Cougars Capsized by Waves, Lose 88-79 in Malibu

Jacob Stevenson 3/1/26 Jacob Stevenson 3/1/26

Preview

Cougars Capsized by Waves, Lose 88-79 in Malibu

Closing out what has been a frustrating and disappointing regular season, the Washington State Cougars couldn’t overcome a poor start and dropped their finale in an 88–79 loss to Pepperdine in Malibu.

Despite the final score appearing somewhat competitive, the game was far more lopsided than the final score suggests, as Washington State used a garbage time run to make the end tally seem closer than it really was. The Cougars trailed by as many as 20 points with 8:30 remaining in the second half and were still down 16, 74–58, with just five minutes to play before a late run narrowed the gap.

With the loss, Washington State falls to 12–19 overall and 7–11 in West Coast Conference play, finishing eighth in the conference standings. In a year full of bad losses, this latest setback may be arguably the team’s most disappointing of the season, coming against a Pepperdine squad that entered the matchup in last place in the WCC. Even more concerning is the Cougars’ continued inability to win away from home. Washington State finished the regular season with just one Division I road victory outside the state of Washington.

Jacob Stevenson 2/27/26 Jacob Stevenson 2/27/26

Washington State Blows Another Halftime Lead in Embarrassing 67-66 Loss to LMU

Continuing to excel at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, the Washington State Cougars suffered yet another brutal loss on Wednesday night, falling 67-66 to Loyola Marymount after blowing a 15-point halftime lead. It was a loss that felt all too familiar for a team that has struggled to put together a full 40-minute game this season.

Washington State looked to be in complete control early. The Cougars stormed into halftime with a commanding 39-24 advantage, getting whatever they wanted on offense for the most part and forcing LMU to take contested two-point jump shots away from the basket.

But as has been the case too frequently this season, the second half was a different game for all of the worst reasons as a double-digit lead evaporated and the Lions came roaring back to steal the win. Wednesday night adds to a growing list of games in which Washington State has surrendered sizable second-half leads, as the Cougars have now lost games while being up 12,17, and 15 points in the final 20 minutes this year.

Jacob Stevenson 2/22/26 Jacob Stevenson 2/22/26

Washington State Fizzles in Second Half, Saint Mary’s Pulls Away for 83-67 Win

The Washington State Cougars hung with Saint Mary's for nearly 27 minutes on Saturday night, but a cold half from beyond the arc and a lack of stops down the stretch allowed the favored Gaels to pull away for an 83–67 victory in Pullman.

For much of the game, the Cougars showed they were capable of competing with one of the top teams in the West Coast Conference. However, they needed to play at their best for 40 minutes and once Saint Mary’s started to pull away, Washington State wasn’t able to make another run to get back in it in the closing minutes.

Washington State shot the ball from three-point range really well in the first half, going 7-12 from downtown, sending coach David Riley’s team into the break trailing 40-39.

Jacob Stevenson 2/9/26 Jacob Stevenson 2/9/26

Washington State Loses to Santa Clara, Dips Back Below .500 Mark in WCC

Unable to keep its winning streak intact, Washington State fell 96–92 to first-place Santa Clara on Saturday in a frustrating loss that summed up the Cougars’ inconsistent season. When the offense is clicking, the defense struggles, and when the defense tightens up, the offense disappears.

Unfortunately for Washington State, that imbalance showed up once again against the Broncos, dropping the Cougars to 11–15 overall and 6–7 in WCC play, tying them for fifth place in the conference standings.

Offensively, Washington State did plenty of things well on Saturday. The Cougars have now scored over 90 points in back-to-back home games, including a 100-plus point performance against Portland on January 31. Against Santa Clara, they shot the ball efficiently and with confidence, especially from beyond the arc. Washington State connected on 13 of 25 three-point attempts, a strong 52%, keeping them within striking distance throughout the game.

Jacob Stevenson 2/6/26 Jacob Stevenson 2/6/26

Second Half Struggles Doom Washington State Cougars in Loss to Oregon State

Letting a double-digit lead slip away in a disastrous final 20 minutes in Corvallis, the Cougars missed out on an excellent opportunity to make up ground in the WCC standings.

Jacob Stevenson 2/1/26 Jacob Stevenson 2/1/26

Cougars Smash Pilots 104-74, Run WCC Win Streak to Three Games

Hitting triple digits on the scoreboard, the Cougars lit up the net on Saturday with arguably the best offensive showing of the David Riley era. How did Wazzu roll past Portland for a third straight WCC win?

