CougCenter: All Posts by Kyle SherwoodWhy Washington State? Well that's a stupid question.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47853/fave.png2021-08-28T12:11:46-07:00https://www.cougcenter.com/authors/kyle-sherwood/rss2021-08-28T12:11:46-07:002021-08-28T12:11:46-07:00The Gravitron Diaries: 2021 WSU football preview
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<img alt="Jurassic Park" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hrAcTgLnVsE1tSV0w9J6DFOXVBQ=/0x26:2901x1960/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69788290/129738591.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Murray Close/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Embracing the idea that Nobody Knows What They’re Talking About through the lens of ... Jurassic Park? </p> <p id="TniAOE"><em>This is the next installment in our series of stories previewing the 2021 </em><a href="https://www.cougcenter.com/"><em><strong>Washington State Cougars</strong></em></a><em> football season. For other installments, </em><a href="https://www.cougcenter.com/2021-wsu-football-preview"><em>click here</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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<p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="0a5fEb">I’ll start this off by reminding you I am a very old man, because this story takes place in 1993. On the last day of school in 8<sup>th</sup> grade, all the kids who went the entire year without getting detention were treated to a trip to the water park. I wish this were a story about said water park, but there was not a year in middle school where I was eligible for that trip by the time October rolled around. </p>
<p id="pFn3fC">No, this story was about being left behind to hang out at school with the rest of the troublemakers and planning our route to get tickets for the biggest event of our young lives: Opening night for Jurassic Park. </p>
<p id="6DdsQw">Like most 14-year-old boys, I read a lot of Stephen King and Michael Crichton and thought that made me cultured. As such, my weathered Jurassic Park paperback sat on my desk nearly every day at school to remind all the other children of my sophistication. The biggest movie of our lives was premiering that night and I had been preparing for YEARS to tell everyone the book was better.</p>
<p id="7oEky9">My friend and I used this time when the school was empty calling the movie line to make sure there was a showing playing that gave us enough time for a Sbarro beforehand, and then planning out the buses required to get from school to the mall so we could buy tickets. It took three transfers, and we definitely could have gotten there faster on our bikes, but we got to the mall and into the ridiculously long line for tickets. (I’m still holding that damn paperback.) </p>
<p id="VCn1GB">We get to the font of the line, and the 7 o’clock show is sold out. There was a 9 o’clock show, which meant we’d have to find something to do for a couple hours, since the mall was going to be closed. So, we randomly picked another movie that would pass the time until we could go to the late show. This movie was called Orlando. Neither of us had ever heard of Orlando or even seen a poster, because Orlando is not a movie that would be marketed to 8<sup>th</sup> grade boys under any circumstances in any year. But Shaquille O’Neal was my favorite basketball player and he played for the <a href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com">Orlando Magic</a>, and my “cultured” self figured he had to at least have a cameo.</p>
<p id="pE1Btk">Orlando is not a movie about the Orlando Magic. Orlando is some Virginia Woolf novel where a bunch of lords and ladies in the 1600s bicker over a land inheritance, and the main character is given essentially eternal life, living so long he eventually wakes up one morning and has become a woman. I’d like to say I learned something about philosophy or gender conformity, but all that happened was realizing we chose sight unseen to watch conversations that went way over our heads about tea while dinosaurs were eating people in the next theater over. </p>
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<cite>Photo by Sasha/Hulton Archive/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>1924: English poet, novelist and gardener Victoria Mary Sackville-West, wife of Sir Harold Nicolson, at home in Long Barn Weald. Better known as Vita, she pursued a lesbian affair with the writer Virginia Woolf, which inspired the latter’s novel “Orlando.” You’ll note that Shaquille O’Neal is nowhere to be found.</figcaption>
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<p id="FKwN5l">This movie might have been good, it might have been terrible. I have no idea. It didn’t have velociraptors. </p>
<p id="NL8pOX">We left a half hour before it ended to get in line for Jurassic Park, shellshocked that we didn’t get to see a movie about Shaq. When my friend’s dad picked us up after Jurassic Park, we didn’t even bother telling him about the two hours we had to endure to get to the dinosaurs. And to put the cherry on top of the weirdest night of my young life, I walked up to my porch and realized I left my beloved paperback in the Orlando theater. </p>
<p id="WMMhCL">Decades later, we still joke about “Going Orlando”: Taking a chance on something sight-unseen and knowing nothing about it just to see what happens. Sometimes you get Gardner Minshew; sometimes you get Tilda Swinton arguing with Ottomans. Either way, it’s going to be a story. </p>
<p id="IqZDJe">And that’s where we get to the 2021 Cougar Football Season.</p>
<p id="BIXPbS">I started this series of ramblings <a href="https://www.cougcenter.com/2013/8/28/4667928/the-gravitron-diaries-1-1">a decade or so ago</a> when I snapped after hearing “enjoy the rollercoaster” for the 437<sup>th</sup> time, implying Cougar football had reached enough highs to compensate for all the lows. Cougar football was more of a Gravitron that just spun you in circles to some Whitesnake song until you couldn’t take it anymore, and you considered it a win if you made it out without being covered in barf. </p>
<p id="gZRaME">I’m better writing about losing football. I was born from it, molded in it. Winning football games is foreign. Then the team rattled off a bunch of eight- and nine-win seasons, which was great for the team, but catastrophic for me, creatively. And now, in 2021, when our beloved football team has been picked a decisive last place this season by virtually every outlet, you would think this would rejuvenate whatever synapses that fire in my brain that live for bad football. </p>
<p id="3V3TQf">But this year is different. I don’t need to remind you of the hellscape we’ve lived through over the last 18 months, both football and (mostly) non-football related. After everything that has happened, what could I possibly have in the tank to get mad about football?</p>
<div class="c-float-left c-float-hang"><aside id="UHZoqw"><q>I don’t need to remind you of the hellscape we’ve lived through over the last 18 months. After everything that has happened, what could I possibly have in the tank to get mad about football?</q></aside></div>
<p id="RlhGA6">For at least one week, dear readers, I’m turning over a new leaf. I choose to be a naysayer to all the doom and gloom predictions. Am I going to be optimistic and positive? Let’s not go crazy, here. I have a brand. I’m settling right into a groove of “you don’t know what you’re talking about, neither do I, let’s crush eight Fireballs and see what happens.” </p>
<p id="e1v5Ae">I’m Going Orlando.</p>
<p id="gwRMkq">Despite the very loud noises that threaten to be a dark cloud at every single press conference, this season stands to be fun because nobody knows what is going to happen. If you think you have an idea how good or not good this team is, you’re lying to yourself. You have no idea if the quarterback is any good or if the defensive line won’t get shoved around or if this is the best secondary we’ve had in the last 20 years. </p>
<p id="GuIhEM">I simultaneously have friendly bets with two of my friends, one of whom thinks the Cougs will win ten games this season and another with a friend who believes they’ll go 0-9 in conference. I bet against both of those scenarios just because of odds, but I have no authority to say neither will happen! We’ve reached the point where if you told me you found a time machine and came back from three months in the future to tell me Rolovich was fired and was temporarily replaced by Ernie Kent who somehow is STILL on the WSU payroll, I’d at least hear you out.</p>
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<cite>Ron Chenoy - USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>Could this guy be coaching the football team by the end of the year?</figcaption>
