field goal percentage
Wazzu keeps field goal percentage in one place: 3 stories so far. The section currently leads with “Cougs pour on 28 in one quarter, then fade in second-half loss at Oregon”, “Year two under Riley starts the same way as year one: a loss”, and “Riley's mystery big man is 6-10 and French, welcome Mohamed Sankhe”. Twenty-eight points in one quarter. Another season, another opener where the Cougs leave you wondering what you just watched. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every field goal percentage story on Wazzu, newest first.
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Cougs pour on 28 in one quarter, then fade in second-half loss at Oregon
Twenty-eight points in one quarter. That is not a typo. The Cougs poured on 28 in the second quarter against Oregon, shooting 60% from the field while holding the Ducks to 17.6%. They walked into the locker room up 36-22. It felt like one of those nights in Eugene where you steal one on the road. Then the second half happened. WSU managed just 21 points after the break. Oregon flipped the script with a 24-11 third quarter, grabbed the lead early in the fourth, and never gave it back. The final was 64-57. That one stings. Eleonora Villa did her part. She was the only Coug in double figures with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting. The rest of the team went cold. WSU finished 4-of-25 from three. You cannot win many games shooting 16% from deep. This is the kind of loss that makes you wonder about the halftime adjustment. The Cougs had the Ducks on their heels. Then the adjustments came from the other side. Oregon shot 6-of-10 on threes in the second half. That is a killer. The Cougs are 0-2 and heading to a schedule that does not get easier. If you need a break from the box score, check out our piece on Korey Schroeder breaking down Gonzaga week ahead of the Cougar volleyball clash. Different court, same fight. Go Cougs.
Year two under Riley starts the same way as year one: a loss
Another season, another opener where the Cougs leave you wondering what you just watched. Year two under Riley started with a home loss to Idaho. Year three? Davidson. Final score 76-61, and it felt every bit that lopsided. The box score is ugly. Wazzu shot 35% from the floor. From three-point range, they hit 5 of 24. Davidson, meanwhile, shot 52% from deep. That's not a game; that's a math problem. Riley talked about his team freezing up after that first action on offense, and it's hard to argue. They got good looks. They just couldn't finish them. Missing Ronnie Harrison hurt. The East Texas A&M transfer put up 23 and 11 in that exhibition win over Washington, and without him, the Cougs looked disjointed. Riley isn't sure if he'll have him for Saturday's trip to High Point. That's a problem, because High Point won 31 games last year and made the second round of the tournament. Jaylen Harrell said the effort wasn't there. Riley said the players are thinking too much. Both are probably right. The Cougs have 14 newcomers, and it showed. They've got time to fix this, but a second straight opening loss in Pullman is a lousy way to start selling a new season. For a brighter note from this weekend, check out the women's team's opener against Cal. That one didn't go great either. Go Cougs.
Riley's mystery big man is 6-10 and French, welcome Mohamed Sankhe
David Riley has been hinting at a mystery big man for months. Turns out he's 6-foot-10, French, and his name is Mohamed Sankhe. Welcome to Pullman. Sankhe announced his signing Thursday, and he's the final piece of Riley's 2026-27 roster. Born in Senegal, he most recently played in France's Pro B league, where he put up 5.3 points and 5.5 boards in 18 minutes a game. That 54% shooting from the field? Efficient. This summer at the U20 Euro Championships, he bumped those numbers to 10 points and 6.8 rebounds, shooting 56% and leading France to the semifinals. He dropped a double-double on Croatia: 18 and 11. He went for 11 and nine against Germany. Now, the question. Can he protect the rim? Last season he averaged 0.4 blocks per game. That's guard territory for a guy his size. He did have three games with two blocks, and he was only playing 18 minutes, so maybe there's more there. What he does bring is size the Cougs desperately needed last year. They got bullied by big post players. Sankhe collected four double-digit rebound games last season, including a 13-board night. He's a true post player too, didn't attempt a single three in 41 games. That's a departure from Riley's typical stretch big, but Ladji Dembele can handle that role. Sankhe is the 13th newcomer on this roster. If you want the full nonconference schedule, check out our story on the Cougs and Redhawks at Climate Pledge. Go Cougs.