USC basketball: Washington State leads Trojans, 23-19, at halftime

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Boy, they’re really lighting up the scoreboards here in Pullman, Wash., where Washington State leads USC, 23-19, at halftime.

That is USC’s second-lowest scoring first half of the season, after an 18-point first half against Western Michigan. But it’s Washington State’s season-low for first half points, after scoring 24 points in the first half against (guess who?) ... USC when the teams last met.

Both teams look stout on defense. WSU is shooting nine of 22 from the field (41%); USC is eight of 22 (36%). Many of those misses are from three-point range, where USC is one-of-seven shooting and the Cougars have missed all five of their attempts.

Dwight Lewis has done a solid job of guarding Klay Thompson, who entered the game as the Pacific 10 Conference’s second-leading scorer (20.8 points). Thompson missed all six of his first-half attempts from the field and has yet to score.

Lewis leads USC with seven points on three-of-five shooting.

Mike Gerrity looks tired after playing 37 minutes at Washington on Thursday. He’s missed all four of his shots, including two from three-point range, and the half ended on a sour note for him when the Cougars’ DeAngelo Casto swatted his layup off the backboard.

Casto, a 6-foot-8, 241-pound forward, has been WSU’s best player. He’s four of five from the field with eight points and three rebounds.

-- Baxter Holmes, reporting from Pullman, Wash.