IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
PULLMAN, Wash. – Eight of WSU's 13 players scored in double figures, as Washington State men's basketball surpassed the 100-point plateau to defeat New Hope Christian College, 138-63, Sunday in exhibition play at Beasley Coliseum. Freshman
Aljaž Kunc led the Cougars with a game-high 24 points, as he was 10-for-11 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. WSU's only other freshman,
CJ Elleby had a game-high 10 rebounds enroute to a double-double by adding 14 points. He also had game highs 4 steals along with 6 assists. Newcomers and juniors,
Jervae Robinson (16),
Isaiah Wade (15) and
Ahmed Ali (15) also scored in double figures, as well as returnees, senior
Viont'e Daniels (10), junior
Carter Skaggs (15) and redshirt sophomore
Arinze Chidom (10). Robinson had a game-high 7 assists, while Ali and Daniels each added 5 and Kunc had 4. The newcomers (WSU has 7 this season) played the majority of the minutes, while the Cougars shot .691 (56-for-81) from the field and .630 (17-for-27) from 3-point range. WSU had 41 points on NHCC's 23 turnovers, committing just 9. The Cougars assisted on 35 of their 56 baskets and had 15 steals. WSU held the Deacons to just .294 (10-for-34) shooting from the field, as they were led by Knigel Key and Jaylen Rose with 17 points apiece.
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
• All 13 players that suited up saw playing time…the newcomers accounted for 124 of the 200 minutes (.620) with 2018 Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year, Robert Franks, playing 11 minutes.
• Freshmen
CJ Elleby and
Aljaž Kunc, sophomore
Marvin Cannon and juniors
Ahmed Ali,
Jervae Robinson,
James Streeter and
Isaiah Wade all made their first appearances in Cougar uniforms during the exhibition action.
• Although exhibition games do not count toward the record books, WSU's 17 made 3-pointers were just one shy of the school record of 18, done twice, most recently against Gonzaga in 2002.
• The Cougars had 4 blocked shots, 2 from redshirt sophomore
Arinze Chidom who added 10 points and was 5-for-6 from the field.
• WSU had 72 of its 138 points in the paint and 50 of those on fast breaks.
• The Cougars' bench outscored the Deacons' bench, 93-19.
• Two newcomers started the game, Elleby and Ali.
• Washington State had 12 dunks on the day…last year WSU had 28 dunks throughout the 2017-18 season.
