PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State men's basketball team defeated the Missouri State Bears, 91-78, Saturday afternoon at Beasley Coliseum.
Big Picture: Washington State moved to 9-2 and closed their home nonconference schedule 5-0.
Player Performances: Dane Erikstrup and
Isaiah Watts each scored 20 points as all five WSU starters finished in double figures.
Ethan Price added 12 points and team-high seven rebounds to eclipse 500 career rebounds.
LeJuan Watts scored 17 points and
Nate Calmese added 14 points and matched a career-high with seven assists.
Between the Lines: Washington State got off to a slow start, but pulled away in the second half thanks to a 0.627 field goal percentage (32-51) the best FG clip by a Coug team since shooting 67% against Santa Clara in December 2011. WSU improved to 9-0 when dishing out 15+ assists, finishing with 17
Up Next: The Cougars complete the nonconference on the road, first traveling to Seattle to face the Washington Huskies in the 300th all-time meeting between the programs, Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m. from Alaska Airlines Arena and live on FS1.
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WASHINGTON STATE POSTGAME NOTES
- With the result, the Cougars:
- Improve to 9-2 this season
- Improve to 5-0 at home
- Improved to 7-1 in white uniforms
- Improve to 2-0 all-time against Missouri State
- Improve to 9-2 when leading at halftime, the Cougs have led at every halftime this season
- Improve to 7-0 when shooting over 50% from the floor
- Improve to 9-0 when tallying 15+ assists
- The Cougar shot a season-high 62.7% (32-51) from the floor, the highest single-game field goal percentage by the Cougs since shooting 67.4% (31-46) against Santa Clara, Dec. 11, 2011
- WSU used the same starters for the fifth-consecutive game (Price, L. Watts, Calmese, I. Watts, Erikstrup) and all five starters scored in double figures for the second time this season
- WSU record eight blocked shots, second-most this season with three Cougs tallying multiple blocks
- Ethan Price grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, eclipsing 500 career rebounds in the win
- Price became the first Cougar men's basketball player since Kyle Weaver (2004-08) to reach 1,000 career points, 500 career rebounds, and 200 career assists
- Price finished with 12 points for his seventh double-digit game (65th career)
- Dane Erikstrup delivered a season-high four assists and finished with a game-high 20 points
- Erikstrup eclipsed 20 points for the second time this season and seventh time in his D-I career
- Erikstrup attempted a season-high eight free throws, converting a season-high six made free throws
- Isaiah Watts scored 20 points for the third 20-point game and leads the Cougs in 20-point performances
- Watts matched a career high with seven rebounds and has matched or exceeded his rebounding career high in three-straight games
- Nate Calmese matched his career high with seven assists
- Calmese added 14 points for his ninth double-digit game in 11 outings
- Calmese matched a season-high with three steals
- LeJuan Watts scored 17 points, his tenth 10-point game as a Coug
- Watts did not record a rebound for the first time this season
- Tomas Thrastarson matched a career high with two blocks
- Kase Wynott attempted his first career free throws, finishing 0-of-4 from the charity stripe
- Cedric Coward (shoulder), Rihard Vavers (wrist), and Marcus Wilson (shoulder) were out injured
- Coach Riley confirmed postgame that Coward, Wilson, and most likely Vavers will be out the remainder of the season
