LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Southern California's Nick Young delivered

his best collegiate offensive performance by drawing on Los Angeles

Lakers' Kobe Bryant for inspiration.

Young scored a career-high 32 points to lead the Trojans to a

71-66 victory over Washington State in Pacific-10 Conference play

Saturday night.

"I went to sleep watching my favorite player, Kobe Bryant,"

Young said. "I just watched a lot of game tapes and (watched) how

he shoots the ball with confidence."

Young made 10 of 17 shots, including three of four from 3-point

range, and nine of 12 free throws for the Trojans (12-5, 3-3).

Teammate Gabe Pruitt added 20 points.

"Nobody could guard him," Cougars coach Dick Bennett said of

Young. "They were just too quick for us. We simply weren't able to

handle that or their ability to shoot the ball."

USC coach Tim Floyd attributed Young's improvement this season

to a more aggressive approach that resulted in more free-throw

opportunities.

"The first two or three weeks of the season was a highlight

reel," Floyd said. "He wasn't getting himself to the line. But

he's playing more aggressively in terms of trying to get to the

rim. Consequently, he's getting fouled."

Josh Akognon scored 19 points and Ivory Clark had 10 points for

the Cougars (9-5, 2-3), who allowed 70 or more points for the

fourth time this season.

Akognon's 3-point basket narrowed Washington State's deficit to

68-66 with 1:07 to play. But USC's Ryan Francis stole the ball from

Akognon in the Cougars' backcourt and passed to Young for a slam

dunk with 15.5 seconds left.

"He continually makes big plays at the end of games for us,"

Floyd said of Francis. "The pick at the end of the game was

something we really needed."

Washington State's Aron Baynes fouled Young on the play and

Young made the ensuing free throw to end the scoring.

USC won its 12th game last season on March 5 against Oregon

State in the season finale.