PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Temperatures dropped well below freezing Saturday night in Pullman, but the coldest folks in town were playing basketball inside the toasty Beasley Coliseum.
The Texas Southern Tigers made just 10 of 33 shots the first 22 minutes before warming to the task, but not before Washington State built a 47-26 halftime lead and coasted to a 77-65 nonconference win.
“The first half was the best basketball that we’ve played since I’ve been here coaching at Washington State,” coach Ernie Kent said, who arrived at WSU last season. “I thought we were awesome. The way we ran, the rhythm of the game, the tempo of the game was outstanding.”
Texas Southern coach Mike Davis was similarly impressed.
“They play with passion,” Davis said. “They play together . they’ve been sharing the ball, playing really, really well. I wish we played like them.”
Josh Hawkinson, back in action after missing one game with a groin injury, scored 20 points in 23 minutes off the bench. Ike Iroegbu added 19 points for the Cougars (4-0), who are off to their best start since starting 5-0 in 2010.
Washington State had 20 assists on 32 baskets, compared to six assists on 25 baskets for Texas Southern (1-5). WSU shot 60.6 percent in the first half and 55.2 percent overall. The Tigers shot just 32.3 percent in the first half, but finished at 43.9 percent after hitting 57.7 percent in the second half.
Texas Southern’s Malcolm Riley scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half and Chris Davis poured in 14 of his 20 points after halftime.
“The second half, I don’t think we were sharp or as focused,” Kent said. “I thought we got greedy a little bit, took some bad shots. A little selfishness.”
“I feel like there was a moment at the start of the second half where we weren’t sharing the ball like we were in the first half,” Iroegbu said.
Davis credited the Cougars for “playing hard on defense,” but he said his players “just got wild and started playing crazy” in the first half.
TIP-INS
Texas Southern: Partly for financial reasons, the Tigers are playing all 13 of their nonconference games on the road. “I love it,” Davis said. “It gives us a chance to grow as a team. If we’re going to be good, we need to be good in January and March.” The Tigers don’t play their first game at home in Houston until Jan. 2, when they open Southwestern Athletic Conference play against Southern (La.).
Washington State: The Cougars play their first six games at home, then travel just 8 miles to visit Idaho. Two more home games follow before WSU plays three games at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu. The Cougars then start Pac-12 Conference play with three games at home. Kent said he wanted to go with a relatively schedule early to help break in seven new players. The 10th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs (4-1) are WSU’s next opponent.
DAVIS SWEET ON VALENTINE
Davis was impressed with Valentine Izundu, who started at center for Washington State after seeing little action in two seasons at Houston. “Coach Kent has done an amazing job with him,” Davis said. “I don’t know if people understand where he’s come from as a basketball player. He’s made some of the biggest strides a kid could ever make in basketball. He’s a phenomenal shot blocker.” The 6-foot-10 Izundu has 15 blocked shots in four games.
UP NEXT
Texas Southern visits Mississippi State on Tuesday.
Washington State hosts No. 10 Gonzaga on Wednesday.
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