USC FOOTBALL: STUDENT MAY BE WITNESS.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF Staff Writer

A USC student emerged as a possible witness in the sexual-assault case involving quarterback Mark Sanchez, according to sources close to the investigation.

The student, who has not been identified, was in the Cardinal Gardens apartment the night of the alleged assault, sources said, and could provide important information regarding the incident.

The only confirmed witness in the apartment was Sanchez's roommate, linebacker Brian Cushing. But sources said he told police he was asleep. Cushing was initially arrested then released by police.

The alleged victim, also a USC student, lives in the same apartment complex and met Sanchez sometime after 1:30a.m. last Thursday morning, when friends dropped him off after spending the night at an off-campus bar.

Sanchez, 19, is currently allowed to take final exams at USC although he was placed on ``interim suspension'' by the student-affairs office.

Bush update: The attorney for two men who accused tailback Reggie Bush and his family of defrauding them of $300,000 said his clients are scheduled to meet with the NCAA to discuss details of the alleged business arrangement.

The NCAA is sending an investigator to San Diego to look into the controversy and will interview Michael Michaels and Lloyd Lake, the two principals who started New Era Sports, a sports-marketing agency that hoped to feature Bush as a client.

That increases the scope of the case because previously only the Pacific-10 Conference was involved in the investigation.

Bush's parents lived in a $757,000 home outside San Diego that was owned by Michaels but did not pay rent, according to Michaels.

``They did contact us, we're scheduling a time,'' said Brian Watkins, an attorney representing both men. ``We're supposed to touch base tomorrow and get it scheduled.''

Michaels also claims he paid $28,000 to settle debts held by Bush's parents, according to Watkins. The lawyer also said claims by Bush that he did not know how his parents financed their new house are ``preposterous.''

Bush told USC officials last week he was unaware of his parents' living arrangement. Even if he did not know, it might not matter when determining if NCAA rules were broken.

``The big issues are going to be No. 1, did he or his family receive any type of benefit that was motivated by his playing ability? They'll first go down that route,'' said an NCAA source familiar with compliance issues. ``He or his family cannot profit from his potential future. Any deal with an agent or for marketing later, if the benefits were given to his parents, would be a violation of amateurism rules.''