WSU Basketball Stories: Spokesmanreview.com

Weaver goes from from Coug to Cat

It was a little longer wait than he might have wanted, but Kyle Weaver finally heard his name called.

Washington State signs Ferris' Casto

PULLMAN � DeAngelo Casto, Washington's high school basketball player of the year from Ferris High, has signed a letter of intent to play next season at Washington State University.

Cougars' Sauls will transfer

Washington State freshman guard Stephen Sauls, following a concussion which ended his season early in January, has been granted a release from the men's basketball program and plans to transfer to a school that is closer to his hometown in Missouri City, Texas, head coach Tony Bennett announced Wednesday.

Bennett's future remains in Pullman

Tony Bennett had heard enough. Enough of the rumors about LSU, Cal, Marquette, wherever. Enough of the phone ringing at his San Antonio hotel room. Enough of the contacts with recruits, friends, assistants, asking if he was leaving.

Bennett denies contact with Indiana

It didn't take long. The rumors of the demise of the Tony Bennett era at Washington State started early Saturday morning, with a report on FOXSports.com that Indiana University had offered Bennett its head basketball coaching position.

Offense abandons WSU in Sweet 16

CHARLOTTE, N.C. � In what arguably was the best men's basketball season in Washington State's history, the Cougars had no shot to get past the No. 1-ranked Tar Heels of North Carolina.

Hard loss leads to hard questions

CHARLOTTE, N.C. � Is that all there is?Such a cruel and terrible question to ask, and even more so because the Washington State Cougars had to ask it of themselves, as well.

Baynes ends strong

CHARLOTTE, N.C. � By halftime of the NCAA East Regional semifinal, college basketball's likely Player of the Year had scored all of two points � both on free throws. Certainly it seemed like a recipe for disaster for top-ranked North Carolina.

WSU seniors face difficult truth of final game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. � Like every college athlete, they knew it had to end someday. But never did they imagine it would be like this.

Heroes or Heels?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. � At times, the contrast is so obvious that to mention it almost seems redundant.

John Blanchette: Cougs fine with role as unknowns

CHARLOTTE, N.C. � Team Afterthought turned up at the North Carolina Invitational here Wednesday and took the place by shrug.

WSU-NC matchups

Guards ( Read the full story )

Area roundup: Cougars top Zags

Washington State's Chad Arnold worked six strong innings Tuesday as the host Cougars defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs 6-2 in non-conference baseball action at Bailey-Brayton Field in Pullman.

Cougars' hard work pays off since loss at OSU

CHARLOTTE, N.C. � The chant started even before the clock had ticked to double zeroes."Thanks for practice, thanks for practice," the Stillwater, Okla., crowd repeated, over and over.

WSU's waters aren't quite uncharted

CHARLOTTE, N.C. � Not to poke a hole in the bottom of the boat, but these uncharted waters the Washington State Cougars are sailing? Well, they've been charted.

Sweet 16 fan tickets gone

PULLMAN � Washington State University has no more tickets available for Cougars fans wanting to catch their men's basketball team in the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 this week in Charlotte, N.C.

Cougars must brake Tar Heels' break

PULLMAN � Washington State men's basketball coach Tony Bennett reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.

Bring on the Tar Heels

They had just finished off Notre Dame in dominating fashion, easing to a 61-41 win Saturday.The Washington State Cougars had just earned the school's first trip to the Sweet 16. The last time WSU won twice in an NCAA tournament was in 1941 when only eight schools played and the Cougars reached the finals.

Seniors dictate play in romp that leads to Charlotte

DENVER � They had unfinished business. So the three seniors who have taken the Cougars so far decided to take Washington State's basketball team further than it's been before.

It's never been truer: Less is more

DENVER � If you were wondering, Bobby Knight can be just as polarizing a figure as a studio analyst as he was as a basketball coach.

Bennetts enjoy success together

DENVER � A crowd of reporters clustered in a dim vomitorium in the Pepsi Center, waiting for Washington State's locker room to open after the Cougars' 61-41 rout of Notre Dame on Saturday, when they were joined by a man without a notebook, camera or NCAA tournament credentials.

The big picture

DENVER � Tony Bennett isn't above a psychological ploy. A motivational tool. An edge. In fact, he looks for them. Saturday, he found one from an unexpected source: his wife, Laurel.

They're the guys who do dirty work

DENVER � You can see them at every game, sitting at the end of the bench, ties on, clipboards and folding stools at the ready.

Braking for Irish

DENVER � When Tony Bennett looks at tape of Notre Dame, Washington State's opponent today in an NCAA East Regional second-round game, the WSU men's basketball coach sees a team in transition.

Cougars believe in how they're doing it

DENVER � When Washington State basketball player Robbie Cowgill steps up to the free- throw line, he talks to God.

Program can take another step by reaching Sweet 16

DENVER � And now it's time.College basketball has produced no more compelling fable these last couple of years than the rise of Washington State, which you could define as a painstaking overnight sensation.

4 Washington State vs. 5 Notre Dame

Second-half sensation

DENVER � Through the course of the season, Washington State's players have heard some impressive halftime speeches from coach Tony Bennett.

John Blanchette: Cougs gang up to join bullies

DENVER � On a day when the bracket bullies asserted their collective will on the huddled masses of the NCAA tournament � and in a particularly tedious fashion for something billed as madness � so did the Washington State Cougars.

Rochestie puts clamps on Jenkins

DENVER � It's easy to underestimate Taylor Rochestie.When he came out of Santa Barbara High he heard he was too short, too slow, just not good enough to play at the highest level of college basketball.

Coug forwards are centers of attention

DENVER � The Harmelings were at a TGIFriday's in Salt Lake City when the NCAA announced where their son Daven's basketball team would be playing this week. Mary Harmeling didn't expect Washington State University to come to her home state of Colorado.

Cougs look to duck Eagles

DENVER � When preparing for a game with an unknown foe, it helps to draw on past opponents.

John Blanchette: Adams left lasting memory

DENVER � One morning last March, the face of De'Andre Adams was all over Spokane. He owned the town.

WSU, Winthrop similar

PULLMAN � When he saw his school's name appear on the NCAA tournament bracket Sunday, Winthrop coach Randy Peele quickly looked at the line immediately above the Eagles.

Cougs display quick tempo

PULLMAN � It was fast-paced, it was different and the Cougars had fun. It was the first day of spring ball for the Washington State football team under a new coaching staff.

Cougars lose to Sooners after three wins

The Washington State baseball team fell to Oklahoma 14-2 on Sunday to wrap up a non-conference four-game series with No. 25 Oklahoma at Dale Mitchell Park in Norman, Okla.

No. 4 Cougars play midmajor success story Winthrop

PULLMAN � Last year everything was shiny and new. This year the luster is still there, but the novelty is not.

Not a bad consolation prize

LOS ANGELES � Washington State didn't get its opportunity to play for the Pac-10 tournament men's basketball title Saturday. Instead the Cougars will receive a consolation prize today: a second consecutive NCAA tournament berth.

