Play of the Game: Let's just say Will DiIorio knows how to make an entrance. The freshman from Bainbridge Island, Wash., scored his first points as a Cougar tonight and he did so with authority. With 5:40 left in the first half DiIorio caught the ball in the corner, gave the slightest up-fake and blew by his defender on the baseline for a two-handed slam.

Turning Point: Tonight's turning point would have been the opening tip if the Cougars would have won it. Since they didn't, the turning point was WSU's 27-0 run to start the game after Sacramento State missed its opening attempt. The points were coming from everywhere on the floor and everywhere on the depth chart, as the Cougars took away any hope the Hornets had of leaving Pullman with a win. Sacramento State scored its first points of the night at the 10:03 mark of the first half.

 Stat of the Game: The weather must have gotten to Hornets because their shooting was about as cold as the Pullman snow. The team shot 32 percent from the field (15-of-47) which included a 1-for-15 clip from behind the arc. That's 6.7 percent.

Player of the Game: With the absence of DeAngelo Casto, Brock Motum got the start for the Cougars made the most of his time on the floor. The sophomore contributed 11 points and three rebounds in 17 minutes of action. The Australian was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. Efficient scoring is nothing new for Motum, who is shooting 85 percent from the field this season.

The Cougars will be back in action Friday at 8 p.m. as they seek revenge on the fifth-ranked team in the nation in Kansas State. The Wildcats defeated WSU 86-69 last year in the Octagon of Doom. It's time for WSU fans to show the home court advantage of Friel Court during what will certainly be a great weekend of Cougar sports.     

Until Next Time, Go Cougs!