Cougars win 8th straight game to take control of Pac-12 race
TUCSON — Jaylen Wells scored a season-high 27 points, including a go-ahead four-point play in the final minute, as No. 21 Washington State handed No. 4 Arizona its first home loss of the season, 77-74 on Thursday night in McKale Center.
(VIDEO): Oumar Ballo and Jaden Bradley discuss 3-point loss to Wazzu
Wells made 6 of 10 3-point shots and also hit two free throws with 2.7 seconds left for the final points. Caleb Love tossed up a shot from about 35 feet at the buzzer, with the ball going off the front of the rim.
The Cougars (21-6, 12-4 Pac-12) grabbed a half-game lead in the conference over the Wildcats (20-6, 11-4) and swept the season series from Arizona, which had been 13-0 at home.
Washington State, which was playing as a ranked team for the first time since 2008, has won eight consecutive games. Isaac Jones had 16 points for WSU. Rueben Chinyelu posted 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Love scored 27 points and had five assists to lead Arizona, which had its six-game winning streak snapped. Oumar Ballo had his sixth consecutive double-double, with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
The second half was tight throughout and the score was tied at 71 with 1:34 to go. After Wells missed a 3-pointer, Love drove for a three-point play to make the score 74-71 with 51.2 seconds remaining.
Wells then hit his sixth 3-pointer of the night, getting the ball in the left corner after WSU scrambled for an offensive rebound and kicked the ball out. Wells was fouled on the shot, hitting the free throw to give the Cougars the lead with 24.6 seconds to go.
Love was blocked near the hoop on the ensuing possession, with the ball going out of bounds to Arizona with 9.6 seconds left. The Wildcats again went to Love, who slipped on a drive to the basket and was called for traveling with 4.0 seconds remaining.
Wells had 13 points in the first half, when Washington State led for nearly the entire period. The Cougars took their biggest lead at 31-24 with 3:54 to go before halftime, but Arizona poked ahead with a 9-1 run before two free throws gave WSU a 34-33 edge at the break.
–Field Level Media