Lopez does in Cougs

LOS ANGELES � Twice during the regular season Washington State played the Stanford Cardinal.

Was it just a Pac of lies?

LOS ANGELES � So whatever became of the dog-eat-dog, grindhouse, coach-killing, take-that-Billy-Packer, best college basketball conference in America?

Cougars dispatch Ducks

LOS ANGELES � This is, in a sense, a David vs. Goliath tale, told with some subtle subtext.

John Blanchette: Cougars keep refs out of it

LOS ANGELES � Had this one been any closer, the referees would have had to decide it.

Cougs expect tough game vs Ducks

LOS ANGELES � There is a certain symmetry here. After years of frustration, the Washington State Cougars finally scratched the itch caused by loss after loss to the University of Oregon. Losses marked by the irritation of knowing a play here, a call there, and the annoyance would end.

Anybody's Pac-10 tourney

LOS ANGELES � The Pacific Life Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament, which begins this evening at the Staples Center, is truly a case of the haves versus the have-nots.

Four Cougs gain All-Pac-10 honors

PULLMAN � It wasn't the best year to be an upperclassman in Pac-10 Conference men's basketball.

Ideal end at Friel

PULLMAN � When it was finally done � the game, the regular season and, for the three key players in Washington State's basketball renaissance, their games in Beasley Coliseum � the Cougars didn't want to leave Friel Court.

Fitting finish for Cougars seniors

PULLMAN � It took Washington State's group of seniors a while to understand this University of Washington rivalry thing.

John Blanchette: Hard to say goodbye to Cougars trio

So here comes their last home game, and maybe it's true that you can't say enough about the seniors who changed the face of basketball at Washington State.

Cougars can't hang on

STANFORD, Calif. � It was right there � an upset victory over the nation's eighth-ranked men's basketball team before 7,329 at Maples Pavilion.

Cougars get offensive

BERKELEY, Calif. � Maybe short-handed is the way to go.The first time Washington State met California, the Golden Bears played without starting center DeVon Hardin and won.

WSU must find answers to Anderson

PULLMAN � The question is simple, the answer complex. How do you stop Cal's Ryan Anderson?

Double trouble

PULLMAN � One time can possibly be dismissed. But two times? That's a trend. A trend that is tough for Washington State's basketball team to stomach.

WSU rolls in Cougar gold

PULLMAN � It was just more than four years ago that Tony Bennett walked down the tunnel into Beasley Coliseum for his first game at Washington State and pulled back the black curtain.

Cougs owe themselves

PULLMAN � Near the top of any college basketball coach's motivational toolbox is a drawer labeled revenge. An early-season loss is always tucked just inside, waiting to be brought out when needed to ratchet up the intensity for a late-season meeting.

Cougars reach record low

Sybil Dosty scored 14 points and Lauren Lacey added 12 as Arizona State beat Washington State 59-30 Thursday night at Tempe, Ariz., holding the Cougars to the lowest point total in Pac-10 women's basketball history.

WSU triumphs with bedeviling defense

PULLMAN � So now we know. Tony Bennett is prescient. At least Washington State's basketball coach was Thursday night.

Cougs, Cardinal game on FSN

Fox Sports Network announced Thursday the Washington State at Stanford men's basketball game as the selection for the March 1 wild-card game.

Baynes' dunk delivers

PULLMAN � By now, there is a general consensus as to what basketball at Washington State is.

WSU recruit Michael Harthun can really play

EUGENE, Ore. � Late in the first quarter of a 70-62 win over South Eugene High last Friday, South Medford's Michael Harthun attacked the middle of the Axemen's zone with the dribble.

Long time coming

EUGENE, Ore. � It has been 66 years since Washington State's men's basketball team has won 20 games in back-to-back seasons.

Mac Court experience awaits Cougs

EUGENE, Ore. � Don't count Robbie Cowgill among those who will be sad to see Macarthur Court torn down. Or Kyle Weaver. Or any of the Washington State Cougar seniors.

Cougs slog way to road victory

CORVALLIS, Ore. � There have been times this Pac-10 men's basketball season when Washington State has played pretty well � and lost.

Cougs stifle Trojans

PULLMAN � No blowups, no ranting, no outbursts. Despite a three-game losing streak, Washington State men's basketball coach Tony Bennett kept it under control. The Cougars fortunes, he felt, were about to change.

With Weaver on court it's hold the Mayo

PULLMAN � Enough of the cumulative bummer of the losing streak and the shooting guard's shooting hiccups. Enough of the slowly descending tournament seed, the big fella's foul habit, the out-of-character late-game breakdowns.

Henry accepts his role

PULLMAN � Ask WSU basketball player Chris Henry why he goes through the daily practice grind with little hope of seeing the court during games, and he doesn't hesitate with his answer.

Same old Bruins: WSU fades in 2nd half

PULLMAN � Sometimes the recent matchups between Washington State and UCLA have been decided late. Sometimes they have been decided in the first few minutes.

Cougs outline steps for getting back on track

PULLMAN � As the Pac-10 basketball season moves into its second half tonight, the Washington State Cougars find themselves in a third-place logjam.

Weekend, chances lost

PULLMAN � In a game of lost opportunities in a weekend of the same, Washington State's men's basketball team did a couple of things Saturday it hasn't done all year.

Cougs can't make it too fine a point

Hmm. Looks like Camelot could use a new coat of paint.That's one prescription, anyway.

Cougs hope formula still adds up

PULLMAN � In the year and a half Washington State's basketball program has thrust itself into the national spotlight, the Cougars have lost just 11 games.

Cougars tripped up

PULLMAN � Tony Bennett will tell anyone who will listen about the fine line the Washington State Cougars walk.

Cougars avoid desert sweep

TEMPE, Ariz. � First some context. Last season, Washington State survived a one-point decision against Arizona State here when then-freshman Christian Polk missed a 3-pointer as time expired.

Cougars face big task

TEMPE, Ariz. � One thing about being in the sun: complexions change.Such is the case with tonight's Washington State basketball game here in the Valley of the Sun.

Indefensible Cougs

TUCSON, Ariz. � Tony Bennett let the thought trail off."You play on the road in this league, if you don't come with a defensive mindset that holds you in there �" the Washington State basketball coach said before pausing, then shifting gears.

Sharpshooter born

PULLMAN � Growing up in Hawaii, Derrick Low wasn't a hunter. No, that had to wait until he got to the Palouse.

WSU finally has its day with Ducks

PULLMAN � For the past four years, all Washington State coach Tony Bennett could do was watch.

Cougs want Ducks off their backs

PULLMAN � Ask any Cougar fan about last year's 77-74 overtime home men's basketball loss to the University of Oregon and words usually start flowing that can't be printed here � or uttered on Cinemax for that matter.

Happy homecoming: Cougars drub visiting OSU

PULLMAN � Needing to rebound from its first loss of the season, Washington State couldn't have asked for a better Pac-10 men's basketball opponent. Or a better place.