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<p id="SZ3p5V">We’re basing a last-place prediction on four Covid games last season? Does anyone remember a thing that happened last year? The most memorable thing I can say about the entire 2020 WSU season was on our Zoom call during that Sunday Night USC game where the Trojans scored four touchdowns before I finished my first beer, I fell all the way asleep on the call. I’m not talking about nodding off in my seat and jerking awake after a couple minutes. I fully laid down on my couch and snored my ass off for the remaining two quarters while remaining on camera the entire time. My friends didn’t even kick me off the call, they just carried on with me just lying there. How rude am I? I don’t need to put anyone through that again. This season needs to happen because I have friendships to mend.</p>
<p id="ifxQ6B">So this year — in the most uncertain of all seasons — I choose to be open-minded. I’ll probably be wrong; throw it on the pile. Because it really can’t be worse than forcing my friends to watch me pass out on a Zoom call during a game that was moved to Sunday to better accommodate a pandemic that said it was safe if we waited a day to play. And it can’t be worse than subjecting yourself to a movie about Elizabethan-era land negotiations. We’re not going back to that and even a 4-8 season sounds amazing.</p>
<p id="lctQN4">Just please beat the Huskies some time again before I die. We all need to see the dinosaurs.</p>
<p id="t2XF6b">Go Cougs.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2021-wsu-football-preview/2021/8/28/22644988/the-gravitron-diaries-2021-preview-wsu-cougars-footballKyle Sherwood2020-12-23T16:39:07-08:002020-12-23T16:39:07-08:00RECAP: WSU Shoots Poorly but beats Northwestern St. 62-52
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<figcaption>Myles Warren in First-half Action | Photo Services, Washington State University</figcaption>
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<p>A Noah Williams injury in the first minute affects the Cougars’ offense.</p> <p id="qEGpsf">Well, it wasn’t pretty, offensively speaking, but the <a href="https://www.cougcenter.com">Washington State Cougars</a> extended their perfect record through Christmas, taking down the Northwestern State Demons, 62-52, this afternoon. It is the first time WSU has started 8-0 since the 2007-08 season.</p>
<p id="hLFneS">Efe Abogidi led the way again for the Cougs with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks, his third double-double of the season.</p>
<p id="A5Zyxn">The first minute of the game saw a serious head-to-head collision between Noah Williams and Robert Chougkaz leading both players to their sidelines for most of the remainder of the game. A couple threes from Jairus Roberson and a layup from C.J. Jones gave the Demons an early 8-5 lead, which led Kyle Smith to call a very early timeout to reset strategies without their star Guard. After that timeout it was all Cougs, going on a 20-1 run over the next ten minutes. The Cougs went into halftime with an 11-point lead, with Myles Warren, forced into early action filling in for Williams, leading the team with eight points. Northwestern went into the locker room only getting 0.46 points per possession in the first twenty minutes.</p>
<p id="goEuAi">Williams did try and give it a go after halftime but was largely ineffective and still looked pretty dazed from the head injury at the beginning of the game and didn’t see the floor again after a couple minutes. And like the start of the game, the Demons grew white hot, scoring eight points in the first two minutes, bringing them within five. The remainder of the game was an offensive slog for both teams. WSU was able to put together enough points via putbacks and free throws to keep NSU at bay until the final buzzer.</p>
<p id="AJWuZP">Despite Northwestern State playing their third game in three days and having one of the worst defenses in America, WSU only scored 0.86 points per possession, their lowest total since the Idaho game three weeks ago. The Cougs shot 3 for 23 from behind the three-point line and only made 23 of 35 free throws. Of the 18 made field goals by WSU today, only 6 of them were assisted. Isaac Bonton went 3-13 from the field and was second on the team in scoring with 13 points and 2 assists. Warren used his extended playing time to net 11 points.</p>
<p id="S77xfi">WSU will get the next week off and prep for the Arizona schools coming into Pullman next week, starting with the <a href="https://www.houseofsparky.com">Arizona State Sun Devils</a> closing out 2020 in Pullman on December 31<sup>st</sup>. ASU is 4-3 and ranked 55<sup>th</sup> on Ken Pomeroy’s laptop, by far the toughest test for the Cougars this season so far.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2020/12/23/22198190/wsu-cougars-vs-northwestern-st-demons-recap-final-scoreKyle Sherwood2019-11-23T22:28:29-08:002019-11-23T22:28:29-08:00COUGS ARE BOWLING. IT’S WEIRD. IT’S ALSO WONDERFUL.
