Second-Half Struggles Hurt WSU, Cougs Fall to SMC

Saturday, February 21

Pullman, Wash.

7 p.m.

Washington State University

12-17,7-9WCC

Saint Mary's

25-4,14-2WCC

Saint Mary's (CA)

Washington St.

Photo by: Shelly Hanks/WSU Photo Services

February 21, 2026 | Men's Basketball

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By: WSU Athletic Communications

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State led for much of the first half and showed flashes of its best basketball before Saint Mary's pulled away in the second half, handing the Cougars an 83-67 loss Saturday night at Beasley Coliseum. It was a tale of two halves with WSU making seven first-half 3-pointers before going scoreless from beyond the arc in the second half with a season-low 28 points.

Ace Glass led Washington State with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting, and Rihards Vavers added 12 points and six rebounds. ND Okafor contributed 15 points, leading the Cougars in scoring for the first time in his career, on 7-of-14 shooting in 26 minutes. Adria Rodriguez came off the bench to dish a team-best six assists, his 14th game leading in assists.

The Cougars came out sharp, connecting on seven of their first 12 three-point attempts in the opening half and building a lead that reached as many as seven points. WSU went into halftime trailing just 40-39 after a competitive, back-and-forth 20 minutes that saw the lead change hands eight times with two ties.

The second half told a different story. Saint Mary's, one of the top teams in the West Coast Conference, took control early in the second half and pushed its lead into double digits by the midway point, eventually extending it to 16 points. Paulius Murauskas finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Gaels, while Joshua Dent led all scorers with 22 points including four three-pointers. Washington State made zero three-pointers in the second half on seven attempts after thriving from deep in the first.

Washington State concludes the regular season on the road in Los Angeles with a pair of games, Wednesday and Saturday. The Cougs face LMU, Wednesday, February 25 at 8 p.m. before wrapping up regular season at Pepperdine, Saturday at 5 p.m.