WSU’s Isaiah Watts made a clutch play with just over 30 seconds remaining to lift the Cougars to a thrilling 83-81 victory over Utah. Watts’ three-pointer gave Washington State its first lead since early in the second half and ended a brief Utah rally. The Cougars, who trailed by 12 points with less than five minutes to go, improved to 19-8 overall and 10-5 in Pac-12 play.

Utah regained the lead on a layup by Branden Carlson, but Watts answered with a driving layup of his own. After Utah missed a free throw, Watts had a chance to give WSU the lead but missed a three-pointer. However, the Cougars got the rebound and Watts was fouled on a putback attempt. He made both free throws to give WSU an 81-80 lead with 33 seconds remaining.

Utah had a chance to tie the game, but Rollie Worster’s three-pointer was off the mark. WSU’s TJ Bamba grabbed the rebound and was fouled, sending him to the free-throw line for a one-and-one. Bamba made the first free throw but missed the second, giving Utah one last chance to tie the game. However, Carlson’s desperation three-pointer was also off the mark, and WSU held on for the victory.

Watts finished with a team-high 22 points, including 11 in the final five minutes of the game. He also had six rebounds and three assists. Watts’ performance was especially impressive considering he was playing on a sprained ankle. “He’s a warrior,” said WSU coach Kyle Smith. “He’s the heart and soul of this team.”

Watts was not the only Cougar to step up in the clutch. Bamba had 19 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, while Mouhamed Gueye added 15 points and eight rebounds. Gueye’s free throw with 1:12 remaining gave WSU a 79-78 lead and proved to be the game-winner.

Utah (17-11, 9-8) saw its three-game winning streak snapped with the loss. Carlson led the Utes with 22 points, while Worster added 17 and David Jenkins Jr. had 16. Utah coach Craig Smith was disappointed with his team’s performance down the stretch. “We didn’t make enough plays,” he said. “We had a chance to win the game, but we didn’t take advantage of it.”

WSU’s victory was a big one for the Cougars. It kept them in the hunt for the Pac-12 title and gave them a much-needed boost heading into the final stretch of the regular season. Watts was the hero for WSU, but he was quick to credit his teammates for the win. “It was a total team effort,” he said. “We never gave up, and we found a way to win.”