Cougs' sharp-shooting forward joins the club

Four weeks ago Daven Harmeling was struggling with his outside shot, connecting on just 19 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Forrest gets cut after loss

PULLMAN � Next time you see Washington State University's eighth�ranked basketball team play, check out Caleb Forrest's hair. Yes, his hair.

Bruins hand No. 4 Cougars first loss � and reality check

LOS ANGELES � Since James Naismith hung the peach basket in the Springfield Y, rarely has a basketball game's final score held less significance.

How big is this? Cougs face Bruins in well-hyped game

LOS ANGELES � In all the 50 times Washington State has met the UCLA Bruins here, none has met with as much hype as this morning's game.

WSU takes offense

LOS ANGELES � Most of the time the Washington State men's basketball team wins games with its defense.

Defensive WSU nips Huskies

SEATTLE � If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the Washington State Cougars should consider themselves flattered. Because they almost got flattened a few times Saturday night by the new-look Washington Huskies.

Left-hander's compliment

PULLMAN � The first time Washington State basketball coach Tony Bennett heard a report on Taylor Rochestie, it came back positive, in a fashion.

Cougs' rise from hoops oblivion

SEATTLE � Tony Bennett walked into a silent locker room inside Sacramento's Arco Arena in March. He was about to cry.

Cougs' sweep complete

PULLMAN � WSU finished it's nonconference play Friday night with a dominating effort, limiting North Carolina A&T to 12 first-half points and breezing to a 67-34 win.

No. 7 Cougars stifle Bengals

POCATELLO, Idaho � It would have been perfectly understandable for the Washington State men's basketball team to bring a less than enthusiastic attitude into Holt Arena on Sunday.

Cougs face ISU minus Harmeling

Washington State will not only be facing Idaho State on the road today, they'll also be without 6-foot-7 junior Daven Harmeling, the Cougars' sixth man.

Keyed-up Cougs

SEATTLE � Even Tony Bennett was impressed. No, not by his team's defensive-fueled 67-45 rout of The Citadel on Thursday night, though he wasn't about to throw it back.

Perfect Cougs can improve

PULLMAN � The Washington State men's basketball team is in the midst of its longest layoff in the Tony Bennett era.

Cougs face Key game in Seattle

PULLMAN � With an 11-day layoff in the rear-view mirror, the Washington State Cougars take to the road once more � to play a home game.

WSU outlasts stubborn Portland State

PULLMAN � Sunday night was special for Washington State junior center Aron Baynes. Not only were the undefeated Cougars hosting Portland State in a non-conference game at Beasley Coliseum, it was also his 21st birthday.

John Blanchette: Cougs real deal in unreal week

There was no making much sense of anything this week.Television. Ticket scalping. Tent cities. Everything was pretty much over the top or beyond making sense in advance of Washington State and Gonzaga meeting in the game that was going to rock Spokane, if not the country.

Cougars deny Baylor

WACO, Tex. � They had, according to coach Tony Bennett, misplaced their identity somewhere between Eastern Washington and central Texas and couldn't find it in the first half.

WSU rides into Bears' loud den

WACO, Texas � The road can be an unkind place. The only non-conference loss the Washington State men's basketball team suffered last season came in early December against Utah in Salt Lake City.

Bench marks sought

PULLMAN � Every college basketball coach starts a season with a checklist filled with concerns. It's the nature of the profession.

Cougars solve Falcons

A shooter who isn't going well will try just about anything to bust out. Washington State's Derrick Low is no different. Only his solution might have been.

Cougars keep on rolling at Challenge

It turned out Washington State's second game in the three-day Cougar Hispanic College Fund Challenge wasn't one.

Cougs slow, but still sure

There's been two areas in which the ninth-ranked Washington State Cougars have been consistent this season.

Bennett looks for progress

Like everyone else, Washington State basketball coach Tony Bennett has a wish list he hopes to fill by Christmas.

That's enough of that

PULLMAN � Three games into the basketball season, the Washington State Cougars figured it was time to announce their presence. To themselves.

Cougars need motivation

BOISE � Despite a sluggish start, despite not playing what guard Taylor Rochestie termed Washington State basketball for most of the first half, despite a defensive effort coach Tony Bennett criticized, despite all that ... WSU opened the road portion of the 2007-08 season with an 86-74 win over Boise State in front of 6,718 at the Taco Bell Arena.

Cougars play part well

PULLMAN � At halftime Friday night, Eastern Washington coach Kirk Earlywine wasn't discouraged or disappointed in how his team was playing.

Cougars open with win

PULLMAN � According to the score, the 10th-ranked WSU men's basketball team's exhibition win over Lewis-Clark State was the expected rout.

As always, surprises could pop up in Pac-10

LOS ANGELES � Arizona State coach Herb Sendek stepped up to the podium at Thursday's Pac-10 basketball media day and began to speak.

Cougs earn second chance

LOS ANGELES � The Washington State Cougars were picked to finish second in the Pac-10 on Thursday by the media members who cover the conference.

Fast Break

WSU unveiled the nation's 10th-ranked men's basketball team Saturday in an scrimmage and there were about 3,000 stars � the 3,000 or so who showed up at Bohler Gym.

Area roundup: Two Cougs on Wooden watch

Washington State University seniors Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver are among the 50 preseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award, the nation's most coveted college basketball award, the Los Angeles Athletic Club's Wooden Award Committee announced Wednesday.

Comeback sits well with Cougs

PULLMAN � Nikola Koprivica drove the lane, something the 18-year-old had done many, many times before. But this time the landing was different.

Familiar Cougars change with experience

PULLMAN � When Washington State's men's basketball team takes the practice floor tonight at 7 to officially begin the 2007-08 season, there will be plenty of familiar faces.

Rochestie helps WSU land Florida recruit

The Washington State Cougars were out of basketball scholarships to offer recruits next season.

Cougs spent summer in hoops training

Basketball is supposed to be a winter sport. But for four Washington State Cougars, summer turned to winter and stayed that way for a couple of months.

Abercrombie's team falls

Washington State University guard Thomas Abercrombie and his native New Zealand lost 78-57 to Korea in a men's basketball game at the World University Games Monday in Bangkok, Thailand.

WSU's Baynes sharp again

Washington State University center Aron Baynes scored in double figures for the fourth straight game Sunday, but his native Australia lost 69-53 to the Czech Republic in a men's basketball second-phase game at the World University Games in Bangkok.

Baynes hits 9 of 9 during win

Washington State University sophomore Aron Baynes hit all nine of his shots from the floor and finished with 21 points to lead his home country of Australia to a 96-52 romp over Angola in men's basketball action at the World University Games early this morning at Bangkok, Thailand.

Baynes' Aussies lose

Washington State University's Aron Baynes totaled 14 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots Friday, but his native Australia lost to Israel 74-62 in basketball at the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand.

Fast Break

Tony Bennett will receive the largest contract in Washington State University coaching history after leading the Cougars to their best season in decades.

Low, Weaver make Pan Am team

After five trial sessions and four practices spread over five days, Washington State seniors-to-be Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver are finally able to relax.