Jacob Stevenson 1/29/26 Jacob Stevenson 1/29/26

Washington State Men’s Basketball Exacts Revenge Against Seattle U

The Cougars men’s basketball team avenged a loss to the Redhawks earlier in the season with a 70-58 victory.

Jacob Stevenson 1/26/26 Jacob Stevenson 1/26/26

Washington State Smashes Pepperdine 95-79, Moves to 4-5 In WCC Play

Finally snapping a lengthy losing streak, the Cougars found their jump shot against a struggling Pepperdine squad, breezing past the Waves in what the program hopes will be a momentum-building victory.

Jacob Stevenson 1/19/26 Jacob Stevenson 1/19/26

Hot Shooting Not Enough as Cougars Lose to Dons 85-80

Despite enjoying their best shooting performance of the season in San Francisco, the Cougars couldn’t get quite enough defensive stops to beat the Dons on the road. What went wrong late to prevent Wazzu from landing a big win?

Jacob Stevenson 1/11/26 Jacob Stevenson 1/11/26

Washington State Drops Close Game to Saint Mary’s, Slips to 3-2 in WCC Play

Several second half runs positioned the Cougars to pull off an upset in Moraga against one of the WCC’s premier programs, but time ran out before a comeback could fully materialize. Is a close call against Saint Mary’s a positive sign moving forward?

Jacob Stevenson 1/3/26 Jacob Stevenson 1/3/26

Stock Watch: Who Starred in Washington State’s 78-76 Win vs. Loyola Marymount?

Overcoming an ugly start on their home court, the Cougars raced back to take a halftime lead and held on late for a close win over Loyola Marymount. Who impressed the most in Wazzu’s second WCC victory?

Jacob Stevenson 12/29/25 Jacob Stevenson 12/29/25

Washington State Uses Late Comeback to Beat Portland in WCC Opener

Despite losing a big halftime lead and allowing the Pilots to steer back ahead in the second half, the Cougars battled back to open the WCC schedule with a key road win. Who stood out for Wazzu at the Chiles Center?

Hayden Wysup 12/20/25 Hayden Wysup 12/20/25

Ace Glass’s 24 Points Lead Cougars to 84-78 Win Over Mercer

Looking to turn the corner after a slow start, while the Mercer Bears fought them to the finish, the Cougars appear to be trending in the right direction with two straight wins heading into WCC play next week.

Hayden Wysup 12/15/25 Hayden Wysup 12/15/25

Underdog Cougars Hang Tough, Come Up Short in 68-61 Loss to USC

For most of Sunday’s contest, the Cougars stood toe-to-toe with their former Pac-12 foe in Los Angeles. But despite clear improvements, their losing streak increased to five with subpar shooting doing them in against the Trojans.

Jacob Stevenson 12/8/25 Jacob Stevenson 12/8/25

Analysis: Evaluating Washington State Men’s Basketball Through First Third of Season

Winning just three of their first 10 games, the Cougars haven’t come close to meeting expectations under second-year coach David Riley. What’s gone wrong and who has stood out as a bright spot despite those struggles?

Hayden Wysup 12/8/25 Hayden Wysup 12/8/25

Second Half Struggles Plague Cougars in Loss to Nevada

For 20 minutes, the Cougars looked poised to get back in the win column with some old fashioned home cooking. But the same pitfalls that have hurt the team all season reared their ugly head again after halftime in a brutal loss to Nevada.

Jacob Stevenson 12/1/25 Jacob Stevenson 12/1/25

Dogged by Shooting Woes, Wazzu Men’s Basketball Drops Two of Three in Maui Invitational

Despite true freshman Ace Glass putting up incredible performances in the Maui Invitational, the Cougars men’s basketball team went one for three as much of the rest of the team failed to pick up the slack.

Jacob Stevenson 11/15/25 Jacob Stevenson 11/15/25

Takeaways: Washington State Loses To Rival Washington 81-69

The Cougars hung tough in the hardwood version of the Apple Cup on Friday night, cutting the Huskies lead to single digits late. But the same issues that have dogged David Riley’s team all year long so far cropped up again, leading to a 12-point defeat.

Jacob Stevenson 11/6/25 Jacob Stevenson 11/6/25

Takeaways: Washington State Opens New Season in Losing Fashion vs. Rival Idaho

Losing to rival Idaho for the first time since Ernie Kent was still on the sidelines, Washington State didn’t open the 2025-26 season on a strong note as hoped. What stood out in a disappointing opener for the Cougars?