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<figcaption>Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="Tm0lsM">Look. </p>
<p id="f2Xg7w">This was probably the 8<sup>th</sup> dumbest game in the history of college football and the 4<sup>th</sup> dumbest game of this WSU season. I’m assuming that whoever wrote the UCLA recap (probably Jeff?) had the whole <em>easy-never-a-doubt-win</em> recap written and then had to look deep within his soul to figure out how to explain to you all the Cougs lost.</p>
<p id="PW954e">But this time, WE WON THIS DAMN THING. I am re-writing the hell out of this and if there is a hint of negativity in these next thousand words, please understand I am just trying to get to my next glass! <span>Anthony Gordon</span> is your NEW CONFERENCE PASSING OVERLORD for BOTH TOUCHDOWNS AND YARDS and your <a href="https://www.cougcenter.com/">Washington State Cougars</a> are heading for their FIFTH CONSECUTIVE BOWL GAME on the heels of the craziest finish you’ve seen since the last one! I also had the right amount of bourbons when this thing was done the first time and the wrong amount of bourbons when this hilarious re-write was required</p>
<p id="pgAlYZ">Tonight was Senior Night, which included the entire team running out to greet the Hilinski family which made me cry as much as you would think it would. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Quite a touching moment as the entire <a href="https://twitter.com/WSUCougarFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WSUCougarFB</a> senior class walks out together, greeting the Hilinski family, who is here to honor Tyler as a part of this class <a href="https://t.co/Y699eehLJt">pic.twitter.com/Y699eehLJt</a></p>— Jessamyn McIntyre (@JessamynMcIntyr) <a href="https://twitter.com/JessamynMcIntyr/status/1198421623520448513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2019</a>
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<p id="lnMwrR">The Beaver defense got things going early with a sack on the first play of the game and even though Gordon was able to safety valve his way down the field with <span>Brandon Arconado</span> and <span>Max Borghi</span>, he threw a pick to linebacker <span>John McCartan</span> near the goal line trying to find <span>Renard Bell</span> in the endzone.</p>
<p id="dFRjTx">Oregon State took over on their own goal line and took two plays before a hole the size of a Mack Truck opened for <span>Artavis Pierce</span> and found himself at midfield. Two plays later <span>Jermar Jefferson</span> ran the remaining 54 yards to get the game’s first score.</p>
<p id="App7C1">The Cougs took back over and moved the ball halfway down the field and turned the ball over twice in as many drives after <span>Travell Harris</span> fumbled when officials decided tackling by the facemask is legal now. But the Beavs were unable to capitalize on their fortune with some bad luck of their own as arguably the best receiver in the conference <span>Isaiah Hodgins</span> dropped a 4<sup>th</sup> down ball that hit him in the hands.</p>
<p id="ZDGZiX">WSU took over and probably should have their third turnover in as many drives when Gordon threw a deep ball that bounced off <span>Shawn Wilson</span>’s stomach, but eight plays and 68 yards later, the Cougs tied the game at seven on a 12-yard cross from Gordon to <span>Dezmon Patmon</span>.</p>
<p id="DviRQc">The Beavs ran the exact same play that <span>Hodgins</span> dropped twice more to get twenty yards down field and then committed their first turnover of the game as a <span>Justus Rogers</span> hit on Jacob Luton allowed <span>Bryce Beekman</span> to get under the ball and get it back for the Cougs.</p>
<p id="snPvic">Yo, so the 300 words or so above this...that? That was just the first quarter of this dumb game!</p>
<p id="h03JW4">The first play of the second quarter brought more injuries when <span>Arconado</span> laid out for a ball and the crowd watched his forearm fold in half. <span>Blake Mazza</span> would miss his first field goal of the season, from 48 yards, a play later.</p>
<p id="yVE32B">Three plays later, Luton tossed a 46 yarder to a embarrassingly wide open <span>Champ Flemings</span> to take the 14-7 lead. Gordon methodically led the Cougs back down the field to find <span>Renard Bell</span> in the endzone to tie it back at 14.</p>
<p id="LeCXlA">After a Beav punt caused by arguably the prettiest open-field tackle I’ve ever seen from <span>George Hicks III</span>, Gordon was able to find <span>Deon McIntosh</span> on a shovel pass for the 33 yarder and the lead. A healthy dose of <span>Pierce</span> and <span>Jefferson</span> marched Oregon State directly back downfield and Luton found <span>Noah Togiai</span> in the endzone to tie the game at 21. </p>
