Injured Wrist Still Bothers Farmer

Desmon Farmer’s left, shooting wrist continues to bother him, enough that the senior guard had an X-ray taken of it after practice on Tuesday, a week after having an X-ray taken of his gimpy left ankle.

Results were negative, according to trainer Mark Pocinich.

“I’m just trying to figure out why it’s still sore,” said Farmer, who has been playing with the wrist taped since falling on it in the second half of USC’s win at UCLA on Jan. 28. “I try not to think about it when I’m in the game, but I think it’s affecting my free throws.”

Since the UCLA game, and including the second half of that game, Farmer has shot 62.7% (27 of 43) from the free-throw line. He began that game making 84.6% of his free throws.

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Senior walk-on forward Joe Buck has been awarded a scholarship by Coach Henry Bibby for the spring semester.

“I’ve worked hard for the team the past couple of years so it’s rewarding,” said Buck, a walk-on with the Trojans two years ago before playing at Georgetown College in Kentucky last season and transferring back to USC. “Coach Bibby had a reputation with the walk-ons and not being fair to them before, but I haven’t experienced anything like that.”

Buck, who became eligible at the semester break and has appeared in seven games and scored four points with one rebound in 10 minutes, will graduate in May with a degree in psychology.

“It’s a nice little going-away gift,” Buck said of the scholarship.

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Freshman point guard Rodrick Stewart, who suffered lingering headaches after taking a charge on Saturday, practiced at the Sports Arena on Tuesday.

“Maybe it knocked some sense into him,” Bibby said with a laugh.

Junior forward Gregg Guenther, who had a sore lower back, also returned to practice. Both are expected to play Thursday against No. 1 Stanford.

“I thought practice was very upbeat,” Bibby said. “We had two very intense days of practice so [today] we’ll work on free throws and some Stanford stuff.”