Washington St
- Thread starter CaptBob
- Start date
Washington State is 3-4 with zero even remotely decent wins, losses to Idaho and by 16 to Davidson, and beat Chaminade by 5. We should not only be favored in this one, we should win comfortably if this team is one that won’t be in the BE basement, which is the expectation now after the solid performance in Maui so far.
Hall 9.5 favorites today. No reason to lose this game.
Would love to see the team come out angry after yesterday's result and put the wood to Washington State early.
Just do not be satisfied with playing well the last 2 games. That could all go down the drain with an uninspired effort today. Show what you're made of and come out as you have against NCS and USC.
The Hall's intensity will be key. That uptempo offense and intense defense slipped away after Clarke's 3rd foul. .
Also, Hines has good passing instincts, especially inside. Like to see him pass out high in some situations. Has good moves , but can't force the issue with lower percentage attempts. His production as a backup is terrific. The USC game was a good teaching moment for both Payne and Hines.
Both Fisher and Simpkins were OK vs USC, but they need to play better against Wash St.
The result of the Wash. St game will define this Tournament as either Success or Disappointment. Either way this team is fun to watch. There is hope.
Agree with everything in this thread. But it only takes poor defense on the 3 point line and leaving your feet at shooters to dig yourself into a hole. I can't help but think of last year's 3 pt defense and the year the Woolford guy when off from 3 in the NCAA against us. Of course he went 0 from 3 entirely the next game.
Getting his players up for this game is going to be a challenge. How we respond will be a barometer for this upcoming season.
I agree. No easy wins. The Great news is all our players start the game with Zero Fouls. If our guys play that uptempo style then The Hall can be a handful to deal with too.
I don't think anyone here is counting this or most any other game against a high major as a W, even if you consider a WSU a high major still. It was more just commenting on the fact that Washington State isn't good, already has losses to mid-majors, and seems based on the box score to have barely squeaked by Chaminade. Which means that if we play anywhere like we have the last two days, it should be a comfortable W.
Pressing is key. Whe we did in the 1st half against usc, we were on fire. But from 5 min left in 1st half until end if the game we couldn't get the press going, which is one of the bigger reasons we lost.
On the flip side they did play Arizona St right down to the wire and had a kid go off for 40 points.
Arizona State was picked 16 out of 16 -- dead last -- in the preseason Big 12 poll. Now they did beat Texas in the first game, so maybe they are better than that, because I think most of us thought Texas with Sean Miller and their talent was the best team going into Maui. But how good ASU is, if they are even good at all, remains to be seen IMO.
Today they are a 5.5 underdog to USC who isn't that much and no doubt Vegas is factoring in that USC's best player may be out again.
Today they are a 5.5 underdog to USC who isn't that much and no doubt Vegas is factoring in that USC's best player may be out again.
Speaking of other teams, having a chance to watch today, Iowa State looks damn, damn impressive. I knew they were projected to be really good, but based on at least this game and what I've read and heard about their others, they seem legit-legit.
Beat St. John's by 1 in a neck and neck down to the wire affair that goes to the final possession.
Lose their star PG and best player at the end of that game for the remainder of the tournament. Without their star player/PG:
Destroyed Creighton -- granted Creighton is in a bit of a rut right now, and I think they will get much better because its Mac coaching them, but Iowa State dominated them.
And now they are beating Cuse by 30, again without the PG.
Beat St. John's by 1 in a neck and neck down to the wire affair that goes to the final possession.
Lose their star PG and best player at the end of that game for the remainder of the tournament. Without their star player/PG:
Destroyed Creighton -- granted Creighton is in a bit of a rut right now, and I think they will get much better because its Mac coaching them, but Iowa State dominated them.
And now they are beating Cuse by 30, again without the PG.
