Second Half Struggles Doom Washington State Cougars in Loss to Oregon State
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Washington State Cougars guard Jerone Morton looks to pass during a regular season game against the Oregon State Beavers. Credit: Washington State Athletics [/caption]
Washington State let a prime opportunity slip away on Thursday night, blowing a second-half lead and falling 74–64 to Oregon State in a loss that could loom large in the West Coast Conference standings. The Cougars were in control early and for much of the first half, but a disastrous final 20 minutes flipped the game completely in the Beavers’ favor.
Washington State played one of its better first halves of conference play, building a 34–23 lead at the break behind some solid defense. That momentum carried into the early stages of the second half, as Washington State extended its lead to 44–27 with just over 16 minutes remaining.
From that point on, everything unraveled for the Cougs.
Oregon State gradually chipped away at the deficit, while Washington State’s offense stalled and its defense collapsed. The Beavers outscored the Cougars 51–30 in the second half, completely flipping the script. What once looked like a comfortable road win quickly turned into a one-possession game, as Oregon State took a 53–52 lead with just under six minutes remaining. The Cougars were unable to respond, and the Beavers closed strong, stretching the margin to 66–58 with 1:37 left before sealing the 74–64 victory.
Johan Munch was a force inside, finishing with 18 points and 15 rebounds, including six offensive boards. His physicality caused consistent problems for Washington State. Josiah Lake II led the Beavers in scoring with 22 points, and has had a good year scoring 13.5 points along with 4.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for Washington State.
Ace Glass was excellent in the first half and finished the night with 15 points, even though his overall efficiency dipped. He went 5-for-16 from the field but knocked down five three-pointers on 10 attempts. ND Okafor, Rihards Vavers, and Jerone Morton also reached double figures with 13, 11, and 10 points, respectively, though none were able to spark a sustained run once Oregon State seized momentum.
One encouraging development continues to be the play of Adria Rodriguez. In 22 minutes, Rodriguez recorded four assists against just one turnover, continuing a strong stretch as Washington State’s primary distributor. Over his last six games, he is averaging 5.3 assists while committing fewer than one turnover per game in roughly 22 minutes of action. After an adjustment period early in the season, Rodriguez has settled into the American game and is showing the playmaking ability the coaching staff envisioned.
This latest loss drops Washington State into a four-way tie for fourth place in the WCC alongside Oregon State, San Francisco, and Pacific. With six games remaining — including matchups against Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s, and Santa Clara — this was a critical opportunity to bank a win against a team close to them in the standings. The margin for error is now razor thin entering the final stretch run in conference play.
The Cougars will look to regroup quickly as they return home to face a very strong Santa Clara team on Saturday, a game that the Cougars will have to play a full 40 minutes.
