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# Stock Watch: Who Starred in Washington State’s 78-76 Win vs. Loyola Marymount?
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/stock-watch-washington-state-cougars-comeback-win-loyola-marymount/
- Published: 2026-01-04T00:58:47.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T06:16:33.000Z
- Author: Jacob Stevenson
- Tags: Analysis, Ace Glass, Adria Rodriguez, Rihards Vavers, ND Okafor, Jerone Morton, Cougars

\[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4000"\]

![  Washington State guard Jerone Morton drives to the basketball in a game against Loyola Marymount. Credit: Ashley Davis  ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/1000068393-format-original.jpg)

Washington State guard Jerone Morton drives to the basketball in a game against Loyola Marymount. Credit: Ashley Davis \[/caption\]

The Washington State Cougars pulled out a thrilling 78–76 win over Loyola Marymount on Thursday night, improving to 2–1 in WCC play and 7–9 overall.

The Cougars were led by freshman Ace Glass, who delivered the game-winning moment with an and-one layup with 10 seconds remaining, giving Washington State a 78–76 lead. They then came through with a defensive stop on the final possession to secure the victory.

The game did not start smoothly for Washington State. LMU jumped out to a big early lead on a 13–2 run, taking advantage of defensive breakdowns and a lack of urgency from the Cougars. Washington State struggled early to defend in transition, often losing shooters and failing to communicate on screens. LMU capitalized, scoring 24 points in the first 10 minutes of the game.

Despite the rough start, Washington State settled in and found an offensive spark behind Richards Vavers. Vavers knocked down four three pointers in the first half, scoring 12 points and helping the Cougars claw back into the game. His shooting allowed Washington State to stretch the floor and regain confidence, and by halftime the Cougars had flipped the script, taking a 34–32 lead.

The Cougars continued to build momentum in the second half. Behind strong play from Ace Glass, Jerome Morton, and ND Okafor, Washington State pushed its lead to 54–44\. The offense looked balanced, and the Cougars were efficient from both the perimeter and the free-throw line.

However, LMU refused to go away. The Lions slowly chipped into the lead and eventually reclaimed it, going ahead 71–70 with 2:20 remaining. LMU’s final lead came at 76–75 with just 26 seconds left, setting the stage for Glass’s heroics.

Who stood out in Wazzu’s second WCC victory?

### Stock Up

**Richards Vavers**

Vavers led the Cougars in scoring with 17 points, shooting an impressive 5-of-9 from three point range. His first-half shooting was crucial in keeping Washington State afloat early.

**Jerome Morton**

Morton picked a great time to turn in his best performance as a Cougar, scoring 15 points and providing a steady offensive presence to complement Vavers.

**Ace Glass**

Enjoying a stellar freshman season, Glass continued to look the part of a star for the Cougs, finishing with 16 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting while delivering the game-winning basket.

**ND Okafor**

Holding his own inside, Okafor added 14 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks, anchoring the interior on both ends of the floor.

**Three-point and free throw assassins**

As a team, Washington State shot the ball well from deep and at the free-throw line, hitting 43% from three-point range and an excellent 12-of-13 from the stripe (92%). That efficiency proved vital in a game decided by two points.

### Stock Down

**More Inconsistent Defense**

The first 10 minutes were particularly concerning for the Cougars, as Washington State struggled with communication, overhelped at times, and failed to match up in transition. While the defense has shown improvement over the past month, this performance highlighted ongoing lapses.

**Adria Rodriguez**

In 15 minutes, Rodriguez failed to score, finishing 0-of-1 from the field with four rebounds, three turnovers, and zero assists. While his rebounding effort was solid, the turnovers and lack of offensive threat hurt the Cougars. Entering the game, Rodriguez was shooting 36% from the field, 8.3% from three, and 32% from the free throw line—numbers that reflect his offensive limitations.

Overall, it was a quality win for Washington State. At 2–1 in WCC play, the Cougars head into their matchup against Oregon State with momentum. A win there would be important as Washington State prepares for a challenging stretch against Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga, where consistent defense and knocking down open shots will be extremely important.