PULLMAN — Malachi Flynn scored a career high 30 points and Washington State rallied late to defeat Colorado 73-69 on Thursday night to end a seven-game losing streak.
The Cougars (10-16, 2-11 Pac-12) trailed for most of the second half, but Flynn proved to be clutch.
Flynn scored 21 points in the second half and made back-to-back buckets with 1:10 remaining to put the Cougs up 68-66. Colorado’s McKinley Wright answered with a 3-point play but Flynn was fouled driving to the basket and his free throws gave WSU the lead for good.
“I think my teammates helped me get into a rhythm. ‘V’ (Viont’e Daniels) found me early in the first half, got me going a little bit,” Flynn said. “They set great screens and I just attacked off of them and got good looks.”
Robert Franks, an Evergreen High School grad, added 14 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars. Franks knocked down a tough jumper in the lane with 3:38 remaining giving the Cougars their first lead of the second half. Franks also stepped to the line and made two free throws with 27 seconds remaining to put the Cougars up three.
“I think it is the first time all year in conference play that we held a team under 70 points and held a team under 40 percent shooting from the field,” WSU coach Ernie Kent said. “I thought our defense made the difference in the game, we were outstanding. On a night where we did not shoot the ball well, did not shoot free throws well, but our defense was really really good.”
Dallas Walton scored 16 points with 14 of them coming in the second half for Colorado (15-11, 7-7 Pac-12). Despite his early scoring in the second half, Walton disappeared in the last five minutes of the game. Wright scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Wright also made two acrobatic layups in the last 1:30.
BIG PICTURE
Colorado: After winning their last three games in conference play, the Buffaloes lose an important game in a close Pac-12 conference race.
Washington State: The Cougars get a much needed win for a team on the ropes.
UP NEXT
The Buffaloes play at Washington on Saturday.
The Cougars host Utah on Saturday.
