The Washington State Cougars (15-7, 5-4 WCC) travel to Stockton, California, to face the Pacific Tigers (6-17, 1-8 WCC) in a West Coast Conference matchup. This game is a rematch of their January 9 encounter, where Pacific stunned Washington State with a 95-94 overtime victory as 15.5-point road underdogs. The Cougars will be looking to avenge that loss and snap their current two-game losing streak. Check out our Washington State vs Pacific prediction to see if the Cougars can cover the spread this time around.
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The Washington State Cougars, ranked 95th overall by KenPom, boast a potent offense that ranks 86th in offensive rating and 127th defensively. They're second in the WCC in scoring, averaging 80.5 points per game while shooting a solid 49.5% from the floor. The Cougars' three-point shooting is also impressive, ranking third in the conference at 36.3%.
Leading the charge for Washington State is Nate Calmese, averaging 16.6 points and 4.5 assists per game. LeJuan Watts contributes 14.0 points and a team-high 7.7 rebounds, while Ethan Price adds 12.6 points and 5.6 boards. Price, a 6'10" senior center, has been particularly hot lately, dropping 20 points in their recent loss to Saint Mary's and 28 in the earlier defeat to Pacific.
The Cougars are coming off a tough stretch, losing 93-65 at Santa Clara and falling 80-75 at home to Saint Mary's last Saturday. They'll be eager to right the ship and avenge their earlier loss to Pacific.
The Pacific Tigers, rated 301st overall by KenPom, have struggled this season, ranking 278th in offensive rating and 296th defensively. They're ninth in the WCC in scoring, averaging 70.5 points per game, and eighth in field goal percentage at 43.3%. Their three-point shooting has been particularly weak, sitting at 29.6%, which ranks 10th out of 11 teams in the conference.
Elijah Fisher leads the Tigers with 16.6 points per game, while Elias Ralph contributes 16.1 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds. Lamar Washington orchestrates the offense with 6.0 assists per game. Washington was the hero in their earlier upset of Washington State, exploding for 40 points on 16-of-22 shooting.
Despite the memorable victory against Washington State earlier this month, Pacific has struggled mightily, losing 12 of their last 13 games. Their most recent outing resulted in a 60-44 loss at Pepperdine on Saturday.
Best Bets for Washington State vs. Pacific
Insiders Status:
The shocking overtime win Pacific pulled off against Washington State earlier this month was undoubtedly the Tigers' season highlight and the Cougars' lowest point. However, lightning rarely strikes twice in the same place. Washington State will likely enter this game with laser focus, and bounce back from their recent two-game skid and the bitter memory of their previous upset loss.
In their first meeting, Pacific jumped out to a 10-point halftime lead, fueled by Washington's extraordinary 40-point outburst – a performance that more than tripled his season average. It's improbable we'll see a repeat from him. The Cougars are the superior team on both ends of the floor, and with the motivation of revenge, should be able to control this game and cover the spread.
Prediction: Washington State -10.5
Insiders Status:
Washington State plays at the 40th fastest tempo in the country, which should lead to plenty of possessions for both teams. Both squads are also stronger on the offensive side of the ball, with somewhat leaky defenses. The Cougars allow 76 points per game, while Pacific gives up 75.4.
Washington State's high-powered offense, averaging over 80 points per game, should have no trouble putting up points against Pacific's struggling defense. Even if the Tigers can't match their 95-point outburst from the previous meeting, they should contribute enough to push this game over the total. With the Cougars looking to make a statement and the Tigers likely trying to keep pace, expect a high-scoring affair that clears the 149.5-point mark.
Prediction: Over 149.5
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David Delano , "David Delano"
David Delano is a Bowling Green State University graduate with a passion for sports, traveling, and music. David loves to handicap MLB, NFL, NCAAF, NCAAB, NBA, WNBA, and is also a big fan of boxing and track and field. Over the years, David has worn several hats in the sports world, from being behind the camera to writing, filming, editing, scouting, and coaching, along with servicing his clients as a sports handicapper. He is also an expert sports bettor. We are glad to have David on our Winners & Whiners team, and we recommend that you follow along with him every day.
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