Washington State hosted the Oregon State Beavers today in its second game of the week at the Spokane Arena. The Cougars started off on a torrid pace, leading 18-9 with 13:53 left in the first half. The rest of the first half was a back and forth battle as the Cougars and Beavers exchanged highlight reel plays. Oregon State fought back late in the first half with a 7-0 run that cut the Cougars lead to just 2, 30-28, with 4:05 left. However, DaVonte'Lacy hit a three pointer in the corner, and WSU entered the half leading 40-35. Brock Motum led the team in scoring with 14 points on 6-11 shooting, including two three points which tied his career high. Coming out of the locker room both teams made several short runs before Lacy hit two-consecutive three pointers to give the Cougars a 60-50 lead, but the game was not over. Oregon State's Ahmad Starks and Roberto Nelson combined to hit four three pointers and the Beavers cut the Cougars lead to just 3, 77-74. Washington State closed the game out on free throws, shooting 9-12 (.750) from the line to seal the win 81-76.
Player of the Game:
Motum. Brock Motum led the charge for the Cougs from the opening tip, scoring 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting with 8 rebounds. Motum was the leading scorer in the first half with 14 points as he connected on two 3-pointers, which, at the time, tied a career high. He was not finished at halftime though, as he hit a third 3-pointer and spearheaded a defensive charge in the last 30 seconds of the game that resulted in 0-for-4 shooting by Oregon State, all while WSU held on to a slim lead. Motum finished with a career high three 3-pointers made and 15 field goal attempts, as well as tying a career high with 10 field goals made.
Play of the Game:
Capers one handed jam from Lacy. The Play of the Game was a great transitional effort by the Cougars that resulted in a thunderous slam by Marcus Capers. WSU's defense trapped Oregon State's Joe Burton in the paint and forced him to shoot a wild shot that was rebounded by DaVonte' Lacy. Lacy pushed the tempo before slowing down as he pulled out near the rim. He then found a cutting Capers who finished the Cougars fast break with an electric dunk.
Turning Point:
Motum's tip-in. Washington State was in the midst of a struggle to hold onto a slim lead over the Beavers when Brock Motum tipped in a missed jumper by DaVonte' Lacy with 1:40 left that gave the Cougars a 73-66 lead. His tip in came on the heels of his third three pointer, which is a career high. Although the Beavers continued to make a late charge, the basket by Motum gave the Cougars some breathing room en route to a slim 81-76 victory.
Stat of the Game:
Free Throw Shooting. Free Throws would prove a difference in this game as the Cougars were able to shoot .792 from the free throw line and .750 (9-12) in the game's final three minutes. The Cougars set a season high in free throw percentage and free throws made and attempted (16 and 20 respectively) in the second half.
The Cougars are now 9-5 overall and 1-1 in the Pac-12 Conference. WSU will travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Utes in their first road Pac-12 game of the season, Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 6 p.m. Pacific Time. Washington State will then travel to Boulder, Colo. Saturday, Jan. 7 where it will take on the Colorado Buffaloes at 1 p.m. Pacific Time.
The Cougars hosted the Pepperdine Waves last night in the seventh annual Cougar Hardwood Classic at KeyArena. The game started slowly with both teams missing a combined 14 shots before Faisal Aden hit a three with 15:02 left in the first half. The game remained close throughout the first half, but the Cougs slowly extended their lead, going on an 18-2 run over a 7:49 span from the 13-minute mark to below the 6-minute mark. Entering the locker room at halftime, WSU held a 26-15 lead with Faisal Aden scoring half of the Cougs points (13) on 4-of-8 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free throw line. Coming out of the locker room the Cougs continued to extend their lead and held a 23-point lead with a little over 11 minutes left to play, but the Waves wouldn't go out without a fight and brought the game within single digits with 21 seconds to play. However, it was too late for Pepperdine and WSU held on to beat the Waves 67-56.
Player(s) of the Game: Lacy and Aden. Last night's Player of the Game Award was a tale of two halves. Faisal Aden led the charge for the Cougs in the first half, scoring half of their points (13) on 4-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from the stripe. Pepperdine realized this and put more pressure on Aden, allowing DaVonte' Lacy to shoot in the second half. In the second half Lacy scored 12 points and went 3-of-4 from the floor and 4-of-4 at the line. Both Aden and Lacy combined for 32 of the Cougars 67 points, Aden had the only turnover of the pair, and they shot a combined 7-of-8 from the free throw line and 5-of-10 from beyond the arc.
Play of the Game: Shelton's steal for a Capers' dunk. The Play of the Game was a great defensive effort by the Cougars that ended with a massive jam by Marcus Capers. The Cougar defense got Pepperdine's Caleb Willis trapped at the top of the arc and forced him to attempt a drive towards the basket through three defenders. WSU's D.J. Shelton found the ball and poked it lose for the steal. Shelton then carried the ball up the court before dishing it to Capers who went "skyblue" as he slammed it home.
