WSU downs Portland State 69-60 as Cougars are off to 5-0 start
Dec 13, 2020, 5:05 PM | Updated: Feb 8, 2021, 6:45 pm
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Noah Williams scored 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting and Isaac Bonton scored 16 and WSU held Portland State at bay with a 69-60 win on Sunday.
WSU 69, Portland State 60: Box score
T.J. Bamba scored 15 points for Washington State and Andrej Jakimovski 12.
WSU (5-0) is off to its best start since 2017-18 when it started that season with six straight wins. The Cougars are receiving votes in the AP Top-25 for the first time since that season.
The five wins have been by a combined 22 points.
Cougs have a 5-0 start to the season! 🔥@noahwilliams44 & @ibonton13 combined for 34 points, helping @WSUCougarMBB defeat Portland State and stay undefeated. pic.twitter.com/BTdQxQvZLn
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) December 14, 2020
Charles Jones’ layup with 10:31 remaining brought the Vikings within 44-41 with 10:31 left. Bamba followed with a 3-pointer 28 seconds later and Washington State gradually began to pull away.
Jakimovski’s 3-pointer with 4:47 remaining put the Cougars up 60-50. Washington State never trailed.
Paris Dawson led Portland State (1-2) with 18 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Amari McCray scored 12 with 11 rebounds for the Vikings.
Washington State now leads the all-time series with the Vikings, 9-0. The most recent meeting was on Dec. 6, 2015, a 91-67 Cougars’ win in Pullman.
Portland State now is 7-56 all-time against current members of the Pac-12 Conference.
Last time: WSU edges Idaho 61-58