Field Level Media
Jan 30, 2020
Sophomore CJ Elleby tied a career high with 27 points and hit a game-winning, step-back 3-pointer with 5.4 seconds remaining, and Washington State pulled out a 67-65 win over Arizona State on Wednesday in Pullman, Wash.
The Cougars (13-9, 4-5 Pac-12) blew a 15-point, second-half lead but recovered for the victory the Arizona State Sun Devils on Wednesday.
Elleby had 12 rebounds to complete his third double-double of the season, and Isaac Bonton had 12 points, six rebounds and seven assists for the Cougars, who had lost two in a row.
Romello White had 15 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double, Remy Martin had 12 points, and Rob Edwards and Alonzo Verge Jr. had 11 points apiece for the Sun Devils (12-8, 3-4), who had won two in a row.
Sun Devils reserve Jalen Graham sank two layups to cap an 11-0 run for a 64-62 lead with 1:14 remaining. Elleby then hit a 15-footer from the lane to tie it at 64-64 with 43 seconds left, the Cougars' first field goal in seven minutes.
Graham hit the first of two free throws with 18 seconds left for a 65-64 lead but missed the second before the Elleby's fourth 3-pointer won the game. Elleby has 13 20-point games this season and has scored in double figures in 20 of the Cougars' 22 games. He has scored 27 points four times in the 2019-20 campaign.
It was a sloppy game. Arizona State committed a season-high 21 turnovers, 15 in the first half when it fell behind by nine. The Cougars committed 19 turnovers, one short of their season high.
Washington State shot 41.1 percent from the field and made 10 of 25 3-point attempts while matching a season high with 12 steals. Arizona State shot 41.3 percent, including 5 of 19 from long distance, and had a 42-34 rebounding edge.
Martin, who shot 4 of 15, had scored at least 20 points in each of the previous seven games, one short of the school record set by Eddie House in the 1999-2000 season. Martin was the first Pac-12 player since 1996-97 to open league play with six straight 20-point games.
--Field Level Media