Box Score
SEATTLE, Wash. --- Portland battled back from a 21-point first half deficit to cut the margin to one midway throught the second half, but Washington State went on another late run for an 84-68 victory Tuesday night in the Cougar Hardwood Classic hosted at KeyArena. Senior guard Jared Stohl led Portland with 21 points and junior Nemanja Mitrovic added 17.
The Cougars (3-0) improve to 6-0 all-time in the Cougar Hardwood Classic. The Pilots (4-2) fall to 2-8 all-time against Washington State.
Washington State junior guard Klay Thompson scored a game-high 35 points, while junior guard Faisal Aden finished with 21.
The Cougars shot a blistering 59 percent from the field and 11-of-21 from three-point range. Thompson was 13-for-16 individually, while Aden was 8-for-15 including four threes.
Portland struggled to 35 percent from the field and made 10-of-27 three-pointers.
After trailing by 12 at halftime, Mitrovic led a Pilot assault with seven straight points out of the break. A 9-0 run capped by another Mitrovic three-pointer midway through the period made it 57-56 with 10:55 remaining. Mitrovic, who had 12 second half points, came down awkwardly after a three-point attempt with 9:14 remaining and did not return.
The Cougars capitalized on his absence and immediately went on run. Aden capped the Cougars spurt with nine straight points over a 49 second span with a three-point play sandwiched by two three-pointers to put WSU up 75-60 with 5:56 remaining. WSU would extend the lead to 20 and cruise to victory.
WSU came out on fire to start the game and raced to a 27-6 lead over the first 8:30 of the contest. Portland battled back on the shoulders of Stohl who drilled four first half three-pointers and scored the final five points of the period to bring the deficit to 48-36 at the break.
Portland will return home to the Chiles Center for a pair of games in the next seven days. The Pilots will host UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 7 p.m. and then welcome Rick Majerus and the Saint Louis Billikens on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
