Washington State vs High Point prediction: High Point's turnover machine opens its doors to rebuilt Washington State
The Panthers host a Power 4 opponent at the Qubein Center for the first time, and their ball pressure faces a Cougars roster built almost from scratch.
- High Point brings continuity of system, a home crowd and last season's elite ball pressure against a Washington State team rebuilt through the portal.
- Watch High Point's pressure against the new Cougars guards; last season the Panthers forced turnovers on 22.3% of possessions, 7th nationally.
- No spread or total is posted yet; High Point's 31-5 season behind a 12-20 Washington State year frames how the market should open.
A homecoming with a first
High Point has spent three straight preseasons as the Big South's No. 1 pick, but it has never hosted a Power 4 team at the Qubein Center. That changes on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 5:00 PM ET, on the school's 2026 Homecoming Weekend, when Washington State visits.
The programs arrive from opposite ends of last season. High Point went 31-5, won the Big South regular-season and tournament titles under second-year coach Flynn Clayman, and beat Winthrop 91-76 in the conference final to reach its second NCAA tournament. Washington State went 12-20 and ended with a 74-68 loss to Portland in the West Coast Conference tournament. David Riley now enters his third season with the Cougars, and his first in the Pac-12.
Where possessions get won
The sharpest contrast last season was ball security. Turnover rate measures giveaways per 100 possessions, and High Point ranked 3rd in the country at 12.9%. Washington State gave it away at a 19.0% clip, 316th.
The gap ran the other way on defense, too. The Panthers forced turnovers on 22.3% of opponent possessions and posted a steal rate of 14.8%, 2nd nationally. Washington State forced turnovers at 14.7%, 326th. Both rosters have changed heavily, so these are last season's teams, not this season's.
Two rosters built in the portal
Neither team looks much like last March. High Point returns only 31.7% of last season's minutes. The anchor is Cam'Ron Fletcher, who was named Big South Preseason Player of the Year. He scored 13.2 points per game last season with an effective field goal percentage (threes count 1.5 times) of 61.1%.
Around him, Clayman imported proven starters. Jason Rivera-Torres averaged 15.8 points and 2.1 steals at Monmouth, and CJ Brown handed out 4.7 assists per game at South Florida; both made the preseason all-conference first team. Isaac Garrett (Oakland), Curtis Williams Jr. (Tulane) and Frankquon Sherman (Kennesaw State) add depth.
Washington State's rebuild runs deeper. Every player who logged minutes last season entered the portal or graduated, including leading scorer Ace Glass, who averaged 16.4 points and is now at Vanderbilt. Jerone Morton went to Kentucky and ND Okafor to Mississippi State. Guards Lazerek Houston (Central Missouri) and Jamari Phillips (Oregon) and forward Ronnie Harrison (East Texas A&M) headline the newcomers. Riley said in May the roster was set apart from one post player still to be announced. That makes last season's Cougars numbers a weak guide to this team.
Pace and the scoreboard
High Point played fast last season, at 71.3 possessions per 40 minutes (32nd), and scored 89.7 points per game, 3rd in the country. Its offensive efficiency of 124.9 points per 100 possessions ranked 7th, driven by a 58.8% mark on twos (17th) and frequent trips to the line.
Washington State played closer to the middle of the pace chart, ranking 131st. On opponent-adjusted ratings from last season's final numbers, High Point sat 73rd in net efficiency and Washington State 133rd. With no injury news on either side, the question is how quickly a new Cougars group can match a Panthers team whose stars are new but whose style is not.
Key players
- Cam'Ron Fletcher (High Point): Scored 13.2 points and grabbed 7.1 rebounds per game last season with a 61.1% effective field goal percentage.
- Jason Rivera-Torres (High Point): Started all 34 games at Monmouth last season, averaging 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals.
- CJ Brown (High Point): Ran South Florida's offense last season with 4.7 assists per game across 34 starts.
- Conrad Martinez (High Point): Posted a 127.2 offensive rating off the bench last season with 3.3 assists per game.
- Lazerek Houston (Washington State): One of the headline additions to a Cougars backcourt rebuilt entirely through the portal.
- Jamari Phillips (Washington State): Arrives from Oregon as part of the guard group that must handle High Point's pressure.
Numbers that matter
| High Point forced turnover rate, last season | 22.3% | Ranked 7th nationally and set the tone for a 31-5 season. |
|---|---|---|
| Washington State turnover rate, last season | 19.0% | Ranked 316th, though almost none of that roster remains. |
| High Point steal rate, last season | 14.8% | 2nd in the country, the engine of the Panthers' pressure. |
| High Point returning minutes | 31.7% | Fletcher returns, but most of the rotation is new transfers. |
| High Point points per game, last season | 89.7 | 3rd nationally, built on fast pace and efficient two-point scoring. |
Washington State vs High Point: quick answers
When is Washington State vs High Point?
Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET.