Abu Kigab scored a game-high 19 points, making 9 of 11 free-throw attempts, as Boise State defeated Washington State 58-52 Wednesday night in a nonconference game in Spokane, Wash.
Marcus Shaver Jr. added 15 points and six rebounds for the Broncos (9-4), who won their sixth consecutive game.
Tyrell Roberts scored 16 points for the Cougars (8-5), who lost for the third time in their past four games. Noah Williams and Andrej Jakimovski each scored 11 for Washington State, with Jakimovski grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds.
It was a homecoming for Boise State senior Naje Smith and freshman Tyson Degenhart, who both grew up in Spokane.
Degenhart missed seven of his first eight field-goal attempts but scored seven points in the final 3:54 to finish with 11, his seventh straight game in double figures. He shared team-high honors with six rebounds. Smith added six points and four boards.
Degenhart made two free throws with 3:14 remaining to break a 42-all tie, and the Broncos never trailed again. His 3-pointer with 2:03 to go made it 49-45, and Kigab sank six straight free-throw attempts over the final 1:10 to clinch the victory.
Washington State had three players foul out — TJ Bamba, Mouhamed Gueye and DJ Rodman — and that trio combined for just three points. Rodman, who had career highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds in an 82-56 victory against Northern Colorado on Saturday, didn’t even attempt a shot against the Broncos.
Washington State’s top two scorers, Michael Flowers and Williams, both struggled, combining for 19 points on 7-for-26 shooting.
Roberts scored 10 of the Cougars’ first 16 points. He had five points in a 7-0 run that gave Washington State an 18-9 lead with 8:29 left in the first half as the Broncos were held scoreless for more than six minutes.
Boise State pulled within 24-19 at the half and scored the first six points after the intermission to take the lead.
–Field Level Media
