Williams clutch at the line, WSU edges Idaho 61-58

Dec 10, 2020, 12:47 pm

PULLMAN, Wa. -- — Noah Williams scored 19 points, including a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left, and Washington State rallied out of a double-digit deficit for the third straight game to edge Idaho 61-58 Wednesday night.

The Cougars (4-0) trailed Idaho (0-2) by as many as a 11 in the game and were down by nine in the second half when Williams kicked off a 19-0 run with four free throws. Andrej Jakimovski added a 3-pointer and a drive back-to-back, tying the game at 36-36.

DJ Rodman grabbed a defensive board and turned it into a fastbreak layup, then stole the ball and fed Williams on the break and Jakimovski hit another 3. Rodman made it 46-36 with a three-point play with 9:19 to play.

Isaac Bonton scored 12 for WSU with eight rebounds and Jakimovski scored 11.

Though trailing by 12 with 4:23 remaining, Idaho picked up consecutive 3-pointers from Gabe Quinnett, DeAndre Robinson and Damen Thacker and cut the gap to 59-58 on a Scott Blakney dunk with 13 seconds left.

Robinson led the Vandals with 14 points and eight rebounds, Hunter-Jack Madden added 13 points, Blakney 12. Quinnett and Thacker each had eight.

Blakney missed a final jumper and Jakimovski controlled the rebound.

WSU started a young lineup with three sophomores and two freshmen on the floor for the first time.

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