Washington State
Cougars

Washington State Team Report

Updated: February 10, 2012 10:34 EST

Brock Motum began the season averaging less than six points per game in his career at Washington State and now he is now the top scorer in Pac-12 Conference games.

The 6-foot-10 junior from Brisbane, Australia, had 24 points in WSU's 83-73 win at Oregon State Thursday night. He is averaging 20.8 points in 12 league games to pace the conference, and his 17.5 points per game in all games ranks second in the conference.

In his last nine games, Motum is shooting 62-for-103 from the field and 44-for-51 from the line. He had nine rebounds and two steals to go with his team-high 24 points against the Beavers as WSU improved to 13-11 overall and 5-7 in conference play.

"It's just winning is the only thing," Motum said.

WSU coach Ken Bone knows that Motum is the key to getting wins and is playing him nearly 32 minutes per game, including 36 against OSU.

"We need him on the court as much as possible," Bone said. "We need him out there so if we can manage the game where he can be out there, we have to do that."

Motum averaged 2.9 points per game as a freshman and 7.6 last season.

--The Cougars' 63-60 loss to UCLA on Feb. 4 kept them winless at home against the Bruins since 1993.

--UCLA switched to a zone defense for much of the second half, effectively bottling up Brock Motum, who scored just six of his 25 points after the break. "The zone affected him," coach Ken Bone said. "And if it affects Brock, it affects us."

--The loss to UCLA was just the second Pac-12 home defeat in six games for Washington State, which was 0-5 on league games on the road through Feb. 4.

BY THE NUMBERS: 18 -- Points UCLA scored off 15 Washington State turnovers in the Bruins' 63-60 win Feb. 4.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I talked to the doc, and he told me just to try to play through it. And I knew my team needed me, especially with Fais going down. I just wanted to get out there and contribute to rebounding and the defensive end. I feel (the thumb) a little bit, but I try not to let it affect me." -- Junior G Mike Ladd, returning to action from a thumb injury after the team lost senior G Faisal Aden to a knee injury.

THIS WEEK'S GAME:

--at Oregon, Feb. 11

KEY MATCHUPS: The Cougars suffered through perhaps their worst defensive game of the season in a 92-75 home loss to the Ducks. Winning in Eugene won't be any easier. Clearly, the Cougars cannot win if they allow Oregon to duplicate its 69 percent shooting performance.

STAR WATCH: Junior G Reggie Moore had 11 assists against Oregon State, one shy of his career high. Moore leads the conference in assists with 5.7 per game. He has 363 assists in his career to rank eighth in school history, eight behind Marty Giovacchini for seventh place. Moore also had four steals against the Beavers, two shy of his career high.

FUTURES MARKET: Junior G Mike Ladd, a transfer this season from Fresno State, had missed five consecutive games with a torn ligament in his right thumb, and even coach Ken Brone said it was "up in the air" whether he'd play again this season. But with No. 2 scorer Faisal Aden out for the season because of a torn ACL in his left knee, Ladd made the decision to return. He had six points, four rebounds, a steal and an assist in 24 minutes in Washington State's 60-53 win over USC on Feb. 2, then provided 10 points, three rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes against UCLA on Feb. 4. It was his most productive stint for the Cougars since he scored 13 points in the season opener vs. Gonzaga. The Cougars had hopes that Ladd would provide them backcourt depth this season, but he has missed two separate stretches of five games because of injury. He had five points Thursday at Oregon State.

PLAYER NOTES

--Freshman G DaVonte Lacy missed practice early in the week with a sprained ankle but was back in the starting lineup against Oregon State. He had 10 points and made three three-pointers in the game.

--Sophomore F D.J. Shelton had a career-high 14 points against Oregon State. He made all five of his shots from the field and all four free throws to reach double digits for the first time this season.