<p id="kypESX">(Back to this Hicks tackle.) Theyre going to write sonnets about this thing in 200 years. Perhaps even ballads. Just someone please find video of it so we know it exists.</p>
<p id="FbfEjI">WSU had a chance to take a lead before the half but an inexplicable decision from Gordon to try and throw over a 6’4” cornerback led to an interception and the Beavs were able to close out the half with <span>Everett Hayes</span> first ever made field goal and a three point lead entering halftime.</p>
<p id="HDtvhF">After each team traded punts, an <s>hilarious</s> unfortunate drop by <span>Tyjon Lindsey</span> gave the ball back to the Cougs on downs and <span>Anthony Gordon</span> drove the length of the field and TIED THE DAMN CONFERENCE TOUCHDOWN RECORD on a 36-yard throw to Calvin Jackson Jr to take the lead back 28-24. Another punt gave WSU the ball back again and ANTHONY GORDON IS YOUR NEW CONFERENCE TOUCHDOWN OVERLORD ON A TWELVE YARD ROUTE TO BELL. ALL HAIL ANTHONY GORDON.</p>
<p id="9T23E1">Oregon State brought it back to 35-32 on this hilarious pass where Luton threw it into four defenders and somehow this Aristocrats defense allowed the one guy in a <s>white</s> cream jersey to both catch it and backpedal into the endzone.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">They just threw the ball to a dude covered by FOUR DEFENDERS and they scored. <a href="https://t.co/vdMFtGnp5h">pic.twitter.com/vdMFtGnp5h</a></p>— Kyle Sherwood (@BigWoodWSU) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigWoodWSU/status/1198463649670545409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2019</a>
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<p id="b3MGXH">But as football goes, the Cougs then got the ball back and ANTHONY GORDON ALSO BECOMES THE CONFERENCE YARDAGE OVERLORD WITH HIS 4,780<sup>TH</sup> YARD AND THE COUGS GET BACK UP TWO POSSESSIONS ON A MAX BORGHI RUN, 42-32.</p>
<p id="i0H46o">The Beavs answered decisively by two ridiculously brilliant wow-you-should-really-look-those-up consecutive catches by Hodgins and Lindsey. I know I should be rooting against these things, but wow those were beautiful.</p>
<p id="Up4hTq">Sure, fine, we get the ball back. Except an onside kick somehow caught the Cougs off guard and OSU took over in WSU territory and eventually scored on an embarrassingly wide open Jefferson after Woods gave up.</p>
<p id="x2hNWl">Sure, fine, we get the ball back. Except Anthony Gordon’s pass bounces off <span>Patmon</span>’s numbers and into the hands of <span>Omar Speights</span> <s>and the Beavs never looked back.</s> </p>
<p id="yEI80n"><em><strong>It’s right around this time where the amount of this author’s bourbon really kicked in and I swear the Cougs allowed 29 GODDAMN POINTS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, so we’re going to pretend this didn’t happen and this game is still going on.</strong></em></p>
<p id="oQDKh4">But it didn’t matter! The Cougs scored again! And then got a stop! And <span>Max Borghi</span> showed everyone on the planet you need to give the ball to Marshawn at the end of the game and I’m mixing up leagues and it doesn’t matter because the Cougs won and we’re going bowling!</p>
<p id="FoKe0D">Next up, the Cougs are playing against some mythical unnamed creature that will likely drop them to 6-6, but who the hell cares, THROW YOUR PANTS OFF AND GET WEIRD COUGS ARE BOWLING.</p>
<p id="Yobl2c">ROOT FOR OUR DAMN SOCCER TEAM TOMORROW.</p>
<p id="kOyVbN">GO COUGS.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2019/11/23/20980022/washington-state-oregon-state-game-recap-box-scoreKyle Sherwood2019-03-09T14:20:32-08:002019-03-09T14:20:32-08:00Cougs lose to the Beavs on Senior Day, 85-77
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<figcaption>Ron Chenoy - USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>WSU drops their fifth game in a row, finishing the regular season in 11th place.</p> <p id="xwGJ8p">The regular season for Washington State mercifully came to an end today, as the Cougs drop their fifth consecutive game, 85-77 to Oregon State on Senior Day. <span>Tres Tinkle</span> and Steven Thompson, Jr. both dropped 26 points for the Beavers and <span>Robert Franks</span> led all scorers with 37 points.</p>
<p id="qUMCJB"><span>Marvin Cannon</span> and <span>Franks</span> got off early threes and <span>Davante Cooper</span> found success inside to jump out to a quick lead, up 17-8 at the first media timeout. Franks continued his hot shooting, scoring his 17<sup>th</sup> point nine minutes into the game.</p>
