WSU Men’s Basketball | Low nails 6 of 8 threes
SPOKANE - When the shots weren’t dropping for Washington State’s Derrick Low earlier this weekend, he and roommate Daven Harmeling tried something new.
“We prayed to the Spokane Arena gods to have mercy on us when we are shooting,” Low said on Sunday, after hitting six three-pointers to lead No. 9 Washington State to a 71-62 comeback win over Air Force in the Cougar Hispanic College Fund Challenge.
Low made 6 of 8 three-pointers and a free throw, all in the second half, to help Washington State (6-0) erase a 30-26 halftime deficit.
The arena gods weren’t so helpful to Harmeling, who finished with four points on 2-of-5 shooting and missed two free throw attempts.
“He didn’t get heard,” coach Tony Bennett joked.
Air Force (5-2) opened hot, making 6 of 12 three-pointers in the first half and holding a 40-37 lead with 13:42 left.
But the Cougars went on a 14-0 run while holding the Falcons scoreless for nearly 7 minutes to build a 51-40 lead. Air Force battled back to 68-62 in the closing seconds, but the Cougars won it at the free-throw line.
Taylor Rochestie had 22 points and Kyle Weaver added 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Cougars.
Low, who sat out most of the first half after two quick fouls, had made just 6 of 15 shots in the first two games of the tournament. But he was unstoppable in the second half as WSU won all three games in its round-robin tournament.
“When Derrick goes unconscious, that definitely helps,” said Rochestie, who made 9 of 10 free throws to help hold off the Falcons.
Tim Anderson scored 15 for Air Force (5-2), which lost its second consecutive game. Evan Washington added 14.
“In the second half they showed why they are ranked so high,” Anderson said.
Guard Drew Henke pointed to the 14-0 run as the key to the game.
“We can’t allow people to go on runs like that against us,” he said. At the same time, “we pushed a very, very good team to the limit.”
Air Force led 30-26 at halftime, thanks to 50 percent shooting while holding the Cougars to 44 percent. The numbers shifted in the second half, with WSU shooting 55 percent and Air Force 34 percent. The Cougars hit 7 of 10 from beyond the arc in the second half.
AIR FORCE 62minfgm-aftm-aor-tapfptsHolland 262-50-00-2325Johnson 261-44-51-3246Maren 325-80-00-20313Anderson 384-106-62-45215Washington 355-82-21-41114Henke 312-103-30-5139El-Amin 10-00-00-0040Hood 30-00-00-0000Fow 00-00-00-1000Brooks 00-00-00-0010Kenzik 80-10-00-001020019-4615-165-22122162 Percentages: FG .413, FT .938. Three-point goals: 9-23, .391 (Maren 3-5, Washington 2-2, Henke 2-7, Holland 1-3, Anderson 1-6). Team rebounds: 1. Blocked shots: 2 (Johnson, Maren). Turnovers: 11 (Washington 3, Maren 2, Johnson 2, Holland, Anderson, Kenzik). Steals: 6 (Maren 2, Washington, Holland, Anderson, Johnson).
WASHINGTON ST. 71
min
fgm-a
ftm-a
or-t
a
pf
pts
Cowgill
36
1-1
3-4
1-4
0
1
5
Baynes
17
3-6
0-0
1-2
0
3
6
Low
27
6-11
1-2
0-3
0
3
19
Rochestie
40
5-9
9-10
1-4
5
4
22
Weaver
38
5-11
5-6
3-8
8
2
15
Sauls
1
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
Koprivica
10
0-2
0-0
0
0
0
Harmeling
31
2-5
0-7
0
3
4
200
22-45
18-24
8-31
13
16
71
Percentages: FG .489, FT .750. Three-point goals: 9-18, .500 (Low 6-8, Rochestie 3-6, Koprivica 0-1, Harmeling 0-1, Weaver 0-2). Team rebounds: 3. Blocked shots: 3 (Cowgill 3). Turnovers: 12 (Weaver 3, Low 3, Baynes 2, Rochestie 2, Koprivica, Harmeling). Steals: 4 (Low 2, Koprivica, Rochestie).
Air Force
30
32
-
62
Washington St.
26
45
-
71
Attendance: 3,585. Officials: Eggers, White, Giron.