PALM DESERT, Calif. (Hayden Wysup) – The Washington State men's basketball team fell to SMU, 77-60, in the Acrisure Holiday Invitational Championship, Wednesday night at Acrisure Arena.
Big Picture: Washington State moved to 6-2 overall and 2-2 on neutral courts.
Player Performances: Nate Calmese led the team in scoring with 15 points and dished out a team-high six assists. Ethan Price and LeJuan Watts each had 12 points.
Between the Lines: Wazzu gave up a season low eight turnovers, but the difference came in the paint where SMU dominated. The Mustangs outrebounded the Cougars 51-25, the most boards allowed by the Cougs since Jan. 2, 2021 against Arizona.
Turning point: The Mustangs came out of the half on fire, going on a 25-10 run to capture the lead and held onto it for the rest of the game.
Up Next: The Cougars will return home for the Thanksgiving holiday before traveling to Reno, Nevada to face the Wolf Pack, Monday, Dec. 2.
WASHINGTON STATE POSTGAME NOTES
Big Picture: Washington State moved to 6-2 overall and 2-2 on neutral courts.
Player Performances: Nate Calmese led the team in scoring with 15 points and dished out a team-high six assists. Ethan Price and LeJuan Watts each had 12 points.
Between the Lines: Wazzu gave up a season low eight turnovers, but the difference came in the paint where SMU dominated. The Mustangs outrebounded the Cougars 51-25, the most boards allowed by the Cougs since Jan. 2, 2021 against Arizona.
Turning point: The Mustangs came out of the half on fire, going on a 25-10 run to capture the lead and held onto it for the rest of the game.
Up Next: The Cougars will return home for the Thanksgiving holiday before traveling to Reno, Nevada to face the Wolf Pack, Monday, Dec. 2.
WASHINGTON STATE POSTGAME NOTES
- With the result, the Cougars:
- Fall to 6-2 this season
- Fall to 2-2 at neutral sites
- Fall to 6-1 in white uniforms
- Move to 1-1 all-time against SMU
- Fall to 6-2 when leading at halftime
- WSU used the same starters for the second-consecutive game (Price, L. Watts, Calmese, I. Watts, Erikstrup)
- WSU was held to a season low 60 points
- The Cougars committed a season-low eight turnovers
- The Cougars allowed 51 total rebounds by the Mustangs, the most by a WSU opponent since Arizona grabbed 53 rebounds, Jan. 2, 2021 in Pullman
- Nate Calmese led WSU with a team-high 15 points and game-high six assists
- Calmese has scored in double figures seven times
- Dane Erikstrup matched a season-high with two assists
- Erikstrup matched a season-high with two blocks
- Tomas Thrastarson recorded his first career free throw and matched a season-high with one rebound
- Ethan Price scored 12 points, registering his fifth double-digit game this season
- LeJuan Watts finished with 12 points, his seventh double-digit game this season
- Isaiah Watts tallied two blocked shots, matching his career high
- Watts also grabbed a game-high four steals, one shy of his career high
- Watts also tallied a team-best five rebounds, the first time in his career leading the team in rebounding
- Kase Wynott scored a career-high three points with his first made 3-point of his career in a season-high 21 minutes