Inglemoor's McLaughlin commits to Cougars

Mark McLaughlin, a 6-foot-5 wing from Inglemoor High in Kenmore, Wash., has given an oral commitment to play basketball at Washington State University.

Cougars traveled 18,000 miles to stay course

If you think March is a barometer of how far the basketball program at Washington State has come, well, of course you're right. But June, July and August are closing fast.

Road trip excites WSU duo

PULLMAN � Aron Baynes and Thomas Abercrombie are likely to register some telling minutes for the Cougars in the coming weeks.

Daugherty home from hospital

EVERETT, Wash. � Washington State women's basketball coach June Daugherty was released from a hospital Tuesday.

Harthun commits to Cougs

PULLMAN � Washington State has secured its second oral commitment for the recruiting class of 2008.

Daugherty makes strides

June Daugherty is expected to be released from Providence Everett Medical Center within the next 48 hours after having a defibrillator surgically implanted Thursday.

WSU players watch, wait for updates on Daugherty

Only two members of Washington State University's women's basketball team are in Pullman, but their situation is no different than that of their teammates scattered about the nation.

Cougs revive Thanksgiving Alpo spirit

So Washington State, by way of shedding a potential and extraneous game with Gonzaga, is ceding the territory of Alaska to the Zags and playing a tournament in � Spokane?

Cougars sign play-making guard

Washington State finished off its recruiting class in advance of the 2007-08 season Monday, signing a Houston native to a letter of intent.

Daugherty likes where she lands

PULLMAN � Step one in June Daugherty's rebuilding process of the Washington State women's basketball program has nothing to do with the game itself.

New beginning for Daugherty, Cougars

PULLMAN � In one of her first acts as the new head coach of the Washington State women's basketball team, June Daugherty knocked a tape recorder off of the lectern.

John Blanchette: Score hire as a 'W', but Cougs will need more

Let's start with the premise that the Huskies screwed up. Every Cougar wants to believe that, right?

Cougs select ex-UW coach Daugherty

PULLMAN � Washington State will introduce former Washington coach June Daugherty as its new women's basketball coach this afternoon.

Cougars increase international flavor

PULLMAN � Washington State has received a letter of intent from German high schooler Fabian Boeke, who is set to join the basketball team this fall as a freshman.

WSU coaching search speeds along

PULLMAN � Washington State would like to hire a new women's basketball coach soon, possibly by the end of the upcoming week, according to members of the school's search committee.

Cougars lose role players

PULLMAN � Two players on the Washington State basketball team, seeing little playing time for themselves in the future, have asked to be released from their scholarships.

Murrell resigns after five years

Sherri Murrell shocked the Cougars family Thursday afternoon by abruptly resigning as the Washington State head women's basketball coach.

America's best

Washington State University men's basketball is on the rebound, and its coach has been rewarded handsomely.

Cougs have a trophy coach

Tony Bennett moved into a new house in Pullman within the last year, but he and his family may have to do a little rearranging already � a trophy room is probably in order.

Bennett all but locked up

PULLMAN � There are many details left to be hammered out, but Washington State was in no mood to wait for someone to pluck its coach with a plum offer.

WSU hopes to have Bennett deal soon

PULLMAN � Washington State hopes to come to a contract agreement or something close to it with men's basketball coach Tony Bennett in the next week.

Cougars season one for the books

PULLMAN � It took George Raveling more than three seasons to win 26 games as head coach at Washington State, proof that even for the best and most beloved of Cougars coaches winning on the Palouse isn't easy.

John Blanchette: Note to WSU: Don't let coach leave Pullman

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � No time to stop now. Not after this turnaround, not after this season, not after these thrills.

Turnovers hit weary Weaver

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � Kyle Weaver has the rebounds, the assists, the blocks and the steals to justify his All-Pac-10 status this season.

Loss can't kill Coug spirit

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � You know that Washington State University logo? The one that spells out WSU and seemed to be everywhere in the Inland Northwest recently?

Clark's finale brief

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � Washington State University loses just one scholarship player to graduation this season, forward Ivory Clark.

Battered clipboard made point

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � Southeastern Conference most valuable player Derrick Byars was missing 3-pointers all over the place.

Screens help Byars find his long-range shot

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � Vanderbilt has relied on 3-pointers throughout the season and it finally got untracked from long distance in the second half of Saturday's second-round NCAA tournament game.

By the numbers

Box Score

Vanderbilt 78, WSU 74 (2OT)

Vandy, not WSU, tastes sweet smell of success by making biggest plays

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � The Cougars could taste the Sweet 16. They just couldn't hang onto their place in it.

John Blanchette: Harmeling's team spirit still visible

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � Daven Harmeling and the Washington State Cougars commanded the public's attention at pretty much the same time.

To know the Cougs, meet the assistants

SACRAMENTO � So you've climbed aboard this Cougar basketball bandwagon, have you?

Vandy's sold on Byars

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � The only one who has had much success stopping Vanderbilt's Derrick Byars this season is a gentleman named Byars.

6 VAnderbilt 3 Washington State

Region: East, No. 6 seedCoach: Kevin Stallings

Cougs make stand at arc

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � The mantra is heard constantly this time of year, probably because it holds true more often than not.

California split

SACRAMENTO � The prestige is obvious. The financial return might be as well.But winning an NCAA Division I basketball tournament game, to Pete Isakson at least, is pretty much priceless.

John Blanchette: Cougars' Clark bears it, then grins

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � What is it in a smile that can offend? Ivory Clark can't explain it, exactly. But he is a serious man, not outwardly light of heart.

'Sky-vory' returns

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � Washington State forward Ivory Clark hadn't heard his nickname for a while: Sky-vory.

Box Score

Washington St. 70, Oral Roberts 54

By the numbers

Six Shots, out of 25 attempts, that Washington State made at the beginning of Thursday's game.

WSU advances, just like that

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � All it took for 24 years of history to turn on its head was three seconds.

Turnaround Cougs prepare to put it all on the line against Golden Eagles

SACRAMENTO, Calif. � The Cougars sported more than smiles while walking out onto the Arco Arena floor for the school's first NCAA tournament practice in 13 years.

The pursuit that led to happiness

When Spokane last hosted an NCAA tournament subregional four years ago, the most important game in town may have been played off the court.

!4 Oral roberts 3 Washington State

Region: EastCoach: Scott SuttonRecord: 23-10

WSU-Indiana facts

For Thursday, March 15, 2007.

Man of the people

PULLMAN � Tony Bennett watched his jersey rise to the rafters at Wisconsin-Green Bay and then he fell down on a knee to propose to his girlfriend of 3 1/2 months.

Semi-disappointing

LOS ANGELES � Beating a team for a third time this season was no problem for Washington State in this year's Pac-10 men's basketball tournament. But doing so on back-to-back nights?

John Blanchette: Cougars' vulnerability exploited by Trojans

LOS ANGELES � Tony Bennett rattled them off the other day � all the plusses he could see stacking up around the Washington State Cougars.

