Trojans take on Huskies in Seattle

USC has posted back-to-back victories to move to 21-8 overall and 11-5 in conference action. The Trojans are coming off Saturday’s 84-66 decision over California, and they are alone in the third place in the Pac-10 standings.

Washington is a solid 16-12 overall, but that record is clearly overshadowed by a 6-10 mark against league competition. The last four games have resulted in defeat for the Huskies, who dropped a 93-85 decision to Oregon last time out.

USC recorded a thrilling 86-79 victory over Washington in double overtime back in late December, and the Trojans now own a 63-62 lead in the all-time series.

Nick Young is one of the best players in the Pac-10, as the USC forward is scoring 17.2 ppg on 53.1 percent shooting from the floor, including 45.2 percent from three-point range. Lodrick Stewart adds 14.2 ppg on 45.1 percent accuracy from behind the arc, and Taj Gibson checks in with 11.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg and 53 blocks. The fourth and final double-digit scorer is Gabe Pruitt with 11.6 ppg. USC is scoring 71.1 ppg on the strength of its 40.1 percent efficiency from three-point range, and the club is limiting its opponents to 62.7 ppg on 37.9 percent shooting from the field. In the 18-point win over California on Saturday, Gibson scored 18 points, while Dwight Lewis managed 14 points off the bench. Young and Stewart finished with 13 points apiece for the Trojans, and Stewart is now the leading three-point shooter in program history. The Trojans connected on 52.6 percent of their field goal attempts and posted 18 assists against only nine turnovers.

Although just a freshman, Washington center Spencer Hawes is racking up 15.4 ppg and 6.0 rpg while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor. The seven-foot standout has also blocked 47 shots while exhibiting a soft touch from the foul line. Jon Brockman is a rugged forward who adds 13.8 ppg and 9.5 rpg to the lineup, and Quincy Pondexter is contributing 10.9 ppg. Justin Dentmon (10.3 ppg) and Ryan Appleby (10.0 ppg) round out the double-digit scorers for Washington, which has struggled more defensively than offensively. In the loss to Oregon in the team’s most recent game, Hawes managed 20 points and six assists. Appleby led the team with his 21 points, as the sharpshooter nailed 5-of-10 three-pointers. Unfortunately, the Huskies permitted the Ducks to shoot 54.3 percent from the field.