PULLMAN — Ike Iroegbu scored 18 points, including a key 3-point play in overtime, to spark Washington State to a 78-73 victory over Texas State on Friday night.
Josh Hawkinson recorded 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Cougars (7-2). Que Johnson added 13 points, and Conor Clifford had 11.
Senior forward Emani Gant led the Bobcats (5-3) with a career-high 24 points. Ethan Montalvo scored 13, and Anthony Roberson had 12.
The Cougars nursed small leads most of the game before Texas State tied the score twice in the final 1:15 of the second half. A Gant layin with 45.4 seconds to go knotted the score at 66-66. The score remained unchanged heading into overtime when WSU’s Charles Callison sandwiched two missed shots around a Gant missed free throw at the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity.
Washington State led 71-70 when Iroegbu sank a short jumper and a free throw with 1:37 left to play.
After adjusting to the quickness of the smaller Bobcats, the Cougars erased a 15-12 deficit with a 15-1 spurt midway through the first half. WSU led 36-29 at halftime.
The Cougars’ 78 points were a season high against a Texas State team that came into the day ranked third in NCAA Division I with 56.6 points allowed per game. WSU shot 53.7 percent from the floor and held Texas State to 44.3 percent.
TIP-INS
Texas State: Danny Kaspar ranks 25th among active NCAA Division I coaches with 492 wins (and 235 losses). Kaspar had just three losing seasons in 22 years at Incarnate Word (nine years) and Stephen F. Austin (13 years) before suffering through losing seasons the past two years after coming to Texas State. SFA lost to Syracuse in 2009 in Kasper’s only NCAA tournament appearance.
Washington State: Through Thursday, the Cougars ranked second in the nation with 7.3 blocked shots per game. Nevada led with 7.6. WSU had five blocks against the Bobcats.
UP NEXT
Washington State plays No. 3 Oklahoma on Tuesday at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.
