Field Level Media
Dec 18, 2018
Robert Franks had game-high totals of 25 points and 12 rebounds as Washington State defeated Rider 94-80 Monday night in Pullman, Wash., in a game that was part of the Las Vegas Classic.
Teammate Marvin Cannon added a career-high 23 points, more than doubling his previous best of 10, primarily by shooting 15 of 16 from the free-throw line.
CJ Elleby added 18 points and Carter Skaggs scored 12 as the Cougars (6-3) improved to 6-0 at home. Washington State had been idle for a week after a 95-90 loss to Montana State.
Jordan Allen led the Broncs (4-4) with 24 points, hitting seven 3-pointers. Tyere Marshall and Frederick Scott each scored 12 points, and Dimencio Vaughn and Stevie Jordan each had 11 for Rider, which saw its two-game winning streak end.
The Broncs were opening a four-game trip that will also take them to Des Moines, Iowa, to face Drake, and then to Las Vegas for two more tournament games. The Cougars will play host to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Wednesday as part of the tournament before heading to Las Vegas this weekend.
Franks, a senior forward who entered the game 10th in the NCAA in scoring at 24.4 points per game, shot 7-for-12 from the field and made 3 of 6 3-point attempts. Franks also had a game-high five assists as the Cougars were without guard Viont'e Daniels, who averages a team-leading 4.8 assists per game, because of a concussion.
Rider got off to a hot start, taking a 22-15 advantage with 10:27 left in the first half. The Cougars then went on a 23-2 run to take the lead for good.
Franks had 14 points in the first half, and Washington State led 45-35 at the intermission.
The Cougars scored the first 11 points of the second half to seemingly pull away. The Broncs responded with an 8-0 run and eventually cut the deficit to seven points with 2:40 left but could get no closer.
Washington State shot 24 of 46 from the field (52.2 percent), while limiting Rider to 27-of-72 shooting (37.5 percent). The Broncs committed 33 fouls, sending the Cougars to the free-throw line 51 times (they made 39). Four Rider players fouled out.
--Field Level Media