Washington State couldn’t find its offense in another bad shooting performance across the board at Boise State on Saturday.

The Cougars hit just 34.9 percent from the field, 23.1 percent from 3-point range (6 of 26) and 68.8 percent from the foul line -- a formula that led to a 71-61 loss to the Broncos in Boise, Idaho.

Washington State (1-1) couldn’t get a rhythm in this back-and-forth game, at times looking poise to build some momentum but never able to sustain it.

Boise State (1-1) shot the ball only slightly better at 44.8 percent from the field but it forced 15 turnovers while causing havoc in the passing lanes for the Cougars.

It was a slow first half for both teams, neither eclipsing 30 points before the break, but a back-and-forth second half just did not go in the Cougars’ favor.

TJ Bamba did his part for the Cougs, scoring 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting (4 of 7 from 3-point range) with 7 rebounds. Mouhamed Gueye (12 points) and Justin Powell (10) were the only other WSU players to score in double figures, while the bench produced just 6 total points with coach Kyle Smith mostly using a 7-man rotation.

With 3:47 left in the second half, Boise State sophomore forward Tyson Degenhart laid it up for the and-one against the Cougars, with senior forward DJ Rodman committing the late foul. The Broncos led by just two points before that sequence, which kicked off a 15-7 run to close the game.

Junior guard TJ Bamba stepped up to the plate when it mattered. While his teammates struggled to shoot the ball well and consistently, Bamba dropped 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting overall and 4 of 7 from behind the arc.

It wasn't enough to change the outcome Saturday, but it could be a great sign of what's to come as Bamba is a prime candidate for a breakout season.

On the glass, DJ Rodman was the main guy to rely on, snatching 14 rebounds, even with a poor shooting performance from the field. Rodman even snagged 5 offensive rebounds on the glass, providing many second-chance points.

This is not the end of the world for this young team. WSU did not get to see any minutes from true freshman guard Dylan Darling, which could be due to injury status

WSU now will travel Prairie View, Texas, to face Prairie View A&M on the road in the Pac- 12/SWAC Legacy Series.

Jabe Mullins: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 turnover

TJ Bamba: 24 points, 7 rebounds, 4 turnovers

DJ Rodman: 4 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist

Justin Powell: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block

Mouhamed Gueye: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist

Carlos Rosario: 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Kymany Houinsou: 2 points, 1 rebound