Late Collapse Dooms Washington State in 85-80 Loss to San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO - For 38 minutes, Washington State looked like a team in control. But in the final two, the Cougars went cold, and the San Francisco Dons took full advantage, closing the game on a 9-0 run to steal an 85-80 win at War Memorial Gym.
It was a gut-punch of a finish for WSU, who had led by four with just over two minutes to play. Junior forward Eemeli Yalaho had a career night, dropping 21 points, while freshman Ace Glass showed poise beyond his years with 20 of his own. But even with those performances, the Cougars couldn’t hold off a late surge from a Dons squad that simply refused to go away.
With 7:18 left, ND Okafor hit a smooth turnaround hook shot to give WSU a 74-67 lead - their largest cushion of the second half. But San Francisco responded immediately, stringing together an 8-0 run to flip the momentum.
Jerone Morton briefly swung it back in WSU’s favor with a driving layup and a clutch three-pointer, putting the Cougars back on top with 2:30 to go. That triple would be WSU’s final field goal of the night.
From there, the Dons took over - suffocating on defense and surgical on offense. They reclaimed the lead with 1:31 remaining and never looked back, holding the Cougars scoreless the rest of the way.
It wasn’t for lack of offensive firepower. Washington State shot a blistering 57.6% from the field - their best shooting performance of the season - and knocked down 10 threes. But San Francisco was nearly as efficient, hitting 53.7% from the floor and outgunning the Cougars from deep with 12 made triples.
The biggest difference came at the free throw line. The Dons were aggressive and got rewarded, finishing 15-of-18 at the stripe.
WSU, on the other hand, attempted just three free throws all game, making two. That disparity loomed large in a game that came down to a handful of possessions.
Morton finished with 11 points, including his five-point burst late in the second half. Okafor added 14 to go along with five rebounds, tying Yalaho for the team lead on the glass. Senior Adria Rodriguez quietly had one of his best passing nights, dishing out six assists to match a career high.
Inside, the Cougars did their work. They outscored San Francisco 46-32 in the paint, using their size and physicality to carve out high-percentage looks. They also protected the ball well, committing just 10 turnovers - their cleanest game of conference play and fewest since a mid-November win over Southern Utah.
The first half was a track meet, with both teams finding a rhythm early. Yalaho, Glass, and Okafor all hit double figures before the break, and WSU shot a scorching 66.7% from the field, including 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. Even with that efficiency, the Cougars trailed 48-44 at halftime - a testament to San Francisco’s ability to keep pace.
WSU came out of the locker room firing again, opening the second half on a 6-0 run and extending it to 13-5 over the next several minutes. Simon Hildebrandt pushed the lead to eight midway through the half, but the Dons never let the game get away from them. They hung around just long enough to make their move - and when they did, they struck with precision.
Washington State now turns the page quickly, wrapping up their California road swing with a matchup against San Diego on Wednesday, January 21. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. on the Cougar Sports Network and ESPN+. After a tough loss like this, the Cougars will be looking to bounce back - and finish what they start.