In the wild, a Coug beats an Eagle, and the 2025 509 Classic was no different. The game is now in the books, with three-point shooting, led by the “Bench Mob,” propelling the Cougars to a decisive victory over the Eagles.
Washington State University (WSU) came out aggressive, aiming to establish two key elements: the three-point shot and intense ball pressure from their 2-3 zone defense. Eemeli Yalaho got the game rolling with a wing three-pointer, quickly followed by ND Okafor’s impressive block on an Eastern Washington University (EWU) shot.
The momentum shifted as Okafor asserted himself offensively in the post, finishing the first half with 12 points and a crucial steal. Another Cougar making an impact in the middle of the first half was Ace Glass, who shot two-for-three from beyond the arc and four-for-five overall, tallying 10 points along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Glass and Okafor went on a dominant run, controlling the game for a brief stretch. Glass knocked down a top-of-the-key three, added his second floater, and then connected on another three-pointer off a screen set by Okafor. To cap it off, Glass threw a spectacular alley-oop to Okafor, who finished the play with a dunk and a foul.
Bench scoring proved to be the biggest difference between the two teams. WSU’s Glass and Emmanuel Ugbo, both coming off the bench, made significant contributions. Ugbo scored 14 points in the first half, shooting five-for-seven from the field and three-for-four from the free-throw line.
For the Eagles, it was all about Isaiah Moses and Jojo Anderson. Moses logged nearly 18 minutes in the first half, finishing with 10 points, two assists, one steal, and three turnovers. The Eagle offense revolves around their point guard Moses, known for his shifty style of play. While he struggled to finish at the rim—making just three of nine shots in the first half—his aggressive drives earned him trips to the free-throw line. Anderson came out hot, hitting his first two shots and forcing David Riley to instruct Jerone Morton to tighten up defensively and give him no space.
The second half saw Rihards Vavers turn up the heat. After missing his first three attempts, Vavers came out strong, hitting a baseline jump shot followed by a wing three-pointer, reigniting the Cougs’ offense. Although Glass struggled with his shooting in the second half—going two-for-six—he continued to create opportunities for his teammates.
WSU’s offense in the first half was driven mainly by Ugbo, Okafor, and Glass. In the second half, the scoring was more evenly distributed; while only three players scored more than seven points in the opening half, seven players reached that mark after the break.
The Cougs did experience a brief cold spell from three-point range, allowing the Eagles to close the gap to within 10 points. However, every time EWU mounted a run, the Cougars answered swiftly, either with timely three-pointers or Okafor’s aggressive rim attacks, including posterizing attempts and trips to the free-throw line.
The Eagles gained momentum thanks to continued strong play from Moses and Anderson, with additional support from Alton Hamilton IV, who was deadly from the corner beyond the arc. Still, it wasn’t enough. WSU distanced themselves down the stretch, capitalizing on their ability to attack the rim where the Eagles lacked rim protection.
The final score read 78-63 in favor of WSU. Emmanuel Ugbo and Ace Glass led the “Bench Mob” and proved to be the difference-makers for the Cougars in the 2025 509 Classic.
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