<p id="ZAeFUn">Tinkle kept the Beavs in the game in the first half with 18 points of his own over the first twenty minutes. Franks led all scorers with 20 at the break, taking a 43-38 lead into the half.</p>
<p id="9lRfD1">Franks picked up his third foul in the opening minute of the 2<sup>nd</sup> half, forcing him to lay off defensively. Around this time, the Cougar defense fell apart, allowing an 8-2 run and let OSU take their first lead of the game three minutes into the half. His fourth foul came with nine minutes remaining and the Beavs took over with him on the bench, getting out to a 69-57 lead.</p>
<p id="MuarRH">The Cougs never recovered. They kept taking bad shots, kept turning the ball over, and allowed Oregon State any shot they wanted over the final ten minutes. Going into the final minute, WSU only shot 9 of 27 from the field in the 2<sup>nd</sup> half, including 2 of 10 from three-point range. A valiant last-ditch effort from Franks with 9 points in the final minute kept things somewhat close, but the result was never in doubt.</p>
<p id="JNiMAv">At tipoff, Viont’e Daniels nursing injuries, “started” the game and left the court after one second, allowing for walk-off recognition for the Senior. Franks received several accidental sendoffs from the crowd, as his four fouls forced Ernie Kent to pull him for several defensive possessions in the final minute. </p>
<p id="iOg1wK">WSU finishes the regular season in 11<sup>th</sup> place in the Pac-12. Their next (final?) game will be on Wednesday evening versus one of seven different teams still eligible for the 6-seed in the conference tournament in Las Vegas.</p>
<p id="pYgvWd">Thank you, Davante. Thank you, Robert. Thank you, Viont’e. </p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2019/3/9/18257947/recap-washington-state-vs-oregon-state-final-scoreKyle Sherwood2018-12-22T21:14:41-08:002018-12-22T21:14:41-08:00Cougs drop another winnable game, lose 82-75 to San Diego
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<figcaption>James Snook-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The once dominant preseason tournament team was made mortal by the Toreros this season.</p> <p id="fprEvJ">Your 2017 John Wooden Classic Champion <a href="https://www.cougcenter.com/">Washington State Cougars</a> took the court in Las Vegas for the 2<sup>nd</sup> round of the historic Continental Tire Classic and saw their preseason tournament winning streak snapped by the University of San Diego, 82-75. <span>Isaiah Pineiro</span> led the Toreros with 30 points and 8 rebounds. The Cougs definitely had their chances in this game, but couldn’t pull off the upset.</p>
<p id="V5FVqG"><em>(I don’t know what it is about these Cougars where they seem to be a different team at times during these preseason tournaments, but I’m open to Ernie wearing tracksuits on the sideline for the rest of the season if we can get similar results. Or even worse ones. Let Ernie wear his tracksuit. Give us something to watch this year.)</em></p>
<p id="xXUpg0">Some streaky three-point shooting early from <span>Marvin Cannon</span> and <span>Robert Franks</span> opened things up early for the Cougs, jumping out to an early 19-9 lead. Turnovers abound over the next ten minutes allowed San Diego to chip back into it, led by 13 first half points from Pineiro. <span>Ahmed Ali</span> took advantage of some extra playing time after <span>Jervae Robinson</span> got into foul trouble, leading the Cougs with 8 points at the half, but ultimately the Toreros walked into halftime with a 40-38 lead.</p>
<p id="BcxD95">Wazzu fell apart in the first couple minutes of the 2<sup>nd</sup> half, due to the hallmark of Cougar basketball over the last few years: turnovers and poor transition defense. Pineiro dropped ten points in the first five minutes by himself as San Diego took an eleven-point lead. <span>Carter Skaggs</span> caught fire with three three-pointers and eventually led to a tie ball game with two minutes left, but ultimately the Cougs couldn’t get any stops when it mattered, didn’t score for the remainder of the game, and San Diego pulled away for good. <span>Franks</span> led the Cougars with 22 points and <span>CJ Elleby</span> added nine rebounds. </p>
<p id="VnH86x">Franks’ 22 points also put him over a thousand points for his career at Washington State.</p>
