Finally caught up with Tim Floyd more than 2 1/2 months after allegations surfaced that O.J. Mayo accepted money from an agent’s runner. It wasn’t for lack of trying. I had left multiple phone messages and even ventured to a Trojans "Coaches Tour" event in Orange County but never was able to speak with Floyd until now.

And as far as the Mayo allegations go, Floyd wasn’t saying much. Asked if he had been contacted by NCAA investigators, Floyd said he had not and pretty much left it at that. "Neither our school, nor our coaching staff nor our players will have any comment about that, and I would hope that you would respect that and not ask any questions of our players until the process is over because we won’t have any updates for you. That’s our university policy."

Floyd was more talkative on other fronts. Although incoming freshman DeMar DeRozan has achieved a qualifying ACT score, Floyd said "it’s never over until everything goes through the [NCAA] Clearinghouse. He’s made the necessary test score and we’re hopeful that everything will go through the Clearinghouse." The coach did not venture a guess as to when that might be.

Floyd also said that North Carolina transfer Alex Stepheson had not committed to USC, contrary to a recent report.

–Ben Bolch