Good morning, Coug fans! Today our very own Washington State women’s basketball takes on USC on their turf, today at 4:30 on Pac 12 Washington.

Let’s take a look at what we’re up against.

USC is currently 5th in the Pac 12, with a 5-5 record. Some of our more memorable opponents, like Arizona for example, beat USC in an incredibly close call- USC lost 77 to 78. UCLA however absolutely clobbered them, beating USC 52-73. USC did come out on top against both Colorado and Utah, winning the games 56-52 and 60-59 respectfully. Arizona had six more assists and two more rebounds, but other than that they appeared pretty evenly matched.

Endyia Rogers leads in points, averaging 16.7 per game. She is also the highest field goal contributor, has the most three pointers (for which she averages roughly 38%), and free throws. She’s 5’7” and a sophomore, so we probably want to get used to her for a little bit.

For USC’s defensive game, Amaya Oliver has the most rebounds. She’s played in 10 games, and has 65 rebounds under her belt this season. That’s 6.5 rebounds a game, if we’re getting logical. She’s a 6’2” freshman, so for her to start at such a caliber sounds a little familiar.

Angel Jackson is second for rebounds, but she averages 6.7 a game. Jackson is also 6’5”. And a sophomore. That’s not intimidating at all! (Blots forehead.)

Jordan Sanders and Angel Jackson are right behind Rodgers for points, both having played nine games so far. Sanders has about 14.7 points per game, and Jackson has 9.7. Jackson also leads the team in blocks and steals.

It’s looking like a lot of USC’s talent is also young, which we can relate to. As usual, the most important thing is to never underestimate one’s opponent- and while I’m sure our Cougs can handle anything, I’m not taking that for granted. It looks like USC hasn’t had an extremely consistent game, so we have no real idea what they could be bringing to the table, beyond their starters.

Overall, I think today has the opportunity to produce yet another solid game of basketball. As always, stay hydrated and Go Cougs!

Links

Three Washington State Cougars selected in 2021 NWSL Draft
The group is headlined by freshman Trinity Rodman, who went No. 2 overall.

UCLA Bruins swipe Washington State Cougars | Peninsula Daily News
LOS ANGELES — Johnny Juzang scored a career-high 17 points and UCLA rolled to a 91-61 victory over Washington State on Thursday, extending its overall winning streak to five and its home-court victory streak to 14.

Michigan State cornerback Chris Jackson announces transfer to Washington State | The Seattle Times
Chris Jackson, a former Michigan State cornerback who just finished his redshirt sophomore season with the Spartans, announced his commitment to WSU on Thursday afternoon.

USC looks to extend streak vs Washington St. | Sports | smdailyjournal.com
Washington State (9-3, 2-3) vs. Southern California (10-2, 4-1)

Leger-Walker sisters spark WSU women's basketball's surging success | KLEW
The Leger-Walker sisters have provided a major spark to this year’s Washington State Cougars basketball team. Throughout, the season, head coach Kamie Ethridge has commended their leadership, their basketball IQ, their high effort, and nearly any phase of their game. As the New Zealand natives continue to pile up wins on the Palouse, KLEW News caught up with them to hear about the excitement of sharing success with a sibling. “It’s super special,” Charlisse Leger-Walker said in a zoom interview.

A Grip on Sports: Late schedule change allows even more time to watch the local college hoops teams play today | The Spokesman-Review
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Nothing better than sitting down to a day of college hoops. It is what Thursdays in January are all about, right? And, with the weird virus-caused schedules, there are even more to watch. Unless, you know, games are cancelled and then others are moved.