A trio of former Eagles combined to score 52.
The Washington State Cougars soundly defeated the Eastern Washington Eagles in Spokane, 96-81.
WSU’s (5-1) cast of former Eagles helped lead the way, with Dane Erikstrup dropping 24 points, Cedric Coward tacking on 22 points—and just a rebound shy of a double-double—and LeJuan Watts adding six points. Returning Coug Isaiah Watts also managed to get in on the fun with a career-high 22 points.
“I think for them, they were really pretty disciplined about not looking at this as like ‘oh we’re playing our old teammates’ or anything like that. We really kind of approach this as a team like we’re going to play a good basketball team that’s done a great job in a few areas.” David Riley said.
The Cougars used an early offensive onslaught to separate early. A 7-0 run sparked by a Nate Calmese and-one was followed by back-to-back layups from Isaiah Watts and Coward. Just two minutes after his and-one, Calmese poured it on with a personal 8-0 run that became a 14-0 team run after Erikstrup knocked home back-to-back threes to give WSU an 18-point advantage with 6:42 remaining in the first half. The lead would later balloon to as high as 24 after a pair of Isaiah Watts treys.
Dane Erikstrup buries back-to-back triples and the Cougs are on a 14-0 run hunting the 20-point lead!#GoCougs | SWX pic.twitter.com/5QJJc8ziJv
— Washington State Men’s Basketball (@WSUCougarsMBB) November 22, 2024
WSU wouldn’t let off the gas to kick off the second half. Erikstrup, Calmese, and Watts each chipped in for WSU’s second kill shot run of the ballgame, this time a 10-0 run to push the lead back up to 23.
The Eagles would put together a few runs in the second half but would never break within 13 until there was only 78 seconds of game time remaining.
“We got competitors and it’s an emotional game and it was all good stuff. There wasn’t anything that was personal, it was just those guys competing at a high level and it was fun to see those guys and play that game.” Riley said,
The Cougars will now head down to California to square off with the Fresno State Bulldogs in Palm Springs on Tuesday in the first of three straight games against Mountain West foes.