MBK: Cougs look to snap losing skid at Colorado
Washington State and Colorado run it back Wednesday after playing in Pullman Saturday. The game this week is a reschedule of an early season postponement between the two teams.
WSU is seeking to snap a five-game losing streak. The Cougars play the next four games on the road and are currently in the middle of an 8 road games in 10 game stretch.
Colorado has been tough to beat at home this season and all-time for the Cougs as WSU is 0-9 all-time in Boulder. Last season, Colorado won 78-56 in Boulder in the lone regular season matchup between the two teams.
Colorado took the first meeting between the two teams on Saturday, 70-59, overcoming an early 18-point lead by the Cougs.
LAST TIME OUT - COLORADO 70 - WSU 59 | Jan. 23, 2021 | Pullman The Cougs started the game on fire building a quick 18 point lead. However, the shooting cooled and Colorado rallied flipping the deficit into their own 18 point advantage in the second half. Noah Williams scored 16 including hitting a career-best 4 from deep but McKinley Wright returned from a first half injury to lead the comeback in the second half for Colorado.
WILLIAMS LEADING THE WAY: Sophomore Noah Williams has been hampered by bumps and bruises that has slowed down his play in conference action, including being undercut at Stanford on a breakaway layup. Despite playing at less than 100%, Williams has scored in double-figures 11 games including his first 20+ point effort against Montana State. He has done his work from deep going 24-for-49 (49.0%) on the year including going 12-for-19 (63.2%) in the last four games.
At the line, Williams has hit 9-straight (previously hit 14-straight) and is 31-of-41 from the charity stripe on the year. Defensively, he has drawn a team-best six charges, including a pair of charges in the final seconds (:16 sec vs TSU, :03 sec vs EWU) of both the first two games to seal comeback victories for the Cougs.
BONTON STARTS A NEW STREAK: In Saturday's loss to Colorado, senior Isaac Bonton started a new double-digit scoring streak after seeing his 30-game streak come to an end the previous game (was the 2nd longest streak in the country). Overall, Bonton has 38 career double-digit scoring games. He is averaging 18.0 ppg, 3rd among all Pac-12 scorers. He has six times gone for 20+ points (five in the last seven games) including a season-high 28 in the opener and 27 at USC. He has 11 career 20+ point scoring efforts.
Even with the Utah game, Bonton has been hot in 2021 averaging 20.0 ppg on 46.9% (53-113) shooting including hitting 42.1% (16-38) from deep while also averaging 4.0 assists per game. On the year the senior is third in the conference in getting to the line with 81 attempts (45th in the country) and sixth in makes at 54.
In addition to his offensive spark, Bonton has been the Cougs' best perimeter defender having posted a team-best 28 steals on the year including 17 in the last seven games. In three games all time against Colorado Bonton has averaged 15.3 ppg on 17-for-53 (32.1%) shooting including hitting 5-for-13 from deep. He has improved from 10 to 15 to 21 points in each successive game.
NEXT 5 GAMES:
