Washington State Basketball Hosts Bradley in Second Game of 2024

The Cougars take on the Braves in another home matchup in Pullman.

Keenan Womack | Nov 8, 2024

Mar 7, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars guard Isaiah Watts (12) dunks the ball against the Washington Huskies in the first half at Friel Court at Beasley Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images / James Snook-Imagn Images

Tonight at 8 P.M. Pacific time, the Washington State Cougars are back in action after scoring 100 points in their season opener against Portland State, a game in which they got off to a rough start, but rebounded to control the rest of the contest. Their opponent, the Bradley Braves, are coming off of an 88-60 home drubbing of Southeast Missouri in which three players scored 13+ points.

Both teams demonstrated a balanced scoring attack in their first games of the season, as the Cougars had six players in double figures and two players that scored 20 or more in Cedric Coward (23 and 12 rebounds) and Isaiah Watts (20). For Bradley, guards Christian Davis and JaQuan Johnson each put up 15 points and Almar Atlason put up 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Outside of the aforementioned Coward and Watts, Washington State had four players score 11 or more points in Nate Calmese (17 points, five assists), Ethan Price (16 points, seven rebounds), Dane Erikstrup (12 points), and LeJuan Watts (11 points). The group effort helped lift them over an underrated Portland State squad that brought their A-game on the road in Pullman.

One thing to note about Bradley is a strong bench unit that scored 37 of their 88 total points against Southeast Missouri – the previously mentioned JaQuan Johnson, a freshman, came off the bench and was tied for the lead in points. They have multiple scoring options on this year's roster, and have had success in the Missouri Valley Conference over the last several seasons, making them a challenge for David Riley's squad.

This will likely be another high-scoring game as the two teams like to push the pace, but Washington State is a more talented team overall. A player like Cedric Coward obviously tips the scales in the Cougars' favor, but they should not overlook a Bradley team that went 23-12 last season and 25-10 the season before that. Head Coach Brian Wardle has done an excellent job with this program, and will have them ready to play for tonight's game.

These teams have met only twice in school history, with the last meeting coming in 1943. The Cougars look to continue their winning ways against the Braves, as they are 2-0 in the two contests.

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Published Nov 8, 2024|Modified Nov 8, 2024

KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.