PULLMAN, Wash. – Down by two with 2.6 seconds left in overtime, junior
Lamar Washington caught an in-bounds pass from the corner and drilled a three-pointer at the buzzer to carry the Pacific men's basketball program to a 95-94 win over Washington State on Thursday at Beasley Coliseum.
Washington, who scored Pacific's (6-13, 1-4 WCC) last seven points, put the Tigers on his back as his epic three-pointer capped a career-high 40 points. Washington played all 45 minutes and was 16-of-22 from the field and 4-of-6 from three.
The Tigers led for most of regulation and were up 79-71 with 5:39 left before the Cougars (13-4, 3-1 WCC) came storming back. Washington State tied it 84-84 with 19 seconds left, and after a Pacific turnover, the Tigers had to make a stop on a three-point attempt at the buzzer to send it to overtime.
Pacific trailed 93-88 with 1:04 left in overtime when Washington made a lay-up, two free throws and a three in the last minute for the win.
Washington helped the Tigers shoot .552 from the field as a team in the game. He was one of four Tigers in double-figures including senior
Petar Krivokapic with a season-high 18 points, junior
Jefferson Koulibaly with 11 points and junior
Elijah Fisher with 10 points.
The Tigers were without senior
Elias Ralph, their leading scorer, after getting hurt just 35 seconds into the game. Ralph came out after a dunk on the team's first possession and did not return.
Pacific dominated inside where it outscored Washington State 54-30 in the paint. The Tigers also outscored the Cougars 32-13 off the bench as five different Tigers scored despite not starting.
Washington State was led by Ethan Price's 28 points as he was 6-of-9 from long range and 6-of-6 from the free throw line.
The Tigers led 10-8 early after a three by Krivokapic. A jumper by Fisher made it 16-12 at the 14:28 mark, and buckets by Fisher and Washington kept it at 26-22 with 7:08 left.
Pacific used a 10-0 spurt to open up a 38-26 edge with 4:46 to go which included and-one's by Washington and sophomore
Kris Keinys. A three by freshman
Carter Benton on the team's final possession gave the Tigers a 48-38 lead at the break.
The Cougars began the second half with a three, followed by a four-point play to quickly trim it to 48-45 at the 18:56 mark. Washington State got it down to 50-49 before Washington answered with a three and a pair of free throws to push it back up to 59-51 with 15:04 left.
The Tigers were still on top 74-64 after a pair of free throws by Krivokapic with 8:20 remaining. A three by Washington made it 79-71 Pacific with 5:39 to go.
The Cougars slowly crept back in it down the stretch and made it an 82-80 game with 1:03 left. A tip-in bucket by LeJuan Watts with 19 seconds remaining tied it 84-84. Washington State's Nate Calmese put up a contested three at the buzzer that was off the mark to send it to overtime.
Pacific was playing from behind for most of overtime. Washington State's 93-88 edge with 1:04 left was its largest lead of the game.
The Tigers will close out the week with a home game Saturday against Oregon State at 7 p.m. at the Alex G. Spanos Center. Pacific is 2-1 all-time against the Beavers including a 2-0 mark at home as the last meeting was a 72-66 home victory on Dec. 17, 1994
NOTES
- Washington State entered the game 7-0 at home this year. It was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
- Pacific has matched its season win total from last year and surpassed its conference win total.
- The Tigers posted their first road win since Nov. 10, 2023 when they beat Cal 87-79. The last conference road win came on Jan. 28, 2023 when it beat Santa Clara 95-89.
- The Tigers notched their first conference win since Feb. 25, 2023 when they beat Portland 81-77 on Senior Day.
- Pacific's last overtime win came on Nov. 26, 2023 when it beat Mississippi Valley State 68-65.
- In all six of Pacific's wins this year, the team has outscored the opposition in the paint.
- Pacific's 95 points marked a season-high. The Tigers also grabbed a season-high 14 steals including a career-high six from Koulibaly and five from Washington.
- Washington more-than doubled his previous career-high of 19 points set twice. His 12 made field goals and four three-pointers were also career-bests. Washington dished out six assists after entered the game ranked 16th in the nation in assists per game.
- Washington became the first Tiger to score 40 points in a game since Roberto Gallinat poured in 41 against San Francisco on Feb. 22, 2018. The school record for points in a game is 44 set by Bill Stricker against Portland on Dec. 21, 1968.
- Washington became the first Tiger to log at least 45 minutes in a game since Jahlil Tripp and Daniss Jenkis played 52 minutes apiece in a four-overtime win over Saint Mary's on Jan. 4, 2020.
- Krivokapic surpassed his previous season-high of 14 points against Pepperdine. His career-high stands as 26 points against Akron on Nov. 19, 2023 as a member of FIU. It was Krivokapic's 29th career double-figure scoring game and seventh this year. He played a career-high 44:25 minutes off the bench.
- Koulibaly, who played his freshman season at Washington State, etched his eighth double-digit scoring game of the year and third in his last four outings.
- Fisher tallied his 34th career double-figure scoring game, 18th this season and 12th in a row. He was 5-of-10 from the field.
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