USC
Washington State
USC Holds Off Washington State 61-51
February 19, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2009
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LOS ANGELES (AP) -Dwight Lewis scored 17 points, Taj Gibson had 16, and Southern California held off Washington State 61-51 on Thursday.
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USC (16-9, 7-6 Pac-10) led by 14 in the second half before the Cougars went on a 17-4 run to pull within 45-44 with 7:33 left. Daniel Hackett hit a jumper from the top of the key and Lewis had seven points down the stretch to give USC the win.
Hackett added 12 points for the Trojans , who are 13-1 at home.
Taylor Rochestie scored 16 points for Washington State (13-13, 5-9). The Cougars' leading scorer, Klay Thompson, who averages 13.3 per game, went 0-for-5 in the first half and finished with five points.
Caleb Forrest added 12 for Washington State.
The Trojans took control midway through the first half with a 17-2 run. Gibson, who had six points during that span, started the rally when he pushed his way to the basket past DeAngelo Casto. Hackett added eight points in the run, including a fadeaway and a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
The Cougars went nearly eight minutes without a basket in the first half and missed nine of their first 12 shots as USC built a 29-21 halftime lead.
The 21 points nearly matched Washington State's lowest offensive output for a half this season, which was 19 against USC. The Trojans won that game 46-44.
Washington State was scoreless from behind the 3-point line in the first half and went 0-for-8. In the teams' first matchup this season, the Cougars had six treys.
Lewis missed the last meeting against the Cougars because of a sprained ankle.
