PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - Robert Franks scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Washington State beat Nicholls State 89-72 in the season opener for the Cougars on Tuesday.
Freshman CJ Elleby added 12 points and eight assists for Washington State.
Gavin Peppers scored 16 points with six rebounds for Nicholls (1-2). Daniel Regis added nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks for the Colonels.
Both teams traded baskets in the beginning stages of both halves, but two Cougar runs defined the game. The was first a 6-0 spurt that gave Washington State a 14-point lead with 2:37 remaining in the first half. Then another 7-0 run that gave WSU a comfortable 77-58 lead with 6:25 to play.
Nicholls went on a scoring drought of more than 3½ minutes during that stretch, going 0 of 6 from the field.
The Colonels committed 19 turnovers.
BIG PICTURE
Washington State: The Cougars started the season 6-0 last year and look to duplicate the same kind of early season success. Starting the season off with a win is a good start but the Cougs are expected to finish at the bottom of the Pac-12 this season.
Nicholls: The Colonels fall to 1-2 on the year and will look to bounce back when they face the Idaho Vandals from the Big Sky Conference just seven miles from Pullman.
UP NEXT
Nicholls plays Idaho on Tuesday.
Washington State plays Seattle University on Wednesday.
