In a hard-fought battle at Firestone Fieldhouse, Washington State fell to Pepperdine, 88-79, wrapping up their regular season with a 12-19 record and 7-11 in conference play. Despite the loss, the Cougars showed resilience, especially in the second half, where they poured in 51 points.
Ace Glass was the standout performer for the Cougars, leading the charge with 22 points. He was relentless, going 9-of-21 from the field, tying his career high in attempts, and notching his tenth 20-point game of the season. ND Okafor also made a significant impact, securing his second career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, marking the second time this season he's hit double digits on the boards.
Rihards Vavers continued his consistent scoring streak, adding 13 points and hitting 3-of-8 from downtown, extending his double-figure scoring run to 11 games. Jerone Morton contributed 11 points but fouled out in the final minute, underscoring the intensity of the matchup.
The Cougars were aggressive offensively, making 28 field goals and dishing out 16 assists, while attempting a season-high 71 shots. They found some rhythm from beyond the arc, hitting 10-of-33, marking their 13th game with double-digit three-pointers this season.
On the glass, Washington State showed their tenacity, grabbing 17 offensive rebounds and winning the overall rebounding battle with 38 boards. They capitalized on turnovers, converting them into 17 points, but were outmatched in the paint, where Pepperdine outscored them 50-32.
Trailing by eight at halftime, Washington State kept pushing in the second half, narrowing the gap to six points multiple times. However, Pepperdine's precision at the free-throw line, converting 21-of-24 attempts, proved too much to overcome in the closing moments.
As the Cougars look ahead, they await the outcomes of the final West Coast Conference games to determine their seeding for the Credit Union 1 WCC Championships. Slated to compete in the second round on March 6 at Orleans Arena, Washington State will enter as either the No. 7 or No. 8 seed, ready to make their mark in the tournament.