Cougars feed Motum

PULLMAN – After high-scoring guard Faisal Aden suffered a season-ending knee injury last week, Washington State coach Ken Bone said the Cougars would rely on more production from a variety of players to make up for Aden’s loss.

On Thursday night, Bone ditched that idea in favor of a more simple solution: Feed Brock Motum the ball every chance possible.

“It will be (WSU’s offensive game plan) every game,” Bone said after Motum poured in 26 points to lead the Cougars to a 60-53 triumph over the Univeristy of Southern California at Beasley Coliseum.

Motum, a 6-foot-10 junior from Australia, boosted his team-best scoring average to 16.8 points per game.

“The guards did a good job finding me,” said Motum who made nine of 11 shots.

The Cougars often played Motum and four guards against the Trojans, who lack size, talent and depth.

Injuries have left USC with just six scholarship players, and the Trojans faded after cutting their deficit to four points at 49-45 with less than seven minutes to go.

“We had our opportunities,” USC coach Kevin O’Neill said. “We just missed open looks down the stretch.”

Motum was the only player with more than nine points for the Cougars (12-10 overall, 4-6 Pacific-12 Conference). Guard Greg Allen, a junior college transfer, came off the bench to lead last-place USC (6-17, 1-9) with season highs of 17 points and five 3-pointers. Garrett Jackson added 15 points.

WSU got an unexpected boost from junior guard Mike Ladd. Bone said Tuesday that Ladd might be sidelined the rest of the season, but Ladd taped up the torn ligament in his right thumb and played 25 minutes, one off his season high.

“I’m surprised he played 24 minutes, surprised he played as well as he did. But I sure am happy,” Bone said.

Ladd, who has twice missed five games with thumb problems, contributed six points, four rebounds, one assist and a steal.

“I feel it (the thumb pain) all the time,” Ladd said.

“Mike’s an unbelievable competitor,” Motum said.

The Cougars, who have played zone defense much of the season, went man-to-man against the Trojans. USC came into the game ranked last in the Pac-12 in scoring at 54.4 points a game.

Marcus Capers, WSU’s best perimeter defender, helped limit USC scoring leader Maurice Jones to seven points on 3-for-9 shooting (1-for-6 on 3-pointers). One of the 4,002 spectators added to the miserable night of the 5-7 Jones by screaming at him, “I’ve got a taller gnome than you on my lawn!”

The Cougars, 8-0 at Beasley, next take on UCLA (12-10, 5-5) at 2 p.m. Saturday on Root Sports.

WSU coaches and staff members will wear sneakers with their suits to support Coaches vs. Cancer, and donations will be accepted for the Rypien Foundation, founded by former WSU football star Mark Rypien after his 3-year-old son died of cancer in 1998. Rypien is scheduled to speak at halftime.