Washington St defeats LMU 78-76

Washington St Edges LMU in Thrilling Conference Showdown at Beasley Coliseum

In a back-and-forth contest, Washington St edged out visiting Loyola Marymount 78-76 on Sunday night at the packed Beasley Coliseum. The win marks a significant conference victory for the Cougars, who trailed by as few as two points throughout the second half.

Washington St's defense proved instrumental in securing the narrow triumph, holding LMU to just 44% shooting from the field compared to their own 51%. The home team also outrebounded the visitors 35-29 and forced 12 turnovers, capitalizing on those miscues to fuel their comeback.

Rihards Vavers paced Washington St with 17 points, hitting five of his nine three-point attempts. ND Okafor contributed a strong all-around effort, grabbing nine rebounds while adding 14 points and one assist. Ace Glass chipped in with five assists and 16 points, as the Cougars' balanced attack proved too much for LMU to handle.

Jan Vide led LMU in scoring, netting 28 points on 58.8% shooting from the field. Jalen Shelley rounded out the top-scoring duo for the Lions, finishing with 15 points and nine rebounds.

The game was marked by a series of seesaw possessions, with each team trading leads throughout the first half. Washington St held a slim 34-32 advantage at intermission before LMU regained the lead in the second period. However, the Cougars staged an impressive comeback to retake the lead, outscoring their opponents 14-8 down the stretch.

With time running out, the tension was palpable as both teams fought for every point. Washington St's defense stiffened, holding off LMU's surge and securing a thrilling two-point victory. The win marks a key conference statement for the Cougars, who move forward with renewed momentum in their quest for postseason success.