The Ducks scored first, on a basket from LeKendric Longmire, but Washington State scored seven to Oregon’s two to take a 7-4 lead into the first TV timeout with 15:35 left in the first half. Then the missed shots piled, and both teams scored a combined six points over the next five minutes, and following a dunk by Cougar DeAngelo Casto with 12:19 left, the score was 11-8 Cougars.
The scoring woes continued for both teams, as two Longmire free throws were the only things going for either team. With 7:56 left in the half it was 11-10 Washington State. A dunk by Longmire with 4:57 to go got the Ducks to within two points, after Tayler Rochestie hit a three for WSU with seven minutes to go, but Longmire missed a free throw that would have tied the game at 16.
But just when it looked like the Cougars had gone cold, center Aron Baynes got a dunk and a hook shot and put the Cougars up 20-17 with 1:11 to go. Rochestie added a long jumper, and Baynes hit two free throws to give Washington a 24-17 lead going into halftime.