LeJuan Watts vs Northern Colorado
Emma Decasa
76
Winner Washington St. WSU 10-3,0-0 WCC
68
UNI UNI 7-5,1-0 MVC
Winner
Washington St. WSU
10-3,0-0 WCC
76
Final
68
UNI UNI
7-5,1-0 MVC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Washington St. WSU 49 27 76
UNI UNI 26 42 68

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | WSU Athletic Communications

Powerful First Half Propels Cougs to Victory over UNI

LAS VEGAS – The Washington State men's basketball defeated the Northern Iowa Panthers, 76-68, Saturday afternoon at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
 
Big Picture: The Cougars concluded the nonconference schedule 10-3, picking up 10 nonconference wins for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
 
Player Performances: LeJuan Watts secured his fifth double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Nate Calmese led the Cougs with 16 points and six rebounds. Tomas Thrastarson made his first career start and finished with a career-high seven points. Dane Erikstrup tallied 15 points in the win. 
 
Box Score Tidbits: The Cougars shot an eye-watering 72.4% in the first half, finishing the game 59.3% from the floor (32-of-54) and are 8-0 when shooting over 50%. WSU also dished out 23 assists, one shy of the season high, improving to 10-0 when delivering 15+ assists.
 
Wire-to-Wire: WSU senior Ethan Price won the opening tip and scored the opening bucket on the first trip down the court, as the Cougars led for all but the first 30 seconds of the game.
 
Up Next: The Cougars take a short holiday break before returning to action for the start of West Coast Conference play, Saturday, Dec. 28, against the Portland Pilots at Chiles Center. Tip off in the Rose City is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT with coverage on ESPN+.

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WASHINGTON STATE POSTGAME NOTES
  • With the result, the Cougars:
    • Improve to 10-3 this season
    • Improve to 4-2 in neutral site games
    • Improve to 3-0 in anthracite uniforms
    • Improve to 1-1 all-time against Northern Iowa and 1-1 in neutral site meetings
    • Improve to 10-2 when leading at halftime
    • Finished with 23 assists and improve to 10-0 when tallying 15+ assists
    • Finished over 50% field goal shooting for the eighth time, improving to 8-0
    • Conclude the nonconference schedule at 10-3 and won 10 nonconference games for the first time since 2010-11
  • WSU had its largest halftime lead of the season, outscoring UNI by 23 in the first period
    • The Cougars scored 49 first-half points, second-best output this season behind 51 points vs EWU (Nov. 21)
  • Redshirt-sophomore LeJuan Watts finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, his fifth double-double (6th career)
    • Watts has scored 10+ points in all but one game this season
    • Watts led the team in rebounding for the ninth time this season
  • Junior Nate Calmese led the team in scoring for the seventh time, finishing with 16 points
    • Calmese led the Cougs with six assists, his eighth game with 5+ assists
  • Senior Dane Erikstrup matched a season high with four assists
    • Erikstrup finished with 15 points, ninth double-digit game (31st career)
  • Redshirt-freshman Parker Gerrits grabbed his first career steal, finishing with two steals total
    • Gerrits scored a season-high six points in a season-high 14 minutes of action
  • True freshman Tomas Thrastarson made his first career start
    • Thrastarson scored a season-high seven points in a season-high 27 minutes
  • Kase Wynott played a season-high 23 minutes and matched his season-high with three points
  • WSU used its third unique lineup of the season, starting Price, L. Watts, Thrastarson, Calmese, and Erikstrup
  • Sophomore Isaiah Watts was out with a hand injury
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