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Darnell Gant scored 12 points to help the Huskies beat UCLA 71-69 on Thursday.
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Feb. 3, 2012
Complete Release 
SEATTLE -- The Huskies are alone in first-place atop the Pac-12 standings for the first time this season after they beat UCLA on Thursday and California lost at home to Arizona. The Huskies are 8-2 in conference action for the first time since starting Pac-10 play 10-2 during the 2005 season. UW has won four-straight games, seven of eight, and 10 of 12.
Washington welcomes in the USC Trojans on Saturday, who has won the last two games in the Emerald City. The Huskies will be attempting to earn their fifth home sweep of the L.A. schools during the Romar era.
FSN will televise the 8:00 p.m. contest to a national audience with Joel Meyers and Ernie Kent calling the action from Alaska Airlines Arena. Bob Rondeau and Jason Hamilton will provide home radio coverage on KJR 950 AM & 102.9 FM and the Washington IMG College Sports Network throughout the Pacific Northwest. UW Director of Writing Gregg Bell will also host an exclusive LIVE chat on GoHuskies.com.
Washington-USC History
The Huskies are 37-30 at home against USC and overall, USC holds a 67-65 advantage in the series which first began in 1925. UW has lost two-straight in Seattle and three of the last four games played in Hec Ed. Lorenzo Romar is only 5-4 at home vs. USC, his worst home record vs. any Pac-12 opponent. He is 11-7 overall vs. USC. Washington last beat USC at home in 2009. Kevin O'Neill is 4-2 all-time against the Huskies, going 1-1 while head coach at Arizona in 2008 and going 3-1 in his two seasons at USC.
Scouting USC
USC is last in the conference, currently 1-9 in Pac-12 action and 6-17 overall. USC has one road win this season, beating UC Riverside 56-35 in November ...The Trojans have lost 10 of its last 11 games and 13 of its last 15 games. They snapped a 9-games losing streak last Saturday by beating Utah ... USC lost 60-53 on Thursday at Washington State. Greg Allen came off the bench and scored a team-high 17 points and hit 5-of-11 three-point buckets. Garrett Jackson added 15 points and Byron Wesley scored 12 ... Sophomore guard Maurice Jones leads the Trojans with 14.2 points per game and 3.4 assists per game .. Head coach Kevin O'Neill is in his third year with the Trojans. Last year O'Neill led the Trojans in the first play-in game of the NCAA tournament, and then lost in the second round to Final Four participant VCU ... The Trojans suffered their fifth season-ending injury last week when big man Dewayne Dedmon went down, leaving the team with six healthy scholarship players.
Last Time Out Vs. USC (3/5/11)
AP -Jio Fontan scored 20 points, Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 10 rebounds and USC held off Washington's furious second-half rally for a 62-60 win. USC led by as many as 14 early in the second half, only to see Washington chip away and close within 49-45 with 7:38 left. But the Huskies made just one field goal over more than 11 minutes late in the game, getting 13 of their final 23 points at the free-throw line. Isaiah Thomas struggled from the field but led Washington (20-10, 11-7) with 16 points. The Huskies made a season-low two 3-pointers and went more than 11 minutes of the second half with just one field goal made, a dunk by Matthew Bryan-Amaning. But it was the Trojans dictating every part of this victory, from the pace to the style. Alex Stepheson was dominant inside, finishing with 11 points and 14 rebounds. The Trojans were 19 of 25 at the free-throw line, making their first 12 attempts. USC packed in defensively and forced Washington to the perimeter. And when the Huskies attempted a 3, there was usually a hand in the shooter's face. USC put Washington behind from the start, making its first six shots and leading by as many as 15 in the first half on Maurice Jones' flip shot in the lane. The Trojans led 36-26 at the break.
Last Time Out Vs. UCLA (2/2/12)
AP - Terrence Ross scored 10 of Washington's final 12 points to finish with 22, and the Huskies overcame a 10-point deficit with seven minutes remaining to stun UCLA 71-69 on Thursday night. Ross' 3-pointer from the wing with 1:20 remaining turned out to be the game-winner, but the Huskies (15-7, 8-2 Pac-12) had to watch Norman Powell's baseline jumper with 3 seconds left hang on the rim and fall off before celebrating their fourth straight win over the Bruins. Ross scored 18 points in the second half and made 9 of 12 shots overall. Tony Wroten added 13 points and Darnell Gant had 12 for the Huskies, who retained at least a share of the conference lead. Josh Smith scored a career-high 24 points for UCLA (12-10, 5-5), but had just three points in the final 12 minutes.
Did You Know ... ???
That during the second half of home games Terrence Ross is averaging 9.4 points, shooting 58.4% (45x77) from the field and 60.6% (20x33) from 3-point range? Conversely, Ross is averaging 5.9 pts., shoots 35.2% (31x88) from the field and 31.6% (12x38) from 3-pt range in the first half at home. Over the last 5 games its more staggering: 2nd half, 15.0 ppg, 62.5% FG, 12x18 3PT (.667); 1st half 4.4 ppg, 29% FG, 3x14 3PT (.214).