Second, not second-rate

PULLMAN � It should have been nearly impossible for Washington State to send its fans away with a suitable home finale after this incredible regular season.

WSU path at Pac-10 intriguing

PULLMAN � This history-making season for Washington State could get a lot more interesting in the coming days.

A great finish

PULLMAN � Leave it to the most powerful dunker on the team to know that it's not about how you start, but all about how you finish.

WSU, USC finish off Pac-10 race

PULLMAN � Imagine two race cars just laps from the finish line, with the fuel light shining brightly from the dashboard of each.

Bruins lavish big praises

Ben Howland walked out onto the floor on Dec. 28 for his radio interview. His UCLA Bruins had just defeated WSU 55-52, and he had words of praise for his opponent.

WSU motivated by title aspirations

PULLMAN � Maybe the greatest irony of this Washington State season is that the week everything has pointed toward for months may end up meaning virtually nothing.

German selects Cougars

Washington State has received a verbal commitment from Fabian Boeke, a basketball player from Germany, to join the Cougars, according to a source close to the situation.

Cougars ride Baynes to victory

PULLMAN � Down by seven points and down for the entire game to that point, Washington State turned to the least likely guy on the court to bail the team out. And bail it out he did.

Cougars go back for their future

CORVALLIS, Ore. � The sight was so surprising it was almost laughable.Here was the No. 9 team in the country, lined up across the Gill Coliseum floor, working on defensive slides and stances as assistant coach Ben Johnson held a ball in the direction he wanted the players to move.

Oregon trailers

EUGENE, Ore. � Washington State can set a school record for wins this season. It can finish near the top of the Pac-10 standings for the first time in more than a decade. It could even make a run deep into the NCAA tournament.

Cougars off to slay their dragon

Washington State is rested. It can only hope that it's ready.The 22-4 Cougars, having been off since a Feb. 14 win at Washington, probably will have to call on every reserve of newfound strength to slay the one dragon that has haunted them above all others in recent seasons.

Tulane transfer rises with Cougs

PULLMAN � Belief is something that's getting easier and easier to come by these days around the Washington State basketball program.

Cougars to get out ticket info

PULLMAN � Washington State plans to send out ticket information for the NCAA men's basketball tournament to its season-ticket holders Wednesday.

14-year-old commits to WSU

PULLMAN � Washington State's success on the basketball floor has translated into a success on the recruiting trail. The 2010 recruiting trail.

Cougars climb to 9 in AP poll

PULLMAN � All the hands went into the center and in unison the voices called out "Pac-10 champs!" as Washington State's basketball team closed its practice Monday.

Break came at right time for WSU

Tony Bennett is considered a favorite to win national coach of the year honors for his work as a first-year coach in turning the Cougars into the 22-4 team that they are.

Cougars rest up for Ducks

Tony Bennett is considered a favorite to win national coach of the year honors for his work as a first-year coach in turning the Cougars into a 22-4 team.

Cougars soak it up

SEATTLE � A full half-hour after the end of Wednesday night's basketball game between Washington State and Washington, nearly half of the Cougars coaches and players milled about on the floor of Bank of America Arena.

Odds are WSU is just that good

SEATTLE � So it is no longer surprising. Only incredible.At least in some circles. Those smart guys in Vegas, for instance, installed Washington State as three-point underdogs Wednesday night against Washington, and even if it was only to ire up all the Cougars with money burning a hole in their pockets, it did have that slap-of-disrespect feeling to it.

Huskies would like last laugh

Had this been said two years ago, it most certainly would have been as a punch line to a bizarre basketball joke. But a lot can happen in two years, and a lot has happened.

WSU up to 10th, but rough stretch ahead

PULLMAN � On the same day that Washington State secured a top-10 ranking for the first time in school history, the Cougars were also secure in the knowledge that a Pac-10 championship, with five games left in the season, goes through Friel Court.

Cougars continue to roll

PULLMAN � Teams have tried to run on Washington State, only to slam into a brick wall. On Saturday, California walked onto Friel Court before 8,762 fans and tried to be the brick wall.

Cougars chasing 10th conference win

PULLMAN � It's been 13 years since Washington State last slid into an NCAA tournament bracket.

It's still his family

PULLMAN � The phone rang at Dick Bennett's house on Sunday and the retired basketball coach's 9-year-old grandson had a question.

Twenty plenty good

PULLMAN � The 20th win, as it turned out, didn't look too much like a lot of the ones that came before it this season.

John Blanchette: Cougars' web chokes Cardinal

PULLMAN � When you capture a spider in a mayonnaise jar, the humane thing to do is punch some holes in the lid for air.

Cougs face tall order

PULLMAN � It's not hard to find something to be concerned about if you're a Washington State fan tonight.

Cougars impressive ride continues

There seems to be some worries out there among Cougars fans that their beloved team still isn't a lock to make the NCAA tournament.

Cougars pull rabbit out of hat

TEMPE, Ariz. � Somehow, what transpired Saturday evening in Wells Fargo Arena counts just as much as each of Washington State's other seven Pac-10 basketball wins.

Even Cougs say it: NCAAs in sight

TEMPE, Ariz. � The high fives came with extra vigor and the smiles with an extra few teeth visible for all to see.

WSU takes aim at rarity

In a season filled with history-making wins, Washington State will go for one more this evening.

Koprivica lost to Cougars

PULLMAN � Some days are filled with good news and some days are filled with bad news.The Washington State men's basketball team got both Monday while taking the day off.

Cougs can't close

PULLMAN � Since the Bennetts arrived on the Palouse, one streak after another has fallen by the wayside as the Cougars have taken care of their Pac-10 basketball opponents.

Marquee matchup in Pullman

PULLMAN � Oregon and Washington State played each other three times last season.

WSU vs OSU

For Friday, January 26, 2007.

Still good enough

PULLMAN � Six days ago, Washington State played its best game and beat Washington. Last night, the Cougars played anything but its best game � and still beat Oregon State.

Cardinal deliver Goods

STANFORD, Calif. � Washington State proved once again on Saturday how tough it will be to beat this season, but on this day Stanford had the Goods.

SportsLink: Some things just seem wrong

Is it just me or does it seem wrong that �� It took so long for the nation to realize how well this Washington State men's basketball team is playing? The Cougars may have one bad loss on their resume � though after seeing what Virginia did to Gonzaga, the WSU loss to Utah didn't look as bad � but wins against the Zags, at USC and a close loss to UCLA should have triggered some type of alarm around the nation.

Milestone: Cougars ranked

PULLMAN � A Monday afternoon practice is usually a quiet affair for the Washington State men's basketball team.

As wins go, this one ranks up there

PULLMAN � Not that everyone wasn't already thinking it, but Washington State public address announcer Glenn Johnson felt the need to state the obvious on Saturday night.

Another giant chance

PULLMAN � Potential? Sure, this day has lots of it for Washington State. "It's huge. It's bigger than a basketball game," senior forward Ivory Clark said.

Cougs clean clocks

PULLMAN � Some nights it just looks easy, but it's been a long time since things looked this simple for Washington State.

