The Trojans lose their ninth in a row, 74-50. The 7-foot center is set to have an MRI exam Friday after suffering a sprained left knee.
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LOS ANGELES ? This is how preposterous USC's season has become:
After Coach Kevin O'Neill finished his postgame address following Thursday night's 74-50 loss to Colorado at Galen Center, 7-foot center James Blasczyk walked gingerly to the front of the interview room with a boot on his right foot; he has been playing through a Lisfranc sprain for weeks.
When Blasczyk finished, he yielded to fellow 7-footer Dewayne Dedmon ? who had a brace on the left knee he sprained early in the first half. Dedmon couldn't continue, and the already struggling Trojans were lost without him.
Dedmon will have an MRI exam today. He didn't think the injury was severe, but with this team, you never know.
"I've never had this many injuries, major injuries," said O'Neill, whose team has lost four players to season-ending surgeries, including two starters.
"The compilation of all those things brings us to where we are now."
Where the Trojans are now is a place no team ever wants to be. USC has lost nine in a row, its longest losing streak since a 13-game skid during the 1988-89 season. (The 1995-96 Trojans lost 10 in a row, but a loss to Cal later became a forfeit.)
Thursday's defeat dropped USC to 3-9 at Galen Center. The Trojans hadn't lost more than five home games in any of their first five seasons in the building.
By the end of this night, the Colorado fans in the sparse crowd of 3,147 were chanting "Let's go Buffaloes!" USC was down to five healthy scholarship players, with Blasczyk unable to finish because of cramps.
"We're pinned," O'Neill said. "There's no moves right now. There's no quick fix."
O'Neill is hopeful that Dedmon won't be out long and that his team will continue to work hard and carry itself with dignity. O'Neill made sure his players got that message in the postgame locker room, where he chastised freshman Byron Wesley for leaving the court with his shirt off.
"Those kind of things can't be changed," O'Neill said. "Those kind of things can't be compromised. ... You carry yourself the same way."
For the first time this season, the injuries really seemed to rattle USC. When Dedmon got hurt ? a Colorado player fell into his leg after drawing a charge on Wesley at the 15:43 mark of the first half ? three Trojans lingered on the court, oblivious to O'Neill's request to huddle near the bench. USC played much of the rest of the game in a fog. The 24-point margin was its largest of the season.
"It's hard to stay encouraged," Blasczyk. "(But) a lot of it should be self-discipline. We should get ourselves going. Losing by 24 every game is not OK."
NOTES
Forward Aaron Fuller underwent successful surgery Thursday morning to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He is expected to be out 4-6 months.
Contact the writer: mlev@ocregister.com
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