Cougars Set to Battle Seton Hall in Maui
Cougars Set to Battle Seton Hall in Maui - Washington State University Athletics
WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (3-4, 0-0 WCC) vs SETON HALL PIRATES (6-1, 0-0 BIG EAST)
WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (3-4, 0-0 WCC) vs SETON HALL PIRATES (6-1, 0-0 BIG EAST)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2025
12:30 p.m. HT / 2:30 p.m. PT
Lahaina, Maui, Hawai'i
Lahaina Civic Center
Capacity: 2,400
COUGAR SPORTS NETWORK
Seattle 770AM & 94.5FM
Spokane 920AM & 100.7FM
Pullman 104.3FM | Tri-Cities 610AM
Derek Deis & Craig Ehlo
TV & STREAMING
ESPN2 & ESPN App
Play-by-Play: Dan Shulman
Analyst: Jay Bilas
Producer: Joe Taylor
OPENING TIPS
1. Washington State will face Seton Hall in the third-place game at the 2025 Southwest Maui Invitational, Wednesday, November 26, at 12:30 p.m. HT (2:30 p.m. PT) live from Lahiana Civic Center and on ESPN2.
2. True freshman Ace Glass broke the WSU freshman scoring record with 40 points in Tuesday's game. Glass became the first underclassman and freshman in the country to score 40 points in a single game, shooting an efficient 9-of-14 from the floor, 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, and 16-of-18 at the free throw line. The Rialto, California native has delivered 3-consecutive 20-point games and leads WSU averaging 18.0 ppg while shooting at 53.4%.
3. ND Okafor delivered a career-high 27 points and career-high eight rebounds in last week's win over Southern Utah. The junior power forward finished 12-of-14 from the floor, the best percentage with as many field goal attempts by a Coug since at least 1996. Okafor, the team leader in blocks last season, is averaging 9.6 ppg and 5.7 rpg, while shooting 63% from the floor.
4. Wednesday's final-round meeting with Seton Hall marks just the second game between the programs with both games coming at Hawaiian tournaments. The first meeting was at the 1985 Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, a 74-67 win for WSU and Coach Len Stevens.
5. Sophomore Tomas Thrastarson has made a noticeable leap since his rookie campaign, comfortable attacking the basket. The Icelandic viking has matched or bested his career-high twice in six games, scoring 19 points in the win over St. Thomas.
LAST TIME OUT
Washington State lost to the Arizona State Sun Devils, 94-100, despite a record-setting performance from true freshman Ace Glass, who broke the WSU freshman scoring record with 40 points. Glass became the only freshman and only underclassman in the country with a 40-point game this season. Glass shot an efficient 9-of-14 from the floor, including 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, and 16-of-18 at the free throw line. It marked the first 30-point performance since Cedric Coward dropped 30 on Northern Colorado last November, and the first 40-point performance since Noah Williams hung 40 on Stanford in January 2021.
UP NEXT
The Cougars travel home overnight and return to Pullman for Thanksgiving. Washington State hits the road for a game against Bradley, Tuesday, December 2, at Peoria, Illinois. Tip off is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
OKAFOR EFFICIENCY
Returning redshirt-junior ND Okafor delivered a career-high 27 points and career-high eight rebounds in his last outing. Okafor shot 12-of-14 from the floor, the best single-game percentage by a Coug with as many attempts since at least 1996. The Irishman is shooting a team-best 63.6% from the field. Last year, Okafor finished his sophomore season with a 62.3 field goal percentage, the fifth-best single-season percentage in program history. Okafor also led the team in blocks with 40 rejections last season, fourth in the WCC, on a team that finished 20th in the country in blocks per game.
RETURN TO THE ISLANDS
The Cougars have previously competed in the Diamond Head Classic three times, and participated in the Rainbow Classic four times before that. In total, the Cougs hold an 11-12 record across eight multi-team events, dating back to the 1973 Rainbow Classic. The Cougs have reached the championship game three times, most recently in 2010 against Butler, but have never won a Hawaiian MTE.
FREE THROW PURITY
As a team, the Cougars are shooting 76.6 percent at the free throw line, top 50 in the country. WSU has gotten to the line 154 times in seven games, sinking 118 charity shots, for an average 16.9 free throws per game on 22 attempts per game. In Tuesday's contest with Arizona State, Ace Glass finished 16-of-18 at the free throw line, the most free throws by a Coug in a single game since Klay Thompson made 18 free throws back in 2009.
BENCH BUCKLES DOWN
The WSU bench scored a season high 67 points in Monday's win over Chaminade, the third time this season with more than 40 Cougar bench points. The Cougs average 39.3 ppg from the rotation, outscoring opponent benches by an average of 11 points per game. In Tuesday's loss to Arizona State the Cougar bench was limited to a season-low 24 points.
