WASHINGTON STATE JUMPS ON MEN’S BASKETBALL EARLY, CRUISES TO WIN
11/30/2010
PULLMAN, Wash. -- Washington State scored the game’s first 27 points, and led by at least 23 the rest of the way as the Cougars defeated Sacramento State, 84-36, in a non-conference men’s basketball game Tuesday evening at the Beasley Coliseum.
Washington State opened the game by connecting on 10 of its first 16 shots, including four three-pointers on the way to a 27-0 lead. Conversely, the Hornets went 0-for-12 from the field and committed seven turnovers until a layup from Antoine Proctor mercifully ended the run and gave Sacramento State its first points at the 10:03 mark of the first half.
The Cougars would eventually take a 47-17 halftime lead, and the advantage continued to grow in a second half which saw Washington State’s Dre Winston, Jr., remarkably score a bucket with two seconds remaining rather than dribble out the clock. The 48-point margin of victory was also the Cougars’ largest lead of the night.
Sacramento State (2-4), which had trouble all evening connecting from the perimeter, posted season lows in points, field goals made (15), field goal percentage (.319, 15-for-47), three-pointers made (1), three-point percentage (.067, 1-for-15), free throws made (5), free throw percentage (.357, 5-for-14) and assists (5). The team’s lone three-pointer in the game came in the second half from junior Heath Hoffman and narrowly allowed Sacramento State to extend its streak to 469 consecutive games with at least one three-pointer.
Washington State , which has now defeated all five of its opponents this year by double figures, improved to 5-0. In addition, the Cougars are now 40-0 all-time in the month of November at Friel Court. Washington State is 7-1 all-time against Sacramento State, as the Hornets’ lone win in the series came at home in 1953.
The 48-point loss marked the Hornets’ most lopsided defeat since a 117-65 loss at Cal State Northridge on Feb. 21, 1998. The margin of defeat was also the fifth worst in school history.
Washington State shot 52.4 percent (33-63) from the field and 40.0 percent (8-20) from the three-point line while outrebounding Sacramento State by a 42-31 margin. The Hornets were also forced into a season-high 22 turnovers, and the Cougars were able to score 25 points off those miscues.
For the first time this season, Sacramento State did not have a player finish with double figures in points. Senior Sultan Toles-Bey (eight points, four rebounds), and juniors Proctor (eight points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals) and Josh McCarver (eight points, 4-of-5 shooting) each finished with eight. Proctor’s nine rebounds were a game high, and two of McCarver’s made buckets were dunks. Hoffman added seven points and junior Zach Nelson had six rebounds.
Sacramento State made just four outside shots all evening, as 27 of the team’s 36 points came via layup, dunk or free throw. Senior Duro Bjegovic, who had scored in double figures all five games and had been deadly from the outside, finished with zero points on 0-of-5 shooting. The Hornets’ third leading scorer, John Dickson, finished with one point on 0-for-6 shooting. Juniors Walter Jackson and Alpha N'Diaye both did not play with ankle injuries, and freshman center Pete Rakocevic got his first start of the season.
Washington State had three players finish in double figures, comprised of Klay Thompson (16), Brock Motum (11) and Faisal Aden (11). Eleven different Cougars scored points during the game, including Marcus Capers who finished with nine points, six assists and six rebounds. Both Ben Loewen and Patrick Simon had eight points.
Sacramento State returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 4, when the team plays at Utah Valley. Tip is 6:05 p.m. PST.
