PULLMAN, Wash. -- The play of Arizona power forward Ryan Anderson is conjuring memories of a former Wildcats' All-American.

"I told the team after the game that he reminds me a lot of how Derrick Williams played for us," said coach Sean Miller, referring to the forward who led Arizona to the 2011 regional final.

"The difference is with Derrick it almost felt like he did that almost every night."

Anderson is on quite a torrid pace, though, including putting in a career-high 31 points Wednesday night, helping the 23rd-ranked Wildcats overcome a cold-shooting start en route to a 79-64 win over Washington State.

Anderson made 10 of 16 shots from the field and 11 of 17 attempts from the free-throw line. He did most of his work in the paint, pulling down 12 rebounds for his 11th double-double of the season.

Anderson, a senior in his only season with the Wildcats after a transfer from Boston College, has hit 49 of 67 shots (73.1 percent) in the past seven games.

His previous career high of 29 points came against Florida International on Nov. 11, 2012.

"Ryan Anderson offensively was just a load, was too much for Washington State to handle," said Miller, whose team improved to 18-5 overall and 6-4 Pac-12.

Washington State fell to 9-13, losing its eighth consecutive game.

"It's probable when I look at the tape, I'm going to see the same old tape again," said Washington State coach Ernie Kent, lamenting mental lapses that included 14 turnovers.

Guard Gabe York added 14 points for Arizona, which found its rhythm after having only nine points about midway through the opening half.

Washington State forward Josh Hawkinson posted his 16th double-double of the season with 14 points and 17 rebounds. Guard Ike Iroegbu scored 20 points but was just 6 of 15 from the field.

They didn't get enough help as the Cougars shot 34.9 percent from the field and lost their eighth consecutive game.

"Our defense really showed up," Miller said. "Washington State is a better offensive team than defensive, and a lot of their problems happen with their defense. Tonight we did a good job defending them on the road."

Arizona led by double digits for the vast majority of the second half, keeping a comfortable distance after WSU cut a 19-point deficit to 61-53 with 8:47 left.

Wildcats forward Mark Tollefsen also had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Arizona center Kaleb Tarczewski had 10 rebounds.

Arizona, which entered the game shooting 50 percent from the field, had trouble getting started, hitting just three of its first 15 attempts and falling behind 13-6 and then 17-9.

The Wildcats didn't lead until 6:25 was left in the half when York hit a 3-pointer for a 22-19 lead.

The game then settled down into a battle of power forwards.

Anderson scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting before halftime, but he had trouble guarding the inside-outside game of Hawkinson. Hawkinson hit a 3-pointer while scoring 14 first-half points and was one rebound shy of a double-double by halftime.

Arizona point guard Kadeem Allen did not start because of illness, although he entered the game at the first media timeout. When he picked up his third foul halfway through the half, though, the Wildcats scrambled to plug the hole on the perimeter.

Forward Mark Tollefsen stepped up, hitting two 3-pointers during a 30-13 Arizona run to end the half. Guard Justin Simon, another beneficiary of more minutes, put the Wildcats up 39-30 on a reverse layup with 26 seconds left for the final points of the half.

Allen eventually fouled out in just seven minutes, while point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright made his first career start and played 35 minutes, with four assists and no turnovers.

NOTES: Arizona G Allonzo Trier, the team's second-leading scorer (14.8 points per game), missed his seventh straight game with a broken right (shooting) hand. He has a chance to return Saturday at Washington, coach Sean Miller said earlier this week. ... Washington State has lost nine consecutive games to Arizona, last beating the Wildcats on Feb. 6, 2010 at home. ... Arizona has been ranked in the AP poll for 72 consecutive weeks, the second-longest streak in the nation behind Kansas (136 weeks). ... Arizona G Elliott Pitts has missed the past 16 games for what has been described as "personal issues." Miller has not given an indication whether Pitts will return this season.