USC Defeats Washington State 68-61, Reaches 10-1 Record

LOS ANGELES Southern California's men's basketball team defeated Washington State 68-61 on Sunday night at the Galen Center, improving to a 10-1 record and securing their first win over their former Pac-12 rival since 2023.

Jacob Cofie led the Trojans with a near career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 9 of 12 from the field. The sophomore forward from Washington opened the game with a dunk and added 12 points in the first 12 minutes, including seven rebounds by halftime to match the Cougars' team total at that point. Chad Baker-Mazara contributed 19 points, going 4 of 11 from the field but perfect on 11 free-throw attempts. He also grabbed six rebounds, dished five assists and recorded two blocks, including a crucial chasedown block in the final seconds. Ezra Ausar added 13 points for USC, despite shooting 2 of 8 from the field.

The Trojans jumped out to a strong start, scoring the game's first 15 points in a 19-3 run that featured nine points from Baker-Mazara, building a 30-14 lead with 5:35 left in the first half. USC dominated inside, tallying 20 points in the paint and extending the margin to 16 points during a 15-0 spurt that energized the home crowd. Washington...