USC coach Henry Bibby has his team where hardly anyone thought it could go.(AP)

As an NBA star, he had a reputation for being aloof and combative. His previous coaching gigs in the CBA and Venezuela weren't exactly overwhelming on his resume. As a former All-American at hated UCLA, Bibby looked like a desperation hire for USC in 1996. If anyone at SC really cared about basketball, you could equate it to Christian Laettner becoming the head coach of North Carolina.

But with single-minded intensity, notable coaching acumen and a significant work capacity, Bibby has done the near impossible.

The University of Southern California, Tailback U., stepbrother of L.A. Basketball, is 40 minutes from the Final Four.

"I can say five years ago I was in Venezuela coaching," Bibby said after what very well might be the greatest victory in school history. "I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to do this."

Bibby put together a masterful game plan Thursday and then used a bunch of old coaching tricks to convince his team to play harder, tougher and smarter and never doubt it could whip its more decorated opponent. He deserves considerable credit for not just putting together a talented Trojan team, but maximizing its talent in this glorious NCAA run.

But that is credit he is willing to share.

"You guys deserve half the credit for this victory," Bibby told the media, which gave the Trojans little chance of advancing past storied UK.

All week here, the papers, Internet sites and television shows discussed the possible Kentucky-Duke rematch of their classic 1992 thriller. All the while, Bibby watched the shows and clipped the paper, smiled and figured a way to get his guys to fume.

"I want to thank you for that," he smiled.

There are two sides to Henry Bibby. In front of the media he is combative, confrontational -- a guy who loves having a chip on his shoulder. He relishes the underdog, slightly outlaw, role. He thinks being the forgotten cousin dirtying up the pure blood of NCAA thoroughbred programs here is just perfect.

His players swear there is a fun, joking guy behind the serious stare and we believe them. Although it really shouldn't matter. Whatever Bibby is doing to get SC to play like this, he ought to keep it up.

At Wednesday's shootaround, he discovered that on the NCAA courtside banner, the letters in Southern California were smaller than the letters in UCLA, Duke or Kentucky. That was because there are a lot more letters in Southern California, but to Bibby, this was a slight to the honor of Trojan Basketball.

"I pick up on all kinds of things like that," he said.

He can pick up on game tendencies, too. A smart point guard during his stellar playing career -- the only player ever to win NCAA, CBA and NBA titles -- his attention to detail was on full display Thursday. The Trojans game plan knocked UK off balance from the start and forced the Wildcats to counter punch all night.

SC dared anyone not named Tayshaun Prince or Keith Bogans to shoot from behind the arc by playing something Bibby called "basically a match-up-zone-man-to-man-switch defense." That sounds like an inside joke designed to humiliate sportswriters who happen to repeat it, but whatever Bibby wants to call it, it worked. SC packed it in, closed on the two Kentucky stars and basically ignored everyone else.

Offensively, the Trojans were deliberate, smart and sound, shooting 52.8 percent from the floor and limiting themselves to 14 turnovers.

Southern California led by as many as 20 in the first half when UK shot just 2-of-11 from behind the arc. Although Wildcats guard Saul Smith wound up burying five of seven 3-point attempts, Bibby didn't care. The rest of the team went just 3-for-16. Prince finished with just six points.

"We knew only two people could beat us, Prince and Bogans," said Bibby. "They were the only two we thought could beat us. The other guys were averaging six, seven points a game. We wanted them shooting. Even when Smith was hitting, we weren't worried."

One of Bibby's big battle cries this season has been calling his tough team soft.

"They are never going to be as tough as me," he said.

The kids have bought into it and, predictably, now are willing to run through a wall or Jason Parker for loose balls and rebounds. It gave them a mentality and confidence to withstand two UK second-half runs that cut the lead to one point and still never lose confidence that victory was preordained.

"Coach Bibby played in the 60s and 70s," said senior forward Brian Scalabrine. "Back then those guys were tough. We might be tough now, but we don't compare to those days.

"(Wednesday) when we broke our huddle (at the end of practice) he wouldn't talk to us because he didn't believe we were ready to play. I just want to make him happy. It's like you do things to make your parents happy. I do things to make Coach Bibby happy."

"Coach uses a lot of tactics to get us to go out and play," said junior forward Sam Clancy.

That's called motivation and relating to your players and knowing all the right buttons to push. It's part of the definition of a good coach, something Bibby has proven he is. He doesn't get a lot of notice (yet). He isn't the most popular guy in the business. He doesn't kiss up to the press.

But, then again, he doesn't really care. In fact, he kind of relishes in it.

"He jokes and he's funny, but there is a difference when there is business on the line," said Scalabrine. "Coach is about business."

About Elite Eight business it turns out. At SC. Go figure.