Washington State is starting to show signs of life. With an 84-78 win over Mercer, the Cougars not only picked up their second straight victory but also improved to 5-8 on the season-an important step forward for a team still finding its identity under head coach David Riley.
Coming into the matchup, Mercer was 7-4 and looking to snap a two-game skid. The Bears made the trip from the Southern Conference to Pullman with hopes of righting the ship, but WSU had other plans.
KenPom had projected a 79-75 Cougar win, and the betting line favored Washington State by 7.5. In the end, the Cougs did enough to cover the spread-barely.
The game didn’t start cleanly for Wazzu. Mercer opened with a wide-open three, and ND Oakafor picked up an early technical foul, setting a choppy tone.
Still, the Cougars came out firing offensively, putting up 13 points in the first four minutes. But just as quickly as the offense clicked, it stalled.
Turnovers, a recurring issue this season, reared their head again, and Washington State managed only two points over the next six minutes.
Defensively, WSU had trouble containing Mercer early. The Bears racked up 25 points in the first ten minutes, taking advantage of some soft spots in the Cougars' perimeter defense.
Fortunately for Washington State, Ace Glass came ready to play. The junior guard was locked in from the jump, starting 5-of-8 from the field and keeping the Cougs in it while the rest of the offense sputtered.
Despite some questionable off-ball fouls that helped Mercer reach the bonus with five minutes left in the half, Washington State managed to keep things tight. Glass poured in 14 first-half points, and the Cougars shot a blistering 59% from the field. But eight turnovers allowed Mercer to take eight more shots, and WSU held just a two-point lead at the break, 41-39.
The second half brought more energy from the Cougars. Glass drilled a deep three to push the lead to five early on, but Mercer responded right away to tie things up. That back-and-forth didn’t last long, though, as Washington State finally found its rhythm.
Adria Rodriguez brought a spark on the defensive end, picking up a steal and turning it into points. He’s playing with much more confidence lately, and his seven points were a solid contribution.
Then came the offensive avalanche. The Cougars hit eight straight shots, including three triples from Rihards Vavers, who came off the bench firing.
That stretch ballooned the lead to 14 and gave WSU the breathing room it needed.
But the Cougs couldn’t quite slam the door shut. Missed opportunities-easy looks off turnovers, two missed free throws by Oakafor after a missed dunk-kept Mercer within striking distance. The lead never grew beyond 14, and when Coach Riley shifted to a lineup built around Thrastarson as the primary scoring option, the offense went cold.
Mercer’s Baraka Okojie kept things interesting down the stretch, knocking down a series of mid-range jumpers. The Bears tried to extend the game with fouls and quick shots, but they never got closer than five points.
Glass finished with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, continuing his strong stretch of play. It wasn’t just a one-man show, though-Washington State got contributions across the board.
Eemeli Yalaho posted 14 points and eight boards, while Vavers knocked down four threes off the bench. In total, five Cougars hit double figures, and the team shot an impressive 54% from the field, including 11-of-23 from beyond the arc.
This one had all the makings of a comfortable win. Washington State came in ranked 154th in KenPom, facing a Mercer squad that had been reeling.
And for stretches, the Cougs looked dominant-especially during that eight-shot run in the second half. But the finish left something to be desired.
They had chances to blow the game wide open and let them slip away. A 20-point win was on the table.
Instead, they had to grind out a six-point victory.
Still, there’s progress here. Since returning from the Maui Invitational, Washington State has held opponents under 80 points in six straight games-a major turnaround after giving up 80-plus in five of their first six.
At 5-8, they’ve dropped some swing games-tight ones against Idaho, Arizona State, Bradley, and USC-but they’ve shown they can compete. USC is currently 39th in KenPom, Arizona State 64th, Bradley 119th.
These aren’t bottom-feeders.
Now, with a bit of momentum, Coach Riley and the Cougars will try to keep it rolling. They’ll hit the road for a quick Pacific Northwest swing, starting with Portland on December 28, followed by a trip to Seattle to face a 10-2 Redhawks team that just knocked off Washington. That matchup at Climate Pledge Arena should be a fun one-and a real measuring stick for how far this team has come.