PULLMAN (AP) — Washington State had lost three straight games and was slipping toward the basement of the weak Pac-10, so post DeAngelo Casto decided to seek some extra practice this week.

It paid off.

Casto scored a career-high 19 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots as Washington State pounded Arizona 78-60 on Saturday to revive its hopes of contending for the league title.

"I came in early and met with the coaches and did rebounds and shooting," Casto, a sophomore, said. "I was surrounded with basketball."

It was perhaps the best game of the season for Washington State (15-8, 5-6 Pac-10), which swept the season series with Arizona and knocked the Wildcats out of a tie for first in the conference.

"I think it was," Cougars coach Ken Bone said, when asked if it was the best. "Tonight we did a great job defensively and offensively."

Washington State dominated the rebounding, 36-24, held Arizona to 42 percent shooting and blocked seven shots. The Cougars also got solid contributions from bench players Brock Motum (10 points), James Watson and Xavier Thames.

"I'm really, really excited we won with good solid basketball," Bone said. "We haven't put together 40 or even 35 good minutes lately."

Indeed, the Cougars led archrival Washington at halftime last Saturday, only to be blown out in the second half. They fell behind early against Arizona State on Thursday and couldn't catch up.

Klay Thompson had 14 points and four assists and Reggie Moore 12 points for the Cougars, who shot 51 percent and had a huge free throw advantage. Washington State made 23 of 28 while Arizona was 10 of 13.

Derrick Williams scored 16 points for Arizona (12-11, 6-5), which was coming off a narrow loss at Washington that ended a four-game winning streak. The Wildcats were tied for first with three other teams heading into Saturday's games.

It was Arizona's first game since the university announced Friday that it had placed its men's basketball program on probation for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons for violations by Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson related to an offseason AAU tournament in 2008.

"They outplayed us, they outcoached us and outhustled us," Arizona coach Sean Miller said. "They earned their trips to the foul line. They were aggressive."

The Cougars led by six at halftime and scored the first seven points of the second half for a 39-26 lead. But Nic Wise hit a 3-pointer to cap a 9-1 run that brought Arizona within 40-35.

Motum, a little-used freshman, had two baskets as the Cougars rebuilt a 48-37 lead with 11 minutes left.

The Cougars maintained the lead, although six straight points brought the Wildcats within 62-56 with five minutes left. Moore replied with a pair of free throws and Nikola Koprivica buried a 3-pointer and a layup as Washington State built the lead back to 69-56 and coasted to victory.

Williams played defense on Casto, who also had a big game in WSU's victory in Tucson.

"I tried to keep him off the glass," Williams said. "That was the difference."

Kyle Fogg added 13 points and Nic Wise 10 for Arizona.

Washington State got off to another slow start, a condition that has plagued the team this Pac-10 season. The Cougars made just two of their first 11 shots and trailed 12-6. But a 12-4 run put them ahead 18-16 midway through the first. The teams traded baskets until the Cougars closed the first with an 8-2 run for a 32-26 halftime lead.

Arizona, after making five of its first seven shots, was just four of 20 the rest of the half. The Wildcats were outrebounded 23-14 in the first.