PULLMAN, Wash. -- UCLA's rollercoaster ride of a season continued Sunday night when the 25th-ranked Bruins lost to lightly regarded Washington State.

"This is the most discouraged we've been," UCLA coach Steve Alford said after the Cougars -- picked to finish last in the Pac-12 Conference in a preseason media poll -- led most of the way in an 85-78 victory.

The Bruins, who beat then-No. 1 Kentucky and then-No. 20 Gonzaga last month, fell to 9-5 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12. Guard Isaac Hamilton led three Bruins in double figures with 27 points, but the Cougars countered with five players in double figures. Forward Josh Hawkinson paced WSU (9-5, 1-1) with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

"I give Washington State credit," Alford said. "I thought they did a lot of good things. They played very, very hard."

Alford added, "I just didn't like our effort or our passion at all. If you don't play this game with effort and passion, you're going to get beat, especially in this league."

Alford said he was pleased with his team's effort in Friday's double-overtime loss at Washington. The Cougars struggled to match USC's intensity in the first half Friday, but the improved energy they displayed in the second half against the Trojans carried over to Sunday.

"I think maybe it just took one game maybe to adjust to Pac-12 play just since we have all these new guys," Hawkinson said.

The Cougars led 40-36 at the half, then expanded their lead to double digits midway through the second half. UCLA started the day ranked last in the Pac-12 with 75.9 points allowed per game, and the Bruins gave up a stream of easy baskets.

"We gave up too many buckets," Hamilton said, "especially in the paint ... they made about 25-plus layups."

Welsh recorded 13 points and 10 rebounds, but two of UCLA's best players -- point guard Bryce Alford and forward Tony Parker -- scored just nine and seven points, respectively. Guard Aaron Holiday scored 15.

WSU wings Que Johnson and Renard Suggs both scored 14 points. Point guard Darren Callison added 12, and center Conor Clifford scored 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting.

Washington State shot a season-high 55.4 percent from the floor, also a season high for a UCLA opponent. The Bruins shot 41.1 percent.

"We're not where we need to be defensively," Welsh said. "We've got a lot of things to work on."

Washington State shot a season-high 55.4 percent from the floor, also a season high for a UCLA opponent. The Bruins shot 41.1 percent.

The victory was just the 17th for Washington State in 120 games against the Bruins. However, the Cougars have won three home games in a row against UCLA for the first time since 1936-37, when Washington State won the first three games ever held between the teams.

The announced attendance Sunday was 1,912. School is not in session due to the holiday break, and the Cougars traditionally struggled to draw when most students are not in small, isolated Pullman.

The Cougars stay home to play Washington on Saturday. Eighth-ranked Arizona visits UCLA on Thursday.

NOTES: Washington State F Josh Hawkinson started the day leading the Pac-12 with an average of 10.8 rebounds per game and with 10 double-doubles. Hawkinson led the conference in both statistics last season. ... Hawkinson's ninth consecutive double-double tied the school record set by Steve Puidokas in 1975-76. ... Washington State had a 31-7 edge in bench points. ... One game after committing 25 turnovers at Washington, the Bruins had just nine turnovers, two fewer than Washington State.