SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Dons outscored the Washington State men's basketball team 9-0 over the final two minutes to beat WSU, 85-80, Sunday evening at War Memorial Gym at the Sobrato Center. WSU junior
Eemeli Yalaho scored a career-high 21 points to lead the Cougs alongside freshman
Ace Glass with 20 points.
The Cougars held a four-point lead with just over two minutes left in the game before the Dons clamped down and held WSU scoreless until the final buzzer. With just over seven minutes left
ND Okafor delivered a turnaround hook shot to give the Cougs a 7-point lead.
The Dons went on an 8-0 run over the next three minutes, regaining the lead with four minutes remaining.
Jerone Morton scored a driving layup, followed by a 3-pointer, seizing control back for WSU with 2:30 remaining. Morton's triple proved to be WSU's final field goal, as the Dons closed the game on a 9-0 run, reclaiming the lead with 91 seconds to play.
Washington State shot a season-best 57.6 percent from the floor, including 10 three-pointers. However, San Francisco matched the Cougars' offense, shooting 53.7 percent and knocking down 12 triples. The Dons found the advantage at the free throw line, finishing 15-of-18 at the stripe compared to WSU's 2-of-3 total attempts.
Morton finished with 11 points, including his five points down the stretch. Okafor rounded out the Cougars' double-digit scorers, adding 14 points. Okafor and Yalaho each grabbed a team-best five rebounds and senior Adria Rodriguez led WSU, matching his career high of six assists.
Washington State found an advantage in the key, outscoring San Francisco 46-32 in the paint. WSU also committed just 10 turnovers, the fewest of conference play, and the fewest since defeating Southern Utah, November 19.
From the opening tip off, both sides were in an offensive rhythm with Yalaho, Glass, and Okafor all eclipsing double digits in the first half. The Cougars shot 66.7 percent in the first half, including 6-of-9 from deep. WSU entered the locker room trailing 44-48, its eighth 40-point first half of the season.
The Cougars started the second half on a 6-0 run to take the early lead, extending the run to 13-5 over nearly seven minutes.
Simon Hildebrandt expanded the lead to eight points halfway through the second period, the largest Cougar lead of the game, keeping the Dons at bay until their run in the final minutes.
Washington State concludes a California road trip at San Diego, Wednesday, January 21. The Cougars and Toreros are scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. with coverage on the Cougar Sports Network and ESPN+.
