WSU Cougars end No. 5 Arizona’s home winning streak 74-61
Jan 7, 2023, 4:27 PM
Washington State's Mouhamed Gueye (35) looks to get out of a double-team by Arizona's Azuolas Tubelis, left, and Pelle Larsson, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
(AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) – Mouhamed Gueye had 24 points and 14 rebounds, and WSU ended No. 5 Arizona’s 28-game home winning streak with a 74-61 victory on Saturday.
WSU 74, Arizona 61: Box Score
Cougs win! WSU picks up their first ever road win against a top-5 team!
The first top-5 win in 40 years!#GoCougs | #WAZZU pic.twitter.com/Kh0o6uQf2Z
— WSU Men's Basketball (@WSUCougarMBB) January 8, 2023
The Cougars (7-10, 2-4 Pac-12) shut down Arizona’s once-potent offense, creating a rare subdued atmosphere inside McKale Center. Washington State built an 18-point lead midway through the second half, withstood Arizona’s late run and shot 12 of 28 from 3-point range to end what had been the nation’s third-longest active winning streak.
Mouhamed Gueye with the corner dagger! He has a season-high 24 points.
📺@Pac12Network
📲https://t.co/GXsI8UBlCj #GoCougs | #WAZZU pic.twitter.com/fDRmoHsob7— WSU Men's Basketball (@WSUCougarMBB) January 7, 2023
The Wildcats (14-2, 3-2) struggled offensively for the third straight game, shooting 32% and 4 for 25 from the 3-point arc. Arizona had its fewest halftime points (27) in two seasons under coach Tommy Lloyd and ran out of gas after a late 12-2 run cut the Cougars’ lead to five.
Azoulas Tubelis had 29 points and 14 rebounds for Arizona.
Arizona got defensive while its high-octane offense dropped down to fourth gear the previous two games.
Once the nation’s highest-scoring and best-shooting team, the Wildcats scored 139 combined points against Arizona State and Washington, winning both behind their defense.
The Wildcats again struggled offensively against Washington State, forcing up several contested shots inside while going 1 for 8 from 3 in the first half.
Like he did against Washington, Tubelis was the only Arizona player to have much of an offensive impact, scoring 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting. The rest of the Wildcats went a combined 4 for 16.
Arizona’s defense had some success, holding the Cougars scoreless for more than 4 1/2 minutes and 7 for 22 on their 2-point shots. Washington State made up for it by going 7 for 15 from 3, taking a 37-27 halftime lead on TJ Bamba’s 3 at the buzzer.
WSU pushed the lead to 13 early in the second half and kept hitting shots each time Arizona tried to make a run.
DJ Rodman hit a 3-pointer after Washington State broke Arizona’s full-court press and another the next possession. Arizona then gave Gueye a free run down the middle of the lane for a dunk that put the Cougars up 55-37.
Arizona turned up the defensive pressure, holding Washington State to two free throws in a little over five minutes, cutting the lead to 61-56 with a 12-2 run.
It turned out to be the Wildcats’ last gasp. Washington State pushed the lead back to double digits and Wildcats’ fans to the exits.
BIG PICTURE
WSU arrived in the desert as the Pac-12’s most prolific 3-point shooting team. The WSU Cougars were again good from the arc and played super defensively to knock off a top-5 team on the road.
Arizona needs to find a way to get its offense revved up again. Once scoring more than 90 points per game, the Wildcats have failed to eclipse 70 in three straight games since the nonconference schedule ended. A drop in the AP Top 25 is coming on Monday.
UP NEXT
WSU: hosts California on Wednesday.
Arizona: plays at Oregon State on Thursday.
