PULLMAN, Wash.  – Washington State University men's basketball shot 18-29 in the second half including 7-9 from the 3-point line to come from behind and earn a 78-70 exhibition win over Carroll College Sunday evening at Beasley Coliseum in Pullman.
 
Washington State used a 20-11 run to start the second half, spurred by back-to-back 3-pointers from Robert Franks and Derrien King to overcome a 13-point Carroll lead and earn the win over the Saints.
 
Carroll led for 25 minutes of the game, including most of the first half before the second-half Washington State rally.
 
The Saints took a 7-4 lead on a 3-pointer from Zach Taylor with 16:42 remaining in the first half. Wazzu regained a brief lead on a layup from Ike Iroegbu with 8:27 left in the first half but Carroll answered with back-to-back buckets form Dane Warp off of the bench to take a 21-17 lead with 7:55 to play.
 
Washington State kept it close but the Saints closed the half on an 8-2 run, highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers from Steven Helm to go up 35-26 at the half.
 
The Cougars were 8-28(28.6 percent) in the first half, including 1-7 (14.3 percent) from the 3-point line in the first half. Carroll also outrebounded the considerably larger Cougs 26-18 before the break.
 
The second half would be a different story.
 
Washington State hit on six of their first seven shots to kick off a run that tied the game at 46 with 12:37 left in the game. Taylor answered the run with a 3-pointer to regain the lead but it would be short lived.
 
The two teams traded leads until WSU's Malachi Flynn hit a 3-pointer with 7:45 remaining in the game and Washington State would lead for the remainder. Carroll would keep it within arm's reach but couldn't make the comeback and fell 78-70.
 
"It was a fun atmosphere, and nice to see the Fighting Saints play with real zip and gusto," head coach Carson Cunningham said. "Our ability to share the apple on offense and support each other on defense made for some riveting action. We're grateful Washington State gave us the opportunity to test ourselves against a Pac-12 foe, and we have to tip the proverbial cap to them for knocking down big shots late."
 
Carroll was 22-58 (37.9 percent) from the field and 9-25 from the three-point line. The Saints outrebounded WSU 35-33.
 
Match Burnham scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds in front of a strong contingent of fans from his hometown of Spangle, Washington, just an hour north of Pullman. He was 12-15 from the free throw line.
 
Taylor scored 19 points and had seven assists. Dane Warp came off the bench to score 14 points.
 
Washington State was paced by double-double machine Josh Hawkinson who had 15 points and 13 rebounds.
 
The Saints were without leading scorer Ryan Imhoff and backup point guard Lorel Johnson who didn't make the trip because of minor injuries.
 
The game will not affect the record of either team as an exhibition match so the Saints are still 3-0 on the season.
 
"We can learn a lot from this one," Cunningham said. "It'll be nice to get back to the Hilltop for a stretch of home games. We're hoping Carroll fans come out and support us. Their Fighting Saints are grappling."
 
The Saints host four consecutive home games, beginning with Warner Pacific on Nov. 11 and Salish Kootenai College on Nov. 12.