season with USC winning, 81-62.
Last Game
Led by 20 points from All-American center John Block, USC defeated Northwestern, 75-63, in the Los Angeles Basketball Classic on Dec. 28, 1965, at the Sports Arena. Northwestern actually led at the half, 33-30, but USC used a 14-2 run midway through the second half to take a 56-45 lead. The Wildcats, led by Jim Burns' 25 points, got to within 65-61 with less than three minutes to go, but could not get closer.
Coach
Kevin O'Neill is in his third season with Northwestern. He directed the Wildcats to their third postseason appearance ever last season when they played in the NIT, finishing 15-14 overall, 6-10 in the Big Ten. He was 10-17 in his first ye
