COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Cougar lead slips away in Italy

VARESE, Italy — Washington State men’s basketball team saw a 29-point halftime lead slip away as it fell in overtime to Loca Ubriaca, 114-109 on Saturday in the final of five games of its foreign tour of Italy.

Sophomore Robert Franks and senior Ike Iroegbu led the scoring, each with a game-high 21 points. Franks was 10-for 12 from the field and added a team high eight rebounds while Iroegbu had 8 assists. Freshman Malachi Flynn had a double-double in the exhibition game with 15 points and 11 assists. He added seven rebounds.

Two other Cougars scored in double figures as sophomore Viont’e Daniels scored 12 points and freshman Jamar Ergas had 10.

Fabio Valentini led Loca Ubriaca with 17 points on 5-for-10 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc.

Five other players scored in double figures for the home team as Luca Valentini had 15 and Matteo Maruca and Andrea Presemassi each had 14 points. Giordano Pagani had a team-high seven rebounds.

The Cougars shot .625 (25-for-40) from the field in the first half and cooled off in the second to finish .506 (40-for-79) from the field. Loca Ubriaca shot just .385 (15-for-39) in the first half and finished with a .430 clip (37-for-86). The Cougars led 33-16 at the end of the first quarter and 70-41 at halftime.

Washington State went 3-2 in its five games overseas.