Turning Point: The first bucket. This game remained scoreless for nearly five minutes. The drought lasted through the first media timeout. The Cougars had several shots fall in-and-out, going 0-for-8 from the floor while Pepperdine suffered the same fate missing their first six shots. Faisal Aden scored the first points for the Cougs, knocking down a three. The game remained physical as both teams scrapped for points, but the Cougs were able to outscore the Waves 18-2 over a 7:49 span that was spurred by an Abe Lodwick three. At the end of the long run, WSU held a 14-point lead at 21-7. WSU never looked back, holding on to their lead following the Lodwick three-pointer and won the game 67-56.
Stat of the Game: Bench points. Bench points proved to be a difference maker in this game that was decided by 11 points. WSU's bench outscored Pepperdine's 25-11, led by the Cougars' Faisal Aden who scored a game high 17 points.
The Cougars remain undefeated in the Cougar Hardwood Classic and are now 8-4 overall. WSU has concluded nonconference play and will begin conference play against Oregon in their first Pac-12 game at 6 p.m. at Spokane Arena at Spokane, Wash., Thursday, Dec. 29.
Check out this photo from the Dec. 9 Butch's Bash!
Butch's Bash is an
annual event held each December. The student-athlete group hosts a
complimentary children's carnival for the Pullman community featuring games,
prizes and food. In addition to the event, student-athletes collect canned food
to contribute to local Pullman food banks in partnership with "Palouse
Cares." This year's event drew 100 families, over 200 Student-Athletes and
gathered 600 cans of food!
The Cougars finished their home nonconference schedule this afternoon as they hosted the Western Oregon Wolves at Beasley Coliseum. There were no lead changes in the game as DaVonte' Lacy made a three-pointer to put the Cougs up 3-0 at the start of the game. The Wolves only managed to tie the game up on two occasions before the Cougs could pull away again. The first half was fairly even, with short runs by both teams, and at the end of the half the Cougars held a slight advantage, 28-25. The second half was a different story. WSU took control starting with a two-handed jam by Marcus Capers 20 seconds into the half. The Cougars continued to maintain a consistent lead until the 10:28 mark when Abe Lodwick hit a deep three from the top of the arc spurring an 11-0 run that put the Cougs up by 22 with 5:33 left in the game. WSU continued to pile on the points while burning the clock and finished the game up by 24 with a final score of 66-42.
Player of the Game: Marcus Capers. Marcus Capers earns his first Player of the Game Award of the year after leading the Cougs in scoring for the first time in his career. Capers was defensively sound throughout the game, pressuring players, diving for loose balls, and forcing turnovers. He finished with nine points (a season high) and pulled in five boards. In addition, Capers went 4-for-4 from the floor and 1-of-2 from the line.
Play of the Game: Shelton's block, steal, and finish. D.J. Shelton definitely earns today's Play of the Game in one of the most acrobatic plays of the season. Shelton blocked Western Oregon's Brandon Troxel's three-point attempt, hurried after the ball to prevent it from going out of bounds, and pushed the ball up the floor. It appeared that the Western Oregon players had prevented a fast break, but Shelton spun around a player and put up a circus shot that fell home, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Turning Point: Lodwick's three midway through the second. This game was close for the majority of the game, with the Cougars holding a slight lead, but the Wolves were able to keep WSU on a 10-point leash. Then, with 10:28 left in the game, Abe Lodwick hit a deep three from the top of the arc that sent the Cougars on an 11-0 run that put Western Oregon away for good. The Cougars went 3-of-5 from the field, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc in the 4:55 span and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. At the end of the run the Cougs held a 22-point lead, 57-35.
Stat of the Game: Point distribution. WSU did a great job of sharing the ball and the scoring load against the Wolves. Eleven Cougars scored points in the game (13 played) led by Capers's nine points. However, this game does mark the first time this season that Brock Motum didn't scored in double figures and ends Faisal Aden's (7) Reggie Moore's (3) and Charlie Enquist's (1) consecutive double-figure scoring streaks as well. Today marked the first time this season no Cougar scored in double figures and the first since the last game of last season against Wichita State in the NIT Semifinals.
The Cougars are now 7-4 overall and have completed nonconference play at home. WSU will travel to Seattle to face Pepperdine in their annual Cougar Hardwood Classic at KeyArena Saturday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. Following the Cougar Hardwood Classic, the Cougs will begin conference play against the Oregon schools in Spokane, Wash., at Spokane Arena Dec. 29 and 31.
In his final podcast of the year, Director of Athletics Bill Moos discusses Finals Week, upcoming basketball games in Spokane, and looks back on 2011 and ahead to 2012.
Listen to the "Cougar Calls With Bill Moos" show, coaches' news conferences, and interviews with coaches, student-athletes, and more at the WSUCougars.com Podcast Network Page HERE
The Cougars played at Beasley Coliseum for the third time in four games, hosting the Santa Clara Broncos this afternoon. The game favored the Cougars from the start. WSU scored its first points on a Charlie Enquist layup to put the Cougs up 2-0 and never looked back. Spurred by Brock Motum and Enquist, the Cougs opened the game on a 13-3 run. At halftime the scoreboard read 48-27 with three Cougs scoring in double figures. The second half continued much the same way and WSU posted a dominating performance, beating the Broncos 93-55.
