The Cougars were firing on all cylinders Saturday night, lighting it up from deep and cruising to a dominant 104-74 win over Portland. It marked their second time cracking triple digits under head coach David Riley - and the first time this season - as they tied their season-high with 16 made three-pointers in a wire-to-wire performance.
Leading the charge was Eemli Yalaho, who picked the perfect night to have a breakout game. The sophomore guard was locked in from long range, drilling five threes and finishing with a career-best 26 points.
He wasn’t alone, either. Rihards Vavers kept his hot hand going, adding 18 points and knocking down four triples of his own.
When those two get going, this offense becomes a nightmare to guard.
In total, six different Cougars connected from beyond the arc, showcasing the kind of balanced perimeter attack that gives opposing defenses fits. And while the three-point barrage stole the headlines, the Cougars were just as sharp in the possession game - turning the ball over on only 11.4% of their trips down the floor. That’s their third-lowest turnover rate of the season, and it’s no coincidence it came on a night when everything seemed to click.
Portland hung around early, but once WSU put together an 8-0 run midway through the first half, the tone of the game shifted for good. That burst gave the Cougs a lead they’d never relinquish, and from there, it was all about execution - and execution they delivered.
The win capped off a home weekend sweep and pushed WSU into fifth place in the WCC standings. Depending on how things shake out later tonight between Pacific and San Francisco, they could find themselves in a tie for fourth - a solid step forward as the Cougars look to gain momentum heading into the heart of conference play.
Bottom line: when this team is shooting like that and taking care of the ball, they’re tough to beat.