SEATTLE — A little less than a year ago, a new-look Washington State University men’s basketball team took the floor at Hec Edmundson Pavilion and proved it could hang with rival Washington … for a half.
The upstart Cougars eventually got throttled by 28 points and went on to f
inish their season with a 2-10 record down the stretch in Ken Bone’s first year as head coach at WSU.
Asked Tuesday what makes this year’s Cougars better suited to handle the Huskies, Bone said frankly: “I’m not sure we are.”
How’s that for confidence?
And yet as the Cougars (14-6 overall, 4-4 in the Pac-10) prepare to host 18th-ranked UW (15-4, 7-1) this Sunday night, there are plenty of reasons for optimism.
First and foremost, it’s a rare WSU-UW installment that includes two NCAA tournament contenders. Sunday will mark the first time since 1975-76 that both the Huskies and Cougars have opened the annual series with at least 14 wins.
While Washington appears well on its way to a third consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament, the Cougars are in must-win mode and could take a big step with a win over a ranked opponent this weekend.
“We don’t talk about it, but I think we all understand that a win over a ranked team would be extremely helpful,” Bone said during Tuesday’s Pac-10 conference call. “Washington’s a really good team, they’re ranked, and I don’t see that changing. So it would be a huge win for our program if we could pull it off.”
The Cougars do have the artillery to give UW a rare test. Leading scorer Klay Thompson, who sits atop the Pac-10 at 22.2 points per game, has been more consistent this year and has added a more well-rounded game. Junior-college transfer Faisal Aden (14.1 points per game) has provided a solid complimentary scorer, while big man DeAngelo Casto has become a solid defensive force inside.
WSU has already knocked off Gonzaga and then-No. 15 Baylor and given Kansas State an early-season test.
UW coach Lorenzo Romar knows he has reason for concern this week.
“I believe that Washington State has the most dangerous perimeter in our league, when you talk about Faisal Aden, Reggie Moore, Klay Thompson and (point guard) Marcus Capers,” Romar said. “Those guys are really good. I don’t think we have the luxury of worrying about just one or two guys; we have to worry about that whole group collectively.”
During the first installment of this season’s Apple Cup of the hardwood, there will be plenty of worry on both sides of the scorer’s table.
“I think they’re a better team right now than they were last year when we played them,” Bone said of the Huskies. “But a lot of the kids from last year’s (WSU) team are back this year, that maturity and experience has helped us out at times this year, and I hope it helps us out against Washington.”
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