Player of the Game: Charlie Enquist. This was a tough Player of the Game Award to give out. Charlie Enquist posted only his second career double-double and second in three games, but Brock Motum also scored a career-high 27 points. What sealed the deal for Enquist was the fact that he shot 1.000 in the game. Enquist scored 18 points on 7-of-7 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. He also pulled in 10 rebounds and never turned the ball over.
Play of the Game: Lacy's dunk. There were a number of highlight dunks in this game for WSU, but DaVonte' Lacy's with 9:26 left in the game takes the cake. Lacy earns the award for making a defensive effort. Santa Clara's Evan Roquemore attempted to make a pass at the top of the arc, but Lacy got his arm in the passing lane and knocked the ball away. He hustled after it and picked up the ball at half court with no one in front of him. Everyone saw the dunk coming as Lacy rose up, brought the ball back, and slammed it home with one hand sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Turning Point: Opening tip. The Cougars controlled this game from the beginning. Led by Brock Motum and Charlie Enquist, the Cougs went on a 13-3 run to start the game. The game continued, with short runs by both teams, but WSU was clearly in control as they slowly extended its lead. There were no lead changes and no ties as WSU cruised to a 38-point victory.
Stat of the Game: Shooting percentage. While the Broncos also shot fairly well (.400), they could not keep up with the Cougars. Led by a perfect Charlie Enquist, WSU shot 31-of-46 (.674) from the field and .462 from beyond the arc. This is the best the Cougars have shot since Nov. 23, 1996 against Boise State when they shot 25-of-37 (.676).
The Cougars are now 6-4 overall and will play their fifth-straight game on the Palouse as they host Western Oregon Sunday, Dec. 18 at 4:35 p.m. at Beasley Coliseum.
The Cougars hosted the Eastern Washington Eagles this afternoon in a physical, defense-oriented game. For the first 10 minutes of the game the Cougars and Eagles were trading the lead back and forth. Then, slowly, WSU began to pull away. It was a physical game with both teams battling for every board and every inch in the paint. Entering the second half the Cougs led 41-25. With the help of a three by Brock followed by a dunk that got the crowd on their feet, WSU continued to extend their lead. Eastern Washington didn't help themselves. Three of the Eagles' starters had four fouls apiece with over 12 minutes left in the game. By the time the final buzzer sounded four Cougars had scored in double figures, the Eagles had been outrebounded by 16, and the final score was 75-49.
Player of the Game: Charlie Enquist. For the second consecutive game Washington State had a Coug post a double-double. Charlie Enquist posted his first career double-double with a career high 20 points and a career high 13 rebounds. Enquist shot 7-of-8 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the free throw line. He also snagged seven offensive boards and six defensive rebounds to lead the team. In addition to career highs in points and rebounds, Enquist also broke his career highs in minutes played (31), field goals attempted and made (7/8), and free throws attempted and made (6/8).
Play of the Game: Brock's block. At the 15-minute mark and with the Cougs up by 14, Brock Motum had the ball at the top of the arc. He attempted to make a pass into the key, but the ball was stolen. Motum quickly got down the court to prevent a fast break bucket by the Eagles. Eastern Washington player Jeffrey Forbes attempted an easy layup, but Motum saw it coming the entire way. He elevated and caught the ball at the top of its arc, smashing it into the Eagles' bench. The ZZU CRU loved it and went nuts chanting, "You got swatted!" for a solid minute after the play.
Turning Point: With 7:22 left in the first half. With a little over seven minutes to play in the first half, the Cougars and Eagles were see-sawing back and forth. An "and one" layup by Marcus Capers followed by a made free throw got the ball rolling for the Cougars. This began a 14-0 run by Washington State that put them up for good. During the run, the Eagles went 0-7 from the field and committed four fouls to put the Cougs into double-bonus, while WSU went 4-of-6 from the floor and 5-of-5 from the stripe.
Stat of the Game: Rebounding margin. This was a physical battle, especially early on, and it was very clear that whoever could bring the ball down was scoring the points as well. The Cougars pulled in 45 rebounds compared to Eastern Washington's 29. WSU did a great job overall at controlling the paint. The Cougars also scored 32 points to the Eagles' 14 and this proved to be a difference maker in the game.
The Cougars are now 4-4 overall and will return to the hardwood Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Moscow, Idaho against the University of Idaho.
In his latest podcast, conducted Thursday morning, Director of Athletics Bill Moos talks about the hiring of Mike Leach as football coach, the start of The Cougar Football Project, the importance of expanding the Cougar Athletics donor base, recent honors to Jared Karstetter and Meagan Ganzer, NCAA appearances by the soccer and men's cross-country programs, and the weekend's basketball action at Beasley Coliseum.
Listen to the "Cougar Calls With Bill Moos" show, coaches' news conferences, and interviews with coaches, student-athletes, and more at the WSUCougars.com Podcast Network Page HERE
The latest episode of 'Cougars Courtside' is available. This week is a special one, as the entire thing is the 'Candid Cougars' segment. Jump back-and-forth from Anaheim to the U.S. Virgin Islands to follow the men's and women's basketball teams on their recent trips.
