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WSU Men's Hoops Finish 4-2 During Six-Game Tour
GALLERY
The Washington State University men's basketball team completed its six-game tour of Australia and New Zealand with a 4-2 record. Both losses were by one point.
Following is a game-by-game recap from the tour:
JUNE 5 - GAME 1 vs. New Zealand Breakers Academy at Trust Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand
Derrick Low scored 20 points, while Robbie Cowgill tacked on 11 points and 12 rebounds leading the Cougars to an 80-55 victory over the Breakers Academy.
Former Junior Tall Black and Westlake Boys alum, Thomas Abercrombie, enjoyed his homecoming with seven points.
JUNE 7 - GAME 2 vs. Australian Boomers at AIS Training Hall in Canberra, Australia
Derrick Low led WSU with 30 points and three rebounds, hitting 10 of his 18 shots, as WSU nearly upset Australia's national team before falling 85-84.
Aron Baynes added 22 points for the Cougars and grabbed 17 rebounds and his mother and father watched from the stands. He connected on nine of 16 shots.Daven Harmeling chipped in with 10 points for WSU.
Leading 42-36 at halftime, WSU trailed going into the final period 69-58, then outscored the Australian team 26-16 and had a chance to win in the closing seconds.
WSU coaches reported the Cougars were down by one point with five seconds to play when Taylor Rochestie was called for a questionable charging foul at mid-court, ending the Cougars' chance at the win.
JUNE 8 - GAME 3 vs. Waratah All-Stars at Newington College in Sydney, Australia
Kyle Weaver scored 20 points as Washington State defeated the Waratah All-Stars 89-77 at Newington College.
The Cougars led 46-41 at halftime, then outscored the host team 27-16 to open up the game and allow WSU's second unit plenty of playing time, according to WSU Men's Basketball Operations Assistant Ronnie Wideman.
New Zealand native Thomas Abercrombie added 15 points for WSU, with his parents watching the game from the stands. Derrick Low scored 16 for the Cougars.
JUNE 10 - GAME 4 vs. Sydney Kings at Hills Basketball Stadium in Sydney, Australia
Washington State came within a point of a possible major upset, falling 102-101 to the Sydney Kings, despite 35 points from Derrick Low.
Playing before a loud sell-out crowd, the Cougars gave Australia's top professional club a battle to the end and had a change at the win before Low's final shot was off-target.
Low hit 11 of 23 shots, while Australian native Aron Baynes recorded a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Daven Harmeling had his best game of the WSU tour, hitting seven of 10 shots to tally 20 points. Kyle Weaver added 14, including nine of 10 free throws, and also had 10 assists.
JUNE 12 - GAME 5 vs. Southern Districts Spartans at Rowland Cowan Stadium in Brisbane, Australia
Washington State, behind Robbie Cowgill's 19 points and six rebounds, handed the Southern Districts Spartans an 85-70 loss at Brisbane's Rowland Cowan Stadium.
"After a day of relaxing on the beach, we came out a little sluggish, trailing at halftime 41-38," offered Wideman. "However, we picked it up in the second half, outscoring them 47-29."
Derrick Low added 16 to WSU's total, while Daven Harmeling scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Kyle Weaver also had seven rebounds to go with his 11 points.
JUNE 13 - GAME 6 vs. Cairns Marlins at Cairns Basketball Stadium in Cairns, Australia
Aron Baynes saved one of his best games for the hometown crowd at Cairns, leading Washington State past the Cairns Marlins 73-65 in the final exhibition game for the Cougars.
Baynes scored 16 points, hitting seven of nine field goals, and grabbed seven rebounds.
WSU used balanced scoring to hand Cairns their first loss of the season. Derrick Low hit all eight of his free throws and finished with 16 points, while Taylor Rochestie chipped in with 13 points.
Robbie Cowgill added 12 points and 12 rebounds to the WSU effort, while Kyle Weaver had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Playing in front of a hostile crowd at the Bendigo Bank Complex, the Cougars took a 39-34 lead to the lockerroom at halftime and outscored the host club 34-31 in the second half.
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