Cougars look to continue fast start

All those who had Washington State at 11-1 heading into the Pac-10 men's basketball season may now fill out their Mensa applications.

Cougs and Vandals worlds apart

PULLMAN � Both Washington State and Idaho are taking a couple of days off from practice to allow their players to focus on finals this week, but the break comes with the two teams in wholly different conditions.

Cougs continue winning ways

MOSCOW, Idaho � The excitement level wasn't the same, the level of play wasn't the same, but the result was good enough for Washington State.

Cougars guard against letdown

So Washington State has beaten Gonzaga and is riding high after thrilling its biggest home crowd in more than a decade. Tonight, we'll find out what happens next.

Cougars buck the Broncos

For the most part, Washington State played well and shot well in its first five games. On Saturday in the Spokane Arena, the Cougars did neither.

WSU, EWU men home

Washington State looks to extend its men's basketball record to 5-0 at 7 p.m. tonight against Idaho State in the Cougars' second home game of the season.

WSU wins in Bennett debut

MILWAUKEE � Washington State Cougars guard Derrick Low helped make Tony Bennett's debut a smooth one. Low scored 17 of his career-high 28 points in the first half as the Cougars never trailed in Bennett's first game as head basketball coach for a 71-60 victory over the University of Alabama-Birmingham in the John Thompson Foundation Classic.

New coach, old team

PULLMAN � A redshirt sophomore leads the Cougars through stretches before practice.

Ready for prime time

Keep an eye on these three once the season tips off:Derrick Low, Guard:Now in his junior season, the Cougars are moving Low away from his former point guard duties, hoping to get the Hawaii native to shoot the ball more.

Cougs outrun Central

PULLMAN � The sweater vest was gone from the Washington State bench, replaced by a more youthful-looking suit � no tie, unbuttoned collar � but the Cougars on the court looked just like the Pac-10 team you'd expect in Tony Bennett's debut on the sidelines Sunday afternoon.

WSU adds basketball player

PULLMAN � Washington State has undergone a last-minute roster switch, with one current player ruled academically ineligible and first-year head coach Tony Bennett bringing in another new recruit.

Edgerson leaves WSU

Rodney Edgerson will not return to the Washington State men's basketball team, and he has been released from his scholarship. Edgerson arrived at WSU last year as a junior college transfer from Illinois, but a pre-existing back injury kept him out for most of the season.

Hopson joins Cougs on quiet signing day

Washington State and Idaho both announced official signings as the spring letter of intent period for men's basketball opened Wednesday. The Cougars signed point guard Mac Hopson, who had once orally committed to Idaho before changing course after the firing of coach Leonard Perry.

Cougars tab Woodley new basketball aide

PULLMAN � Washington State has hired Matt Woodley, an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee State, to serve in the same role on the men's basketball staff.

WSU's leading scorer to transfer

PULLMAN � Josh Akognon, who led Washington State University's men's basketball team in scoring as a sophomore this season, has decided to transfer. "It just wasn't a good fit here," Akognon said Tuesday evening.

No storybook finish

LOS ANGELES � Whatever slim hope still left for a fairy-tale ending to Dick Bennett's coaching career is gone. The Cougars lost 66-55 to Oregon Wednesday night at the Pac-10 basketball tournament, Washington State University's seventh straight loss to finish a season that the team and its coach might rather forget.

Oguchi sends WSU, Bennett packing from Pac-10

LOS ANGELES � Chamberlain Oguchi scored all but five of his career-high 26 points in the first half, and Oregon beat Washington State 66-55 Wednesday night in the first round of the Pac-10 men's basketball tournament.

Bennett reaches last stop on tour

LOS ANGELES � As a high school senior on his way to becoming Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball, Tony Bennett couldn't believe he was getting the cold shoulder, and getting it from the most unexpected person.

Cougs long skid lands them in Pac-10 cellar

TEMPE, Ariz. � Not the knowledge that this was Dick Bennett's final regular-season game as a head coach, not the sparse and docile road crowd, not even the struggling Arizona State team on the other bench could change one simple fact Saturday night.

WSU follows script

TUCSON, Ariz. � Hours before Thursday night's road game against an Arizona squad looking to solidify an NCAA Tournament berth, Washington State basketball coach Dick Bennett told his team he was scared.

Father gives way to son

PULLMAN � Maybe it was a sign of just how unsurprising Dick Bennett's retirement was that the head coach didn't appear at the news conference for it.

Tony his own man, but still in father's debt

You've been promised a job, a good one. OK, well, a good one if you thrive on challenge and adrenaline. The pay is handsome, too.

Bennett to make retirement official today

PULLMAN � Washington State men's basketball coach Dick Bennett will announce his retirement this morning, effective at season's end. Bennett informed his players after Monday's practice of the coming announcement, and now the two remaining regular-season games � plus the Pac-10 tournament � will be his final contests as head coach.

Defense can't save Cougars

PULLMAN � In the final two home games of this season, Washington State University allowed a total of 82 points � and lost both games.

WSU must bear narrow loss to Cal

PULLMAN � It's become less a matter of what the Cougars do and more an issue of how they do it. That Washington State lost another Pacific-10 basketball game � this one to first-place California � is no surprise.

Cougars coach seeks one last good effort

PULLMAN � Today could well be the start of Dick Bennett's final homestand as head coach at Washington State University.

Cougars lay egg against Ducks

EUGENE, Ore. � Tony Bennett, Washington State's head coach designate, arrived at Saturday's game more than 10 minutes in because a flight from a recruiting trip had been delayed.

Shots bounce away for Cougs

CORVALLIS, Ore. � The movement was fluid, the screens were solid and the shots were there. They just wouldn't go down for Washington State.

Six crucial games left

The ladder sits near the half-court line of Washington State's practice gym. Its bottom three rungs are empty. The fourth and highest rung is host to a picture of the NIT logo.

Bennett: No decision till season's end

PULLMAN � After meeting with athletic director Jim Sterk last week, Washington State University basketball coach Dick Bennett has confirmed that he will not announce his official decision on retirement until the end of the season.

Cougars bounce right back

PULLMAN � For a while, it looked like the worst was happening all over again. Washington State University, on the heels of a 30-point effort Thursday night against UCLA, had just 20 in the first half Saturday afternoon in their Pac-10 basketball game against USC and had failed � again � to shoot better than 28 percent from the floor.

No heart, no win

PULLMAN � Dick Bennett sat down to talk to the media following Thursday's night's loss to UCLA and apologized. The apology was for his tardy arrival � about a half-hour of ranting directed at his team preceded it � but it might as well have been for the game his team turned in against the No. 13 team in the nation.

Big Aussie finding his comfort zone

PULLMAN � When he first arrived at Washington State in the fall Aron Baynes immediately became one of his coaching staff's favorite targets in practice.

Low's return on schedule

PULLMAN � Washington State University point guard Derrick Low participated in some half-court drills during Tuesday's practice, but he appears unlikely to play Thursday night against UCLA.

