Last night’s loss to San Diego was a rollercoaster of emotions and, unfortunately, a fitting summary of the season for David Riley’s group. The Cougs fell to the Toreros 96–92 in a game that followed a familiar script. Once again, WSU dug itself a deep hole early in the first half, trailing by as many as 18 points—a deficit they ultimately could not overcome.
Despite an impressive late rally that cut the margin to two points with seven seconds remaining, a redshirt freshman calmly knocked down two free throws to seal the game. The Cougs’ comeback effort came up just short.
The Positives
Let’s start with the positives—because there were some.
Ace Glass
No matter how this season ends, watching Ace Glass has been a genuine bright spot. He poured in 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including 4-of-8 from three, while tying for the team high with seven rebounds. It’s not just how much he scores—it’s how he does it. Glass is a true three-level scorer: finishing at the rim with either hand, operating smoothly in the midrange, and capable of heating up quickly from beyond the arc, as he did late in this game. He never looks rushed and consistently plays with great balance.
ND Okafor
What a difference a year makes. ND’s improvement has been obvious, and both his work ethic and the coaching staff deserve credit. He consistently established deep position and finished efficiently—something that was a struggle last season. Okafor went 8-of-10 from the field and 5-of-6 at the free-throw line, finishing with his second 20-point performance of the year.
Rihards Vavers
Vavers delivered a solid bounce-back game after being quiet the previous two outings. He scored 16 points on 4-of-9 shooting and knocked down 3-of-8 from deep. He missed a couple of good looks late that could have pushed the Cougs over the hump, but he didn’t force shots and tied Glass for the team lead with seven rebounds.
Free-Throw Shooting
WSU shot 21-of-25 from the line, a major reason they were able to stay within striking distance throughout the second half.
The Negatives
Defensive Effort
San Diego shot an absurd 15-of-28 from three-point range. You can frame that two ways: either the Cougs ran into the Toreros on the best shooting night of their season, or WSU’s defense played a significant role in allowing it. Watching the game, it’s impossible not to lean toward the latter. San Diego consistently got open, in-rhythm looks. Anyone who’s played basketball knows that once a team sees a few uncontested shots go in, the tougher ones start falling too.
Defensive Rebounding
The defensive rebounding effort was unacceptable. On multiple occasions, the Cougs had the ball taken directly out of their hands under the basket, leading to uncontested layups. While the final offensive rebound totals—San Diego 14, WSU 12—don’t look awful, they’re misleading. WSU had a clear size and athleticism advantage, yet was outworked by a team that played just one player taller than 6’7”. That comes down to effort and technique—and ultimately, coaching. I don’t question this team’s work ethic, but this is an area that must be addressed.
Zone Defense
The passive zone defense remains a staple of the Riley system—and it continues to be ineffective. Not only does it allow open threes and fail to secure rebounds, but it also applies virtually no ball pressure. San Diego was able to walk the ball up the floor and operate comfortably, and WSU forced just six turnovers against one of the most turnover-prone teams in the WCC, which averages 12.5 per game.
Role Players
While Glass, Okafor, and Vavers played well, contributions beyond them were disappointing. Morton had a few positive moments late, and Yalaho made a couple of baskets, but that was largely it. Adria Rodriguez has become borderline unplayable due to his struggles scoring the ball. Simon Hildebrandt, Emmanuel Ugbo, and Parker Gerrits combined for just six points and six rebounds in 39 total minutes. If Hildebrandt isn’t making shots, he offers little on either end. Ugbo looked slow and failed to compete at the necessary level. Gerrits didn’t attempt a field goal, surrendered a critical offensive rebound, and provided little defensively.
Final Thoughts
I don’t want to be pessimistic—I want this team to reach its potential. After a couple of wins and a strong showing at Saint Mary’s, it felt like the Cougs might be turning a corner. But giving up 96 points to one of the WCC’s weakest teams makes it feel like this group is driving the wrong way down a one-way street.
Getting Tomas back would help on the boards and boost overall energy, but that’s not a cure-all. What’s most frustrating is that in the final minutes, WSU finally turned up the intensity—creating turnovers, getting out in transition, and showing flashes of what this team could be. Slow starts, lazy defense, and a lack of discipline will make it extremely difficult to finish in the top half of the WCC—an outcome that would be inexcusable given the talent on this roster.
Here’s hoping things improve.
Go Cougs.