GAME NOTES: The Washington State Cougars will tip off a two-game homestand at Beasley Coliseum on Wednesday night, as they play host to the Idaho Vandals in non-conference action.

Since winning its first two games of the campaign, Idaho has fell into a three-game losing streak to dip below .500 for the first time all season. The Vandals hosted Northern Kentucky on Saturday and were dealt a disappointing 79-74 setback.

WSU participated in the Great Alaska Shootout over the Thanksgiving holiday, and after suffering an opening-round loss to UC Santa Barbara (71-43), it pieced together consecutive wins over Rice (76-74) and Missouri State (89-84 in OT) to improve to 3-3 on the season.

These universities are separated by less than eight miles and will meet for the 109th straight season in the sixth-longest continuous rivalry in the nation. WSU has claimed 11 straight matchups to extend its lead in the all- time series to 162-107.

The Vandals trailed by 10 with just over seven minutes to go in their most recent game only to rip off a 17-7 run over the next five minutes to tie the game up, but their comeback effort fell short down the stretch. They were outshot from the field on the evening, 57.1 percent to 42.9 percent, and they had a lackluster free-throw shooting effort (19-of-29). Connor Hill paced the losing effort with 22 points on 4-of-9 from 3-point range. Bira Seck tallied a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds, Perrion Callandret and Sekou Wiggs netted 15 and 14 points, respectively, and Mike Scott dished out eight assists.

Idaho typically doesn't have an issue putting points on the board, as it scores 75.0 ppg this season on just under 44 percent field goal shooting, but its scoring defense (77.0 ppg) ranks 328th in the nation. Scott (16.4 ppg) is very efficient from the field (.517) and 3-point range (12-of-21) and he also finds time to hand out 5.2 apg. Seck (10.6 ppg, 11.0 rpg) is a nightly double- double threat, and Sekou Wiggs (12.2 ppg) and Hill (11.8 ppg) are also playing well.

The Cougars trailed for nearly the entire game their last time out, including by as many as 14 in the second half, but they stormed all the way back to tie things up in the final minute on a Que Johnson 3-pointer, and they sealed the victory in overtime by making 6-of-6 free throws in the final 24 seconds. The Cougars were hot from both the field (.509) and the foul line (.828) in the win and took care of the ball with just nine turnovers. DaVonte Lacey was the catalyst with 31 points, doing so on 9-of-17 from the field and 10-of-11 at the stripe. Ike Iroegbu (14 points) and Ny Redding (11) combined for 13 assists, while Josh Hawkinson and Johnson netted 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The offensive explosion was a rarity for WSU, which puts up only 65.7 ppg on a mere 38.4 percent field goal shooting. The team's defense hasn't been great either, as it allows 73.8 ppg. Lacy pours in a team-high 16.7 ppg but on less than 37 percent shooting. Hawkinson is a mainstay in the paint with 14.7 ppg and 9.8 rpg.

Expect plenty of points in a matchup between two leaky defensive squads, with Washington State's home crowd lifting it to a victory over the shaky Vandals.