Washington State improved to 5-8 with its second straight win, defeating the Mercer Bears 84-78. Mercer, out of the Southern Conference, traveled to Pullman at 7-4 looking to snap a two-game skid.
KenPom predicted the Cougars would win 79-75, and the betting line was at WSU -7.5.
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The game got off to a shaky start as the Cougs surrendered a wide-open three-pointer to Mercer, and ND Oakafor picked up an early technical foul.
The teams traded buckets early, with the Cougs coming out hot and scoring 13 points in the first four minutes. However, the offense quickly became stagnant, as turnover issues plagued Washington State once again. The Cougs managed just two points over the next six minutes.
The defensive struggles resurfaced for WSU, allowing Mercer to score 25 points in the first 10 minutes. Ace Glass helped keep the Cougars afloat, starting 5 of 8 from the floor.
Washington State’s defensive intensity was up, but the Bears got to the payoff with five minutes remaining in the first half due to several off-the-ball fouls.
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There was not much separation between the two teams in the first half. Glass scored 14 points before halftime, and the Cougs shot 59% from the field. Despite this efficiency, WSU led by just two, 41-39. Eight turnovers allowed Mercer to attempt eight more shots than Washington State.
The Cougs opened the second half strong, highlighted by a deep triple from Glass that pushed the lead to five. Mercer responded immediately and tied the game.
Adria Rodriguez had a solid defensive performance, recording a steal and a goal and making his presence felt throughout the game. Adria appears to be playing with much more confidence than earlier in the season, as he also had 7 points.
Then the Cougars finally broke out. WSU hit eight straight field goals, including three triples from Ri Vavers, extending the lead to 14.
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Washington State had opportunities to put the game away but failed to capitalize, missing several easy looks off turnovers. N.D. Okafor also missed two free throws after missing a goal. The lead never exceeded fourteen.
Coach David Riley later went to a lineup in which Thrasterson was the primary scoring threat, and the offense became very cold.
The Cougs slowed down near the finish line as Mercer’s Baraka Okojie continued to knock down mid-range jumpers. The Bears extended the game with fouls and quick shots but never cut the lead to less than five points.
Glass finished with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting. It was a balanced offensive effort for the Cougars, with four other players scoring in double figures. Emily Yalahoo had a strong performance with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Richard Favors came off the bench to hit four three-pointers. WSU shot 54% from the floor and knocked down 11 of 23 three-point attempts.
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It was a comfortable win for the Cougars, who entered the game ranked 154th in KenPom among the group of teams with winning records. However, the finish left a lot to be desired, as WSU effectively put the brakes on. The Cougs could have won by 20 points or more, but instead they escaped with a six-point win.
Washington State has played much better since returning from the Maui Invitational, holding opponents under 80 points in six straight games after allowing more than 80 points in five of their first six contests. At 5-8, the Cougs dropped four swing games to Idaho, Arizona State, Bradley and USC.
USC is currently ranked 39th in KenPom, Arizona State is 64th, and Bradley is 119th, showing that Washington State has competed well against tough opponents recently.
Hopefully, David Reilly can build on his two-game winning streak heading into conference play. The Cougs will make a short swing in the Pacific Northwest, facing the Portland Pilots in Portland on Dec. 28 before traveling to Seattle to take on the Redhawks on Dec. 30. Seattle recently upset US Washington and sits at 10-2, setting up an entertaining matchup for Coug fans at Climate Pledge Arena.
Washington State’s next contest, at the University of Portland, will be broadcast on ESPN+ at 2:00 PM on December 28.