PULLMAN — Mouhamad Gueye and Efe Abogidi each scored career-highs while combining for 46 points as Washington State opened a home-and-home series with arch-rival Washington with a 78-70 win Wednesday night.
The teams reconvene Saturday in Seattle.
The teams played to a 33-33 tie after a half, but the Cougars opened the second half with 13-1 run and did not trail the rest of the way. Washington clawed back within one after Nate Roberts’ layup with 8:50 left and PJ Fuller’s layup with 2:31 left made it 71-70. Michael Flowers drove to the basket for an off-balance shot and Abogidi grabbed the offensive rebound and slammed it home to make it 73-70 and Washington did not score another field goal the rest of the way.
Gueye, a freshman, and Abogidi, a sophomore, combined for 25 of Washington State’s 45 second-half points. Gueye hit 11 of 23 shots from the field to post a career-high 25 points. Abogidi scored a career-high 21 points and his 14 rebounds, 10 off the offensive glass, was one shy of matching his career-best mark. The Cougars (15-12, 10-7 Pac-12) scored 40 points in the paint with 15 offensive rebounds.
Fuller hit 5 of 9 from behind the arc and finished with 23 points to lead Washington (13-13, 3-7). Terrell Brown Jr. added 11 points and eight assists and Cole Bajema added 11 points and six rebounds off the bench.
Washington now has lost four straight — three to ranked opponents (No. 4 Arizona, No. 17 USC and No. 13 UCLA). Washington State had lost five straight.
