After a strong second-half comeback and a decisive overtime, the Washington State Cougars defeated the UCLA Bruins for just the 18th time in program history on Saturday night, 79-71. Sophomore CJ Elleby, who had been mired in a shooting slump, buried a game-tying corner 3-pointer out of a timeout with 19.9 seconds left in regulation. A strong defensive play by freshman Noah Williams help send the game into overtime on UCLA’s ensuring possession.
The Cougs wouldn’t look back in the extra period. They started with a 6-0 run on buckets from Jeff Pollard, Elleby, and Isaac Bonton.