Cougs uncork rare sweep

PULLMAN � With good reason, the Super Bowl is the can't-miss event for the state of Washington this week. But for the 8,770 fans who walked through the turnstiles at Beasley Coliseum Saturday afternoon, today's football game might end up being No.

Rematch offers drama

PULLMAN � In the joyous celebration outside the visiting locker room in Seattle almost a month ago, Dick Bennett said that his team's just-completed upset at Washington might help spark a rivalry that had been suffering under the weight of one-sidedness.

Cougars continue recent slide

BERKELEY, Calif. � Want to know how badly things are going for Washington State University? Dick Bennett, one of the least likely coaches to sound a positive note after games, is trying to massage his team's feelings.

Cougars can't fit in a win

PALO ALTO, Calif. � There's no sense of panic, even with their last win now 20 days in the rear-view mirror. But with every game the Cougars lose, they find themselves falling far behind in the Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball standings.

Cougs hold higher hopes with Low's rehabilitation

PULLMAN � Washington State University point guard Derrick Low's rehabilitation is proceeding well, according to head coach Dick Bennett.

Aimless WSU falls again

PULLMAN � What looked so good just two weeks ago has now gone terribly wrong. The high of winning at Washington has been fully erased, as Washington State dropped a fourth consecutive game Saturday.

Hairston provides hairy end

PULLMAN � The crowd at Friel Court was ready for a big win. So were the Cougars and their head coach, Dick Bennett. As was Malik Hairston on the other side.

Listless WSU falls flat at USC

LOS ANGELES � For a team that takes pride in discipline and toughness, this was not the game Washington State was looking for. Pick the words to describe Saturday's 71-66 basketball loss at USC � confused, lethargic, defeated � and you get everything a Dick Bennett team usually is not.

Cougars' comeback falls just short

LOS ANGELES � When this Washington State basketball season is over, the team's record will show a road loss at UCLA, no more or less meaningful than an earlier loss to Arizona or any other on the Pacific-10 Conference schedule.

Informed instincts

A shooter's judgment has to be quick. The shooter can't often take the time to measure things carefully. Catch the ball. Shoot the ball.

Cougs stun Seattle

SEATTLE � It's difficult to celebrate much when you're on crutches, but Derrick Low was going to give it is best shot. The boot protecting his broken right foot, an injury suffered on Tuesday in practice, supposedly also contained Washington State's chances to pull an upset in basketball's Apple Cup on Saturday night.

Cougars chances lowered

Not too many people would have picked the Cougars a week ago to pull an upset tonight in Seattle against the archrival Huskies. Not when Washington State is 0-52 all-time on the road against Top 10 teams, and not with Washington riding the nation's longest home winning streak.

Late run carries Cougars

PULLMAN � Seeing a basketball game decided in the final minutes is nothing new, so with the Cougars clinging to a 53-49 lead with 2 minutes, 15 seconds left to play Saturday, it seemed anything could happen.

Cougars find their voice with Bennett

SEATTLE � Dick Bennett didn't need to shout at the top of his lungs to make his opinion known. The words, not the volume, told the story.

Basketball team also looks west

SEATTLE � More than 51,000 showed up to see the football team play a I-AA opponent in the fall. More than 13,000 turned out to watch Gonzaga play Oklahoma State in the same building less than two weeks ago.

Reserves preserve WSU's win

PULLMAN � Washington State University's starting five played a total of 111 minutes Saturday afternoon against Portland and scored 15 points. So it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the 1,389 people who bothered to show up at Friel Court on the first day of WSU's winter vacation witnessed a blowout.

Lengthy home slate continues for Cougs

PULLMAN � School is out for the holidays and it's probable that not many people will be on hand when Washington State hosts Portland at 2 p.m. today in Beasley Coliseum.

Defense carries Cougars

SAN DIEGO � Washington State held San Diego State without a field goal for a stretch of more than 16 minutes in the second half Saturday and went on to post a 60-49 victory at Cox Arena in the second game of the San Diego Slam.

Few: Cougars off to solid start

Washington State's men's basketball team is off to its best start in nine years, but Gonzaga coach Mark Few insists he is more impressed by the Cougars' early-season offensive numbers than by their 4-1 record.

Leaving Big Easy wasn't easy

PULLMAN � It's early on a cool September morning at the Washington State University tennis courts, home to a multiteam tournament. Ivory Clark is there.

WSU trips Kansas St.

PULLMAN � Kyle Weaver knew he'd be in trouble. As the seconds wound down on Friel Court Saturday afternoon, the sophomore guard had momentarily lost track of his man, Kansas State's Lance Harris.

Kansas St. stern test for WSU

Washington State is feeling pretty good about itself after two dominating wins on its home court to move to 3-1 on the season.

Bennett lets Green back on team

PULLMAN � When Randy Green walked off Friel Court with more than 5 minutes left to play in Wednesday night's game, head coach Dick Bennett figured he was walking away from the team for good.

Cougars' 'D' corrals Cowboys

PULLMAN � So much for the defensive problems at Washington State University. For a second consecutive game the Cougars held an opponent to less than 30 percent shooting from the floor, and Wyoming hit just four shots that weren't layups as WSU (3-1) cruised to a 63-47 win.

Cougs' Cowgill returns in time for Cowboys

PULLMAN � Make no mistake, Washington State University is not yet where it needs to be this basketball season if it hopes to move up the ladder in conference play.

Cougars shake 'em up

PULLMAN � Dick Bennett preaches defense as a way of basketball life, and as such he has not been a happy teacher in recent weeks.

Bennett's style taking hold

PULLMAN � Perhaps because he is so demanding of his players � and even coarsely so � Dick Bennett doesn't just strongly feel that they deserve the pleasure of gratification, he feels it desperately.

UI, WSU hope to get defensive

In Idaho's last men's basketball game, it gave up 90 points to Washington. In Washington State's last game, it allowed BYU to shot 55.

Cougars crank up the volume

PULLMAN � All sorts of Dick Bennett-era offensive records were set in Washington State's 86-55 season-opening basketball win over University of California Riverside. The bad news is Bennett now wishes he had never scheduled the game in the first place.

Contrasting styles will be on display

PULLMAN � It will get no national billing. No television crew will be on hand to cover the game. With school out for Thanksgiving break, attendance figures to be sparse.

Back woes sideline two Cougs

Two Washington State University men's basketball players have not practiced with the team so far because of back issues. Swingman Rodney Edgerson, a junior college transfer from Illinois, is out indefinitely.

WSU to play in Spokane

The Washington State University men's basketball team will play 14 of its 27 regular season games during the 2005-06 season against schools that participated in postseason play, in its newly announced schedule.

Cougars go extra miles, land Aussie

PULLMAN � Recruiting to Washington State University for basketball has never been the easiest task in the world, and sometimes coaches speak of having to travel the extra mile to nab the right player.

WSU, Eastern men's basketball teams sign junior college players

Washington State signed two junior college players to letters of intent and Eastern Washington added one of its own, the schools announced Thursday. Rodney Edgerson, a junior college wing/guard from Peoria, Ill.

