WSU Visits City of Angels for Battle with Troy

WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (10-5, 1-3) at SOUTHERN CAL (8-7, 2-2)
Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024
7:30 p.m. PT // Los Angeles, Calif.
Galen Center  // 10,258
Radio Coverage
Cougar Sports Network // KXLY 920AM

Matt Chazanow & Craig Ehlo
Television Coverage
FS1 // FOX Sports App

Jordan Kent & Casey Jacobsen

OPENING FIVE

1. WSU begins the week in Los Angeles to play USC, Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. from the Galen Center and live on FS1, the first half of a split road-home week

2. Myles Rice continued an incredible start to his freshman season, the 2-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week is WSU’s leading scorer at 14.6 ppg, shooting 45.2%, while dishing out a team-high 47 assists and grabbing 25 steals

3. The Cougars hold opponents to just 40.0% shooting, second in the Pac-12 and No. 49 in Division-I, offensively WSU shoots the ball at a 47.3% clip, having shot over 50% seven times this season

4. Isaac Jones has stepped into the leading role as WSU’s second-best scorer at 14.1 ppg (15th in Pac-12) and top rebounder at 7.1 rpg, which ranks seventh in the Pac-12, while Jones shoots the ball at 59.4%, fourth in the Conference

5. Three Cougs are shooting over 50% from the floor, led by WSU bigs Chinyelu (.649), Jones (.594),  and Cluff (.586), with Rice close behind at 45.2%

SERIES HISTORY WITH USC

Washington State and Southern California have played each other since a Pacific Coast Conference playoff game back in December 1948. Since then, the Trojans hold an 82-49 advtange in the all-time series.

LAST TIME VS USC

Boogie Ellis scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half to offset a big night by Mouhamed Gueye and USC pulled away late for an 80-70 victory in Los Angeles. Drew Peterson finished with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. Gueye finished with a career-high 31 points for the Cougars. He grabbed 12 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. Justin Powell buried a 3-pointer to put the Cougars ahead 65-63 with 4:29 left. Peterson hit the second of two free throws, Kobe Johnson followed with a 3-pointer and the Trojans never trailed again. Current USC fifth-year senior DJ Rodman did not travel or play for the Cougars with illness.

CURRENT COUGS VS USC

WSU Head Coach Kyle Smith has only beaten Southern Cal once during his tenure on the Palouse, holding a 1-7 record against the Trojans. Smith and WSU beat USC in Pullman on New…