SECOND CHANCE POINTS
Wazzu was nearly doubling the number of second chance points compared to its opponents, scoring an average of 13.6 second-chance points per game on 10.6 offensive rebounds per game. By comparison, the Cougs have limited their opponents to just 8.3 second-chance points per game and 44 total offensive rebounds allowed this season. In Tuesday's loss to Arizona State the Cougars gave up a season-high 13 second-chance points.
EMMANUEL ENCHANTS
Transfer Emmanuel Ugbo (Boise State) led the Cougars in scoring twice and rebounding in three of the first four games, now averaging 10.2 ppg and 4.7 rpg. In his WSU debut in the season opener versus Idaho, Ugbo matched his career high with 17 points and added a career-high eight rebounds. At Davidson, Ugbo earned his first Coug start, delivering 16 points and five rebounds. The Dutchman is shooting over 60% from the floor. Ugbo went down with an ankle injury two minutes into WSU's win over Southern Utah, Wednesday night, and played limited minutes Tuesday.
LINE IN THE SAND
Washington State opponents are averaging 82.7 points per game this season. When the Cougs hold their opponent under 80 points, they are 2-0. When the Cougs allow their opponent to score more than 80 points, Wazzu is 1-4. On the offensive end, the Cougars are 3-1 when shooting over 50% from the floor, and 0-3 when held under 45% shooting.
TOMAS TURNS UP
Returning sophomore Tomas Thrastarson has turned heads with his offseason development after being named to the 2024-25 WCC All-Freshman Team, playing in 31 games with 11 starts, averaging 4.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, and 19 blocks. In the season opener against Idaho, Thrastarson matched his career-high with 17 points and delivered a career-high 11-of-12 from the charity stripe. He broke his career high November 10, scoring 19 points, including 18 first-half points to lead WSU to its first win of the year. The Viking matched his career-high again with a team-high seven rebounds in the win over St. Thomas. Tomas did not play against Southern Utah.
ADRIA DISHES SPANISH FLARE
Incoming senior Adria Rodriguez, a member of Spanish second-division club Alicante, has shown is floor general prowess as the Cougs leading assister in six of the first seven games. The Catalonia kid is averaging 3.7 assists per game, including some eye-popping between-the-legs passes through heavy traffic. Adria has also led the team in steals in five of seven games.
MAKE 'EM PAY WITH THE 3-POINT PLAY
The Cougars are a perfect 13-of-13 on three-point plays this season, converting every and-1 attempt at the charity stripe. Eemeli Yalaho leads the team with four and-one conversions.
RILEY RUNS IT BACK
David Riley began his second season at WSU after finishing his first season on the Palouse 19-15 with a postseason berth to the inaugural College Basketball Crown. The selection marked a third postseason in four seasons for Coach Riley, and fourth-consecutive postseason for the Cougs.
COUGS BOND IN EUROPEAN TRIP
The Cougars took an international tour this summer, visiting England and Spain. WSU played three exhibition games over 10 days, while sightseeing London, Malaga, and Barcelona. The Cougs say the London Eye, Big Ben, La Sagrada Familia, and excursioned around the Mediterranean Sea in southern Spain. Division-I teams are allowed foreign tours once every four years. The Cougar men last traveled in 2015 to Italy. Freshman Brunel Madzou and senior adrià Rodriguez did not play, as they were not cleared through the NCAA at the time of the tour, and Rodriguez joined the Spanish national team for a pair of exhibition matches.
COUGARS PICKED SIXTH IN WCC
Entering the 2025-26 season as an affiliate member of the West Coast Conference, Wazzu was selected sixth in the preseason coaches poll. The Cougars did not receive an honoree on the conference preseason team.
BRAYDEN KYMAN INKS DEAL
Class of 2026 senior Brayden Kyman, a 6-8 power forward from Rancho Santa Margarita, California, signed a financial aid agreement to play basketball at Washington State beginning next season. The versatile forward can score at all three levels with a deep range and length to work inside.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
The Cougars will look to continue a high-powered offense which Coach Riley instilled last season on Friel Court. During Riley's first season the Cougs set school records in shots made (968) and assists (574), more than any previous team in school history. The Cougs finished ninth in the country in field goal percentage, 19th in assists, and 20th in blocks.