Cougs come to familiar end

LOS ANGELES � Washington State University came to the Pacific-10 Conference tournament at the Staples Center having won just one game this season when giving up 60 points or more.

Staying power

It sounds silly now, in the week that he became the first Cougar basketball player in seven years to be named All-Pac-10. It sounds crazy on the heels of a career-best, 29-point effort at California when he sank a 3-pointer with just seconds left to send the game to overtime.

Can Cougs go 3-0 against Stanford?

Washington State University played Stanford twice this season and twice the Cougars upset the Cardinal. Neither time, first on Dec. 31 in Spokane then in Palo Alto, Calif.

Washington State allows Bears to claw back in another OT loss

BERKELEY, Calif. � Just when things seem to be going best for this year's Washington State University men's basketball team, expect the worst. The latest confirmation of this season-long trend came Saturday, when the Cougars offense went into shutdown mode down the stretch � again � and not even Thomas Kelati's heroics at the end of regulation could save WSU from another baffling loss.

Cal defense dominates Cougars

SAN JOSE, Calif. � Washington State thought that this season's Pac-10 tournament might turn out differently than the previous three. Head coach Sherri Murrell's team had shown significant improvement over the course of the season and had reason to believe that it would show when the Cougars took on California in the first round of the conference gathering at the HP Pavilion.

Cougs can relax in last regular-season game

BERKELEY, Calif. � Practicing on the Hass Pavilion floor Friday afternoon, Washington State University at least had the comfort of knowing one thing: Regardless of what happens today, it is in the Pacific-10 Conference tournament.

WSU earns spot in Pac-10 tourney

STANFORD, Calif. � Dick Bennett leaned back against the wall in a cleared-out coaches locker room and managed, if only for a moment, to relax.

Cougs hero hyperextends elbow

PULLMAN � Senior forward Chris Schlatter, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer for the Washington State men's basketball team against Arizona State on Saturday in his last home game, hyperextended his left elbow in practice on Monday.

Schlatter sinks ASU

PULLMAN � For weeks, Washington State University has tried to get the ball into the hands of Thomas Kelati when it needed a clutch shot at the end of a game.

WSU lets another slip away

PULLMAN � Dick Bennett wanted to put his faith in one man when he most needed a big play. After spending all 44 minutes and 50.

Cougars prepare for vengeance

PULLMAN � Thomas Kelati sprinted off the McKale Center court having played the game of his life as Washington State University pulled off its first win against Arizona since 1986.

Backing Bennett has big benefits

Dick Bennett has booked his seat on the Washington State University bench for 2006, and that's a good thing, indeed. So how about the good deed still pending?

Bennett will coach Cougs next season

PULLMAN � Washington State men's basketball coach Dick Bennett has told school President V. Lane Rawlins and athletic director Jim Sterk that he intends to stay on board for the 2005-06 season.

Cougs draw crowd, but UW is show

PULLMAN � The Cougars had their biggest crowd at Friel Court on Saturday for men's basketball since a game against Oregon State more than nine years ago.

Bennett's goals remain far from his Cougars' grasp

PULLMAN � In the last month, Washington State University has beaten the best team in the Pacific-10 Conference and the worst team, but nobody in between.

WSU plays numbers game

PULLMAN � Getting over the half-court line can be difficult when the player holding the ball is triple-teamed. If he should pass it to a teammate, only to have that player triple-teamed as well, it gets tougher.

Bennett's retirement still far off

PULLMAN � The question lingers over Dick Bennett and, really, the entire Washington State University basketball program. When Bennett came out of retirement in 2003 to coach the Cougars, it was generally assumed that his stay would be for the short term.

Cougs in pivotal game at Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. � In a game as vital as today's looks to be for Washington State, it would make sense that Dick Bennett would pore over Oregon game film with his team.

Anemic Cougars fade out

CORVALLIS, Ore. � Washington State knows it plays sound enough defense to withstand a prolonged offensive drought. So when it took the Cougars nearly all of the first 12 minutes to score six points, they knew the game was far from over � so far, in fact, that they were able to take a 21-19 halftime lead.

Island demeanor

PULLMAN � The freshman point guard from Hawaii, perhaps unintentionally, does his best impression of the head coach from Wisconsin and for a moment two cultures merge.

Senior guard Simmons could rejoin Washington State

PULLMAN � Washington State could re-gain the services of senior guard Isaiah Simmons as soon as today, according to men's basketball head coach Dick Bennett.

Cougars get past Trojans

PULLMAN � The thought of losing to last-place USC was enough to make Dick Bennett queasy, especially after his Washington State team had blown an overtime game to UCLA two days before.

This Pac-10 trip doesn't qualify as a vacation

PULLMAN � Interim head coach Jim Saia's USC Trojans are in the Pacific-10 Conference basement, so no road trip is easy. Going into the desert to play against Arizona State and Arizona poses a major challenge, as does the two-game swing north to play Stanford and California.

Bruins top WSU in OT again

PULLMAN � At the end of regulation Thursday, UCLA's top scoring threat beat the buzzer to send the game into overtime. At the end of overtime, Washington State University's top scoring threat couldn't match the feat.

Pac-10 honors Kelati

PULLMAN � Now that most of the big losing streaks are behind them after beating No. 11 Arizona in Tucson on Saturday, Washington State basketball coach Dick Bennett said his players face a much greater foe � themselves.

Gripping moment

TUCSON, Ariz. � Frustrated by his team's overconfident attitude after beating Washington to take first place in the Pac-10 on Thursday, Arizona coach Lute Olson noted, "This game is a game of habits.

Cougs uncover no surprises on trip

TUCSON, Ariz. � Coming into the year it was fairly obvious that the current stretch of three consecutive road games � at Washington, at Arizona State and at Arizona � would be the most difficult portion of the schedule for Washington State University.

Cougs fail when game on the line

TEMPE, Ariz. � Washington State lost to Arizona State by six points Thursday night, and it missed 12 of 21 free throws. With that in mind, all other explanations � getting outrebounded, falling behind early � just faded away after the 68-62 loss.

UW fans got under Bennett's skin

PULLMAN � Dick Bennett found himself dealing with questions he didn't expect to get about an inappropriate gesture he made during the team's loss at Washington on Sunday, apparently in response to something said in the student section.

Huskies use early run to outdistance Cougs

SEATTLE � Falling behind to a quicker, more athletic Washington team at any point was tantamount to a loss for Cougars, and they knew it well before taking the floor with the No.

Cougar seniors give way

On the very first day of basketball practice in October, Washington State had two of its freshmen squaring off against two of its seniors in competitive shooting drills.

Oregon survives blunder

PULLMAN � Ernie Kent almost left one of his players behind for the eight-hour bus ride back to Eugene. After Washington State University's Josh Akognon had missed the front end of a one-and-one with 24.

WSU shoots for 4-2 against Ducks

PULLMAN � Washington State University is 3-2 in Pacific-10 Conference play, something that doesn't necessarily sound that impressive � until discovering that it's the school's best start since going 5-2 in 1994-95.