Weaver scores 17 as WSU beats USC, 74-50

SPOKANE, Wash. — Kyle Weaver scored 17 points to help No. 17 Washington State beat Southern California 74-50 on Saturday, breaking a three-game home losing streak.

Taylor Rochestie added 13 points as Washington State (18-5, 6-5 Pac-10) shot 59.6 percent from the floor and registered nine steals against the Trojans.

Weaver made all eight of his field goal attempts and added seven rebounds and five assists. The senior also picked up the 1,000th point of his career.

O.J. Mayo scored 14 points and Davon Jefferson 13 for Southern Cal (15-8, 6-5), which lost for only the second time in the past eight games. Mayo averages more than 20 per game.

Washington State took control early and waltzed to a victory that gave them a season sweep of the Trojans. It was the only win in a streak of four straight home games for the Cougars.

After leading by 10 at halftime, Washington State forced four steals in the first nine minutes of the second half, while the offense made six of its first 10 shots for a 45-29 lead.

Caleb Forrest's basket extended the WSU lead to 54-37.

After Angelo Johnson's 3-pointer for USC narrowed the lead to 58-46 with 5:04 left, the Cougars went on a 10-1 run — six points by Weaver — for a 68-47 lead.

Southern Cal coach Tim Floyd picked up two technical fouls for arguing with officials and was ejected with 4:49 left, after Kyle Weaver's stuff put WSU ahead 62-46.

In the first half, Southern Cal was leading 7-4 when Weaver scored seven consecutive points to ignite a 13-5 run. After a basket by Dwight Lewis, Washington State outscored the cold-shooting Trojans 12-3 to stretch the lead to 29-17.

Mayo's shot at the buzzer cut Washington State's halftime lead to 29-19. The Trojans made only three baskets over the final 11 ½ minutes of the first half, and shot just 36 percent compared to 52 percent for WSU.

Weaver's first basket of the game gave him 1,000 points for his career, becoming the 29th Cougar to reach that milestone. Derrick Low became the 28th earlier this season, and they are the first teammates to reach that mark together since Terry Kelly and Don Collins in 1980.

The Cougars, who opened the season 14-0, won for only the fourth time in their past nine outings. It was also the first time in eight games the Cougars scored at least 70 points.