SEATTLE — Desmond Claude led a strong performance for Southern California, scoring 20 points as the team secured an impressive 85-61 win against Washington on Saturday night. This victory marked an end to a three-game losing streak for USC.

The Trojans displayed remarkable shooting in the first half, hitting 70% of their shots (19 of 27) and establishing a commanding 26-point lead by halftime with a score of 51-25. Claude and Wesley Yates III each contributed 12 points, while Saint Thomas added 10 for USC, which holds a record of 6-4 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten. Washington attempted to mount a comeback in the second half and reduced the deficit to 22 points early on but could not close the gap significantly.

Thomas hit a crucial step-back jumper that advanced the Trojans’ lead to 31 points at 66-35 with 12:36 left in the game, representing the team’s largest advantage of the season.

Claude finished the night shooting 5 of 6 from the field and 9 of 11 from the charity stripe. Teammates Yates and Thomas also contributed significantly, each scoring 19 points, with Yates making three of USC’s seven three-pointers. Additionally, Rashaun Agee added 15 points, and the Trojans ended the game with a highly efficient shooting performance, scoring 32 out of 50 attempts, for a shooting percentage of 64%.

For Washington, Mekhi Mason led the team with 15 points, while Zoom Diallo chipped in with 10 points, but their efforts fell short against a dominant USC squad.