WSU Hosts No. 6/8 Arizona Thursday Night

vs. No. 6/8 Arizona (17-3, 6-3) | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 8 p.m. PT | Beasley Coliseum (Pullman, Wash.)
  Live Stats | StatBroadcast
  Watch | FS1 (Rich Waltz & Matt Muehlebach)
  Listen | WSU Learfield Radio Network (Matt Chazanow & Craig Ehlo)

OPENING FIVE

1. The Cougars host No. 6/8 Arizona Thursday, Jan. 24, at Beasley Coliseum in Pullman, Wash. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. with coverage on FS1. WSU is looking for its first sweep of the Tucson program since the 2009-2010 season after beating then-No. 5/4 Wildcats in Arizona, Jan. 7, 74-61. Mouhamed Gueye finished with a 24-and-14 double-double. Jabe Mullins, Justin Powell, and DJ Rodman all scored in double figures and the Cougars snapped UofA’s 28-game home-winning streak. Asuolas Tubelis went for 29 points and 14 rebounds in the loss.

2. Last time out, Washington State fell in a 55-58 heartbreaker in Boulder Sunday afternoon. Colorado’s KJ Simpson hit a straight-away three with 4.8 seconds left to take the lead and TJ Bamba’s last-second shot missed off the backiron. Bamba scored 18 points in the loss, 14 coming in the second half. Andrej Jakimovski added 12 points, a team-high seven rebounds, and two steals  Mouhamed Gueye played just 20 minutes with foul trouble and minor hamstring injury and did not score for just the second time in his career.

3. The Cougars average 8.6 made 3-point field goals per game, more than any other team in the Pac-12 (12th in major conferences). WSU leads the Conference in 3-point percentage at 36.1%. Individually, Jabe Mullins leads the Pac-12 Conference with a 47.1% (40-of-85) clip from beyond the arc. Against Detroit Mercy, Nov. 25, the Cougars set a school record with 19 made 3s, including six from Mullins. Eight times this season WSU has made 10+ threes.

4. TJ Bamba returned from a three-game absence with injury and scored a team-high 18 points in WSU’s loss at Colorado. Bamba has emerged as Wazzu’s leading scorer at 15.2 points per game, ninth in the Conference. Bamba has scored in double figures 14 times this season, including three games with 20+ points. Against Boise State, Nov. 12, Bamba scored a career-high 24 points – the first 20-point game of his career.

5. Justin Powell averages 2.95 assists per game with a 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio. Powell’s distribution rate ranks 12th in the Pac-12. Nine times this season Powell has not…