Nate Calmese drives against San Francisco, Jan. 4, 2025
82
San Francisco USF 13-4,3-1 WCC
91
Winner Washington St. WSU 13-3,3-0 WCC
San Francisco USF
13-4,3-1 WCC
82
Final
91
Washington St. WSU
13-3,3-0 WCC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
San Francisco USF 49 33 82
Washington St. WSU 48 43 91

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

Cougs Add Resume Win Over San Francisco, 91-82

PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State men's basketball defeated the San Francisco Dons, 91-82, Saturday afternoon at Beasley Coliseum in Pullman, Washington
 
Big Picture: Washington State played its first WCC game at Beasley Coliseum, improving to 3-0 in Conference, and is off to its best start since 2006-07.
 
Player Performances: Five Cougars scored in double figures, led by LeJuan Watts with a career-high 24 points and team-high 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double. Ethan Price scored 20 points. Dane Erikstrup scored 18 points with a WSU career-high nine rebounds. Nate Calmese scored 16 points and Tomas Thrastarson added 10. 
 
Turning Point: Wazzu used a 23-1 scoring run over seven minutes in the second half to secure the win. Sparked by a LeJuan Watts layup, the Cougars scored 16 unanswered points with 10 minutes remaining. The run was broken by a lone USF free throw, before WSU rattled off seven more to extend the lead to 17 points with under four minutes to play.
 
In Coach Riley's Words: "Our guys did a great job being tough for 40 minutes. Our guys didn't get frustrated. They didn't overreact. We adjusted the game plan at halftime, and I thought we did a really good job. I think the crowd played a huge part. The whole crowd was going crazy. It was a great moment. I think that energy is something we need to continue to build."
 
Up Next: The Cougars will stay home to welcome the Pacific Tigers, Thursday, Jan. 9, at 6:30 p.m. for Greek Night.

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WASHINGTON STATE POSTGAME NOTES
  • With the result, the Cougars:
    • Improve to 13-3 this season and 7-0 in home games
    • Improve to 3-0 in WCC play and 2-0 in WCC home games
    • Improve to 9-1 in white uniforms
    • Improve to 3-0 all-time against San Francisco, 1-0 at home in the first meeting in Pullman
    • Improve to 1-1 when trailing at halftime
    • Improve to 1-3 when tallying fewer than 15 assists
    • Improve to 9-0 when scoring at least 80 points
    • Improve to 2-0 when holding their opponent under 60 points
    • Improve to 3-1 when allowing at least 80 points by the opponent
    • Improve to 11-0 when shooting over 45% from the floor
    • Improve to 9-2 when outrebounding their opponent
  • Washington State improves to 13-3 for the first time since 2006-07
  • Coach Riley improved to 13-3, the second-best start by a first-year head coach in WSU history
    • Thirteen wins through 16 games is the second-best start by a first-year WSU coach; surpassed only by Tony Bennett at 14-2 in 2006-07 as the best start by a first-year WSU Head Coach
  • Five Cougars scored in double figures for the first time since Dec. 28, 2024 against Washington
    • At least four players have scored in double figures 10 times this season
  • WSU attempted a season-low 51 field goals and a season-low 19 3-point attempts
  • WSU allowed an individual opponent to score 30 points for the first time this season
  • The Cougars made 34 free throws, the most in a single game since making 39 free throws against Rider, Dec. 17, 2018
    • WSU delivered a single-game season-high 82.9% (34-of-41) from the free throw line
  • LeJuan Watts scored a career-high 24 points with team-high 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double
    • Watts eclipsed 500 career points and now sits at 520 career points
    • Watts delivered his 14th double-digit game and second 20-point game this season
    • Watts led the Cougars in rebounding for the 12th time this season
    • Watts finished 11-of-13 from the free throw line, marking a career-high in charity stripe makes
    • Watts also led the team in assists for the sixth time, delivering five assists with only one turnover
  • Ethan Price scored 20 points, his second 20-point game this season and 10th game in double figures
    • Price set a career-high with four steals
    • Price matched a season-high with two blocks
  • Dane Erikstrup grabbed a WSU career-high nine rebounds, delivering his mostrebounds against a D-I opponent
    • Erikstrup finished with five made threes, marking his seventh game with 3+ made 3-pointers
  • Tomas Thrastarson scored 10 points for his second-consecutive game in double figures
    • Thrastarson made a career-high six free throws on a career-high eight attempts
  • Nate Calmese scored 16 points for his 14th game with 10+ points and 43rd career double-digit game
  • Parker Gerrits played a career-high 16 minutes and matched a career-high with three reboudns
  • WSU started the same lineup for the fourth-straight game with Price, L. Watts, Thrastarson, Calmese, and Erikstrup
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