Robert Franks’ big night guides Washington State to nonconference men’s basketball win

PULLMAN – Robert Franks scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season as Washington State beat Southern Illinois Edwardsville 89-73 in nonconference men’s basketball on Wednesday night.

CJ Elleby added 18 points and eight rebounds for Washington State (7-3).

David McFarland scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds before fouling out for SIUE (2-7). Brandon Jackson added 13 points and five rebounds.

Elleby helped spark a 10-0 run with a fast-break layup and an emphatic block on the other end, setting up Pollard for a layup. Ahmed Ali added a 3-pointer on their next possession.

WSU created some distance after a 15-2 run over the course of 3 minutes, 47 seconds to build a commanding 16-point lead with 5:19 remaining in the first half.

During the run, Franks had back-to-back buckets underneath the rim and Davante Cooper capped the run with another layup in the lane off an assist from Ali.

WSU shot 57 percent from the field in the first half, knocking down 16 of 28 shots.

Ali lifted WSU in the second half, hitting a 3-pointer while being fouled. Tyresse Williford picked up his fourth foul on the play for SIUE while being called for a technical arguing with officials.

Ali made 1 of 2 technical foul shots and made another free throw to complete the four-point play. Franks capped a 7-0 run after making two free throws on the next possession to give WSU a 64-45 lead with 12:35 remaining.

The frustration for SIUE continued after Christian Ellis picked up his fifth foul before being ejected.

Big picture

SIUE: SIUE is on its longest road trip of the season, traveling nearly 4,500 miles across the country.

Washington State: WSU remains undefeated on its home court, but its next home game is against California on Jan. 17.

Up next

SIUE plays CSUN on Saturday.

Washington State plays San Diego on Saturday.