STOCKTON, Calif. – A go-ahead bucket by sophomore Jazz Gardner with five seconds left and a last-second stop defensively propelled the Pacific men's basketball program to a 70-68 victory over Washington State on Thursday at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
 
The game was tied 68-68 with 34 seconds left when Pacific (7-17, 2-8 WCC) took the shot clock down as far as it could before junior Lamar Washington found Gardner for an open lay-up. After running the floor and having the ball knocked out of bounds, WSU (15-8, 5-5 WCC) had a chance with 0.5 seconds left to inbound the ball underneath its basket and score, but the Tigers did not allow a shot attempt as the buzzer sounded.
 
It was Pacific's second victory over the Cougars this season after going on the road and pulling out a 95-94 overtime victory on Jan. 9 on a three-point buzzer beater by Washington. The two games were decided by a total of three points.
 
The Cougars and the Tigers went back-and-forth for most of the night as the game features 11 ties and 10 lead changes. Neither team lead for more than 18 minutes.
 
Gardner's game-winning basket capped a big night as he was a perfect 7-of-7 from the field for 14 points. It was his second-highest scoring total of his career and his seven made field goals were a career-high.
 
Scoring a game-high 18 points was senior Elias Ralph. He was 7-of-13 from the floor and recorded eight rebounds and two blocks.
 
Off the bench, senior Petar Krivokapic tallied 14 points, five rebounds and a season-high four assists. Washington registered 13 points, eight assists and three steals, while junior Elijah Fisher posted 10 points.
 
Pacific outrebounded WSU 34-24. The Tigers also held a 32-24 edge in paint scoring.
 
The Cougars were led by Dane Erikstrup's 17 points. Nate Calmese ended with 13 points.
 
A relatively even first half was tied 14-14 at the 11:09 mark after a lay-up by Gardner. A pair of free throws by Ralph kept it tied 22-22 with 5:25 to go.
 
Pacific trailed 29-28 with Fisher hit a jumper and Ralph drained a three to lead 33-29 in the final minute. WSU scored the last point of the half on a free throw, but the Tigers were up 33-30 at the intermission.
 
Pacific's largest lead of the game 36-30 came on a three by Washington on the first possession of the second half. The Tigers were still ahead 45-42 on a lay-in by Washington with 12:14 left.
 
The Cougars responded with a big 10-0 spurt to go up 52-45 with 9:02 remaining. Though, threes by Krivokapic and Ralph, followed by another basket by Krivokapic fueled an 8-0 run to put Pacific back in front 53-52 at the 6:34 mark.
 
The seesaw battle continued as Washington drilled a three to make it a 68-65 game for Pacific with 47 seconds left. However, Calmese answered with a three for the Cougars to knot it 68-68 with 34 seconds before the final sequence occurred.
 
The Tigers will conclude the week with a 4 p.m. road game Saturday at Santa Clara. It will be the first meeting between the two this season.
 
NOTES
- Pacific improved to 2-0 all-time against the Cougars. It was WSU's first-ever trip to Stockton as the teams had never played each other prior to this season.
 
- The Tigers are now 808-459 all-time at home and 345-226 in the Alex G. Spanos Center.
 
- Pacific has surpassed both its season win total and conference win total from a year ago.
 
- In all seven of Pacific's wins this year, the team has outscored the opposition in the paint.
 
- Ralph poured in his 82nd career double-figure scoring game and 22nd this year. He drained a trio of three-pointers which matched a season-most. Ralph swatted a pair of blocks for the fourth consecutive game.
 
- Washington entered the game ranked seventh in the nation in total assists and 21st in assists per game (6.0) and will improve upon his mark after distributing eight. It was the fifth time this year he logged 40 minutes (or more). Washington etched his 16th double-figure scoring game of the year and sixth in a row. He scored 40 points in the first meeting against WSU and went on to win WCC Player of the Week.
 
- Gardner was one point shy of his career-high of 15 points set against Illinois State on Dec. 7, 2024. He's the first player to go perfect from the field at Pacific with at least five attempts since Sam Freeman against Stanislaus State on Nov. 16, 2021. It was Gardner's fourth double-digit scoring affair of the season.
 
- Krivokapic's two highest scoring totals of the year have come against WSU as he had 18 in the first meeting and 14 tonight. It was his 30th career double-figure scoring game and eighth this year.
 
- Fisher submitted his 39th career double-digit scoring performance and 23rd this year. He's scored in double-figures in 23 of 24 games.
 


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