Cougars

PULLMAN — Whether it's been by superior talent, execution or late-game savvy, the UCLA Bruins hadn't lost a men's basketball game here since 1993 entering Saturday's game.

They still haven't. But on this day, it wasn't so much about the Bruins outplaying Washington State as it was the Cougars simply failing to take care of the ball.

The Bruins scored 18 points off WSU's 15 turnovers, coupling that with Josh Smith's 19 points to hand the Cougars a frustrating 63-60 loss at Beasley Coliseum, their first defeat in Pullman this season.

"Take half that back," junior forward Brock Motum said of UCLA's 18 points off turnovers, "and we win the game by six or whatever."

"We don't have a defense for those turnovers that end up in breakaway layups," coach Ken Bone said.

Motum scored a game-high 25 points for WSU (12-11, 4-7 Pac-12).

"There were a few times where I thought UCLA did a good job with aggressive play, but really, the turnovers I'm concerned with were the ones where we were lackadaisical and too comfortable making a soft pass," Bone said.

The Bruins (13-10, 6-5) were also able to impose Smith, listed at 6 feet 10 and an awfully conservative 305 pounds, against WSU's smaller front line. The Kentwood High School product made 8 of 9 from the field.

"He's a big dude," Motum said. "Once he gets it down there, there's not much anyone can do."