Lack of playing time causes USC’s Galloway to depart

Having gone from a contender for the starting point guard spot to one of the last players off the bench, USC freshman Kevin Galloway has decided to transfer, Coach Tim Floyd said Monday.

Galloway becomes the third Trojan to transfer this season and the second to do so because of concerns over playing time. Sophomore guard Sead Odzic transferred to Illinois State and sophomore forward Jeremy Barr transferred to Nebraska, both leaving USC at the semester break.

Galloway averaged 2.8 points and 2.2 assists in 13 games, making one start and averaging 12.1 minutes a game. After losing a battle for the starting point guard spot to Daniel Hackett, Galloway had been a regular contributor until his playing time plummeted upon junior Gabe Pruitt’s return from academic ineligibility in late December.

“Kevin, like Sead, was desperate for more playing time and we couldn’t really appease him with the return of Gabe and Daniel at that spot,” Floyd said.

Floyd said Galloway had already left USC but didn’t know where he intended to enroll, though the coach said a junior college was a possibility. Floyd said Galloway was in good academic standing and left the door open for a possible return.

“We really like Kevin,” Floyd said. “He’s a good player and I think he’s going to do well, and who knows, he may even end up back here.”

Floyd suspended 6-foot-7 Galloway for USC’s first two Pacific 10 Conference games after Galloway returned late from Christmas break, and Galloway was one of the last Trojans reserves off the bench during a 91-46 victory over Oregon State. He played two minutes and did not score.

Nonetheless, Galloway’s roommate, freshman forward Kyle Austin, said Galloway never openly expressed displeasure with his role on the team.

“I didn’t know if he was happy or not. He never really expressed it,” said Austin, who acknowledged being surprised by the decision. “He never seemed like a down type of kid. He was always outgoing.”

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Hackett wore his old practice jersey No. 11 on Monday after switching to No. 25 against UCLA on Saturday. The former number is no longer an option in games since it was retired at halftime Saturday to honor Trojans great Bill Sharman.... Floyd said center Abdoulaye N’diaye had made a strong case for more playing time after his performance in the Trojans’ last two games. The 6-11 senior has made his last nine field-goal attempts and had four points and seven rebounds in only nine minutes against UCLA on Saturday.

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Florida is at No. 1 in the Associated Press college poll for the second time this season. Virginia Tech is No. 23, the Hokies’ first time in the top 25 in more than a decade.

Florida, the defending national champion, moved up from second after North Carolina’s loss to Virginia Tech over the weekend. The Gators were on top of the preseason rankings and the first poll of the regular season before falling as low as seventh six weeks ago.

Wisconsin and UCLA each moved up one place to second and third, and North Carolina dropped three spots after holding the No. 1 ranking for one week.

It is Virginia Tech’s first appearance in the rankings since the final poll of the 1995-96 season.

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Associated Press contributed to this report.

ben.bolch@latimes.com