University Southern California Trojans
USC
Washington St
Trojans Dominate Washington State, 83-61
January 06, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2000
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - Jeff Trepagnier scored 18 points as USC crushed Washington State 83-61 in the Pacific 10 opener for both teams Thursday night in the Spokane Arena.
USC(8-5), which has won five of its past six, also got 17 points from Sam Clancy.
Washington State (5-5) was playing with just nine players because of injury and illness. It was new coach Paul Graham's first Pac-10 game.
Eddie Miller, who was playing his second game for WSU after becoming academically eligible, scored 13 points and had 14 rebounds. Mike Bush had 15 points for the Cougars.
Brandon Granville scored eight points as USC took an early lead. Eight unanswered points brought Washington State to within three points at 16-13.
Chris Crosby, WSU's leading scorer, limped off the floor at that point with an ankle injury.
Brian Scalabrine and Trepagnier each scored five points during a 14-4 USC run that lifted the Trojans to a 30-17 lead with about eight minutes left in the first half.
Crosby returned to the WSU lineup, and the teams traded baskets the rest of the half as Southern Cal took a 43-30 lead at halftime. They were aided by 13 WSU turnovers in the half.
Washington State scored eight unanswered points early in the second half to pull to within 48-38. But Scalabrine scored three straight baskets for the Trojans, and Trepagnier rammed home a slam to rebuild the lead to 56-41 with 13 minutes left. It was no contest after that.
