SPOKANE, Wash. — In an exciting matchup on Monday night, Washington State triumphed over Loyola Marymount, winning 73-59 in front of their home crowd at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Nate Calmese led the Cougars with a solid performance, scoring 20 points, while freshman Tomas Thrastarson made a significant impact with a personal season-high of 17 points in his first starting game.

Calmese showcased his shooting capability by hitting 9 of 17 attempts from the floor, along with converting both of his free throw attempts. Thrastarson had an impressive shooting night as well, achieving 6 of 8 overall and demonstrating his prowess from beyond the arc with 4 of 5 three-pointers, complemented by six rebounds. Dane Erikstrup chipped in 14 points, hitting three shots from three-point territory, while LeJuan Watts contributed a well-rounded effort with a game-high 11 rebounds along with eight points and eight assists.

On the opposing side, Caleb Stone-Carrawell topped the scoring chart for the Lions with 20 points, also recording four steals. Myron Amey Jr. supported the effort with 13 points, while Jan Vide added another 10 points to the scoreboard.

Initially, Thrastarson, who had scored a total of 27 points across the first 14 games for Washington State, made his mark by netting 11 points in the first half. This helped the Cougars secure a slim 36-34 lead at halftime. Washington State opened the second half strong, with Watts scoring the first four points. Calmese followed suit with another four points, culminating in a dunk from KD Okafor that sparked a 10-0 run, pushing the Cougars to a 46-37 lead with 13:31 remaining in the contest. From that point on, Washington State maintained control of the game.

Looking ahead, the Cougars will host San Francisco in their next game on Saturday, while Loyola Marymount will return to their home court to face off against Oregon State.