<p id="hJpo5A">So it looks like the way this tournament works, the Cougs will draw New Mexico State again on Sunday at 4 pm for the 3rd place game. So if you wanted to see what two losses to the same WAC school within two weeks does to your resume, looks like we might find out!</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2018/12/22/18153589/cougs-drop-another-winnable-game-lose-82-75-to-san-diegoKyle Sherwood2018-12-01T20:20:08-08:002018-12-01T20:20:08-08:00Recap: Cougs fall in heartbreaker to New Mexico State, 69-63
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0WZO-6oDxbht1cb1UFmT9Sika6g=/0x0:4612x3075/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62608946/Ernie_Palms_up.0.1543724409.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ron Chenoy - USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>WSU battled back, but unable to pull off the upset.</p> <p id="AudtA2">The <a href="https://www.cougcenter.com/">Washington State Cougars</a> put up more of a fight than expected in Las Cruces, but committed eighteen turnovers in a loss to the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/new-mexico-st-aggies">New Mexico State Aggies</a> on Saturday night, 69-63.</p>
<p id="qXGhJG">NMSU, ranked 115<sup>th</sup> on KenPom’s laptop, would probably be the 10<sup>th</sup> or 11<sup>th</sup> best team in the Pac-12 this year, so this should give you some preview of what WSU’s “easiest” road trips in conference play will look like.</p>
<p id="WvtRxs">The Aggies pulled out to a double digit within the first six minutes of the game thanks to some hot shooting from the outside after the Cougars seemed to let every three-pointer go uncontested. New Mexico State made six threes in the first eight minutes </p>
<p id="iNKKDQ">WSU battled back and forced a few turnovers and hit some threes of their own to coincide with the Aggies going ice cold at the flip of a switch to pull within three points at the six-minute mark, before setting for a 33-25 deficit at the half. <span>C.J. Bobbitt</span> led all scorers in the first half, tallying 11 of his 15 points before halftime.</p>
<p id="qIEyeR"><span>Robert Franks</span>, mostly quiet in the first half, took over in the 2<sup>nd</sup>, dropping eight points in the first five minutes, leading the Cougs to making up the deficit and tying the game at 38-38. <span>Franks</span> missed two free throws at the thirteen minute mark which apparently meant everyone in the crowd won a free chicken according to the NMSU radio team</p>
<p id="fW5g10">Franks picked up his fourth foul at the eleven-minute mark, but the Cougs were able to stave off his absence with threes from Viont’e Daniels and <span>Jervae Robinson</span>, and WSU was able to match the Aggies bucket for bucket upon Frank’s return. New Mexico St only led by one point at the three-minute media timeout. But the first three-pointer of the season for <span>Shunn Buchanan</span> right out of the break put the Aggies up four and they didn’t look back for the remainder of the game. New Mexico shot free throws for the remainder of the game to extend their lead and make the final tally look much less close than the contest actually was. </p>
<p id="UnAks0"><span>CJ Elleby</span> led all scorers with 18 points and 9 rebounds.</p>
<p id="cAGbiK">Up next, WSU will head home to battle Idaho for the 274<sup>th</sup> Battle of the Palouse. The Vandals have won three of the four matchups since hiring Ernie Kent, including last season by 27 points, so revenge will be on everyone’s minds. Idaho is 3-4 so far this season.</p>
<p id="ctSH1w"></p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2018/12/1/18121851/wsu-vs-new-mexico-state-recapKyle Sherwood2018-05-16T13:15:20-07:002018-05-16T13:15:20-07:00Pac-12 Releases Conference Matchups through 2026
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Holiday Bowl-Washington State vs Michigan State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/edQ5x48y78l8xiMEvH1smchbIAY=/15x0:4401x2924/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59758057/usa_today_10538674.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Don’t Worry: The Cougs head back to Tempe next year.</p> <p id="wZrrND">Reported by <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/15/pac-12-football-the-conference-schedule-rotation-for-the-next-eight-year-cycle/">Jon Wilner at the Mercury News</a>, the Pac-12 released its home/away splits for conference games for the next eight seasons.</p>
<p id="XGlAx1">Here are the teams and locations WSU will face through 2026:</p>
<p id="WFFVCf"><strong>2019</strong></p>
<p id="i2mnhX"><em>Home:</em> New Mexico State, Northern Colorado, UCLA, Colorado, OSU, Stanford</p>
<p id="hC9Of3"><em>Away:</em> Houston, ASU, Utah, Cal, Oregon, Washington</p>
<p id="PquR6