NEW PAC-12 ON THE HORIZON
The revitalized Pac-12 Conference is set to launch July 1, 2026 with a strong slate of men's basketball programs including Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State, and Utah State.
COWARD JOINS THE ASSOCIATION
Cedric Coward, a 2024 WCC All-Preseason selection, and graduate of WSU, was drafted No. 11 in the 2025 NBA Draft, joining the Memphis Grizzlies after a trade. Coward, who played just six games last season prior to suffering a season-ending injury, linked up with 2024 WSU Draftee, Jaylen Wells. There are currently five Cougars playing in the NBA — Cedric Coward, Mouhamed Gueye, Isaac Jones, Klay Thompson, and Jaylen Wells.
Returning sophomore Tomas Thrastarson has turned heads with his offseason development after being named to the 2024-25 WCC All-Freshman Team, playing in 31 games with 11 starts, averaging 4.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, and 19 blocks. In the season opener against Idaho, Thrastarson matched his career-high with 17 points and delivered a career-high 11-of-12 from the charity stripe. He broke his career high November 10, scoring 19 points, including 18 first-half points to lead WSU to its first win of the year. The Viking matched his career-high again with a team-high seven rebounds in the win over St. Thomas. Tomas did not play against Southern Utah.
ADRIA DISHES SPANISH FLARE
Incoming senior Adria Rodriguez, a member of Spanish second-division club Alicante, has shown is floor general prowess as the Cougs leading assister in six of the first seven games. The Catalonia kid is averaging 3.7 assists per game, including some eye-popping between-the-legs passes through heavy traffic. Adria has also led the team in steals in five of seven games.
MAKE 'EM PAY WITH THE 3-POINT PLAY
The Cougars are a perfect 13-of-13 on three-point plays this season, converting every and-1 attempt at the charity stripe. Eemeli Yalaho leads the team with four and-one conversions.
RILEY RUNS IT BACK
David Riley began his second season at WSU after finishing his first season on the Palouse 19-15 with a postseason berth to the inaugural College Basketball Crown. The selection marked a third postseason in four seasons for Coach Riley, and fourth-consecutive postseason for the Cougs.
COUGS BOND IN EUROPEAN TRIP
The Cougars took an international tour this summer, visiting England and Spain. WSU played three exhibition games over 10 days, while sightseeing London, Malaga, and Barcelona. The Cougs say the London Eye, Big Ben, La Sagrada Familia, and excursioned around the Mediterranean Sea in southern Spain. Division-I teams are allowed foreign tours once every four years. The Cougar men last traveled in 2015 to Italy. Freshman Brunel Madzou and senior adrià Rodriguez did not play, as they were not cleared through the NCAA at the time of the tour, and Rodriguez joined the Spanish national team for a pair of exhibition matches.
COUGARS PICKED SIXTH IN WCC
Entering the 2025-26 season as an affiliate member of the West Coast Conference, Wazzu was selected sixth in the preseason coaches poll. The Cougars did not receive an honoree on the conference preseason team.
BRAYDEN KYMAN INKS DEAL
Class of 2026 senior Brayden Kyman, a 6-8 power forward from Rancho Santa Margarita, California, signed a financial aid agreement to play basketball at Washington State beginning next season. The versatile forward can score at all three levels with a deep range and length to work inside.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
The Cougars will look to continue a high-powered offense which Coach Riley instilled last season on Friel Court. During Riley's first season the Cougs set school records in shots made (968) and assists (574), more than any previous team in school history. The Cougs finished ninth in the country in field goal percentage, 19th in assists, and 20th in blocks.
NEW PAC-12 ON THE HORIZON
The revitalized Pac-12 Conference is set to launch July 1, 2026 with a strong slate of men's basketball programs including Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State, and Utah State.
COWARD JOINS THE ASSOCIATION
Cedric Coward, a 2024 WCC All-Preseason selection, and graduate of WSU, was drafted No. 11 in the 2025 NBA Draft, joining the Memphis Grizzlies after a trade. Coward, who played just six games last season prior to suffering a season-ending injury, linked up with 2024 WSU Draftee, Jaylen Wells. There are currently five Cougars playing in the NBA — Cedric Coward, Mouhamed Gueye, Isaac Jones, Klay Thompson, and Jaylen Wells.