Washington State 78, Nicholls State 69

One more time: A win is a win.

I wasn't able to watch the game this time, so feel free to add your insights in the comments. Seems to me the Cougars were bit by the turnover bug, but did most everything else well. Which begs the question: why was this game so close? Was it just the turnovers? Or is the Cougar defense struggling so much that we can't blow out a team that had not only lost their first six games, but lost them by an average of 23 points?

This game leaves even more doubt about the strength of this team. We'll learn even more tonight, when we take on the San Diego Toreros, a solid WCC squad coached by longtime Zag assistant Bill Grier.

If I were the oddsmakers, I'd probably instill San Diego as the favorite. The Toreros already have three wins over "major" conference opponents this season.

Player of the Game: DeAngelo Casto. Not Klay? Incredible! Casto earned it though, with 18 points on 8 of 10 shooting and 14 rebounds. I said before the game Casto would be key for WSU if he could take care of the glass, and boy did he ever, with 10 defensive and 4 offensive boards.

Unsung Hero: Klay Thompson. Another ho-hum 21 point effort for KT, but this time he dished out a team-high 6 assists in addition to 3 boards, 2 blocks and 2 steals.

It was over when... Statsheet had the game statistically over with 19 seconds to play. That seems about right.

Stat of the Game: The Cougars allowed NSU to have 13 more shot attempts (57-44).