Inside The Numbers: Why Cougars Faltered to Disappointing 12-20 Season

The Washington State Cougars’ 2025-26 season came to an ugly end Friday night with a 74-68 loss to the Portland Pilots in Las Vegas, finishing the year at 12–20 overall and going one-and-done in the WCC Tournament.

The Cougars had won the first two matchups against the Pilots earlier in the year, but were unable to complete the season sweep when it mattered most. The loss capped off what was ultimately a disappointing campaign for Washington State, which followed a familiar pattern from the previous season: a promising start that slowly unraveled during the second half of the year.

Down the stretch, the Cougars struggled mightily. They finished just 4–11 in their final 15 games and went only 1–8 in there last nine in WCC play. It was the program’s first sub-.500 finish since the final season under former head coach Ernie Kent, when Washington State went 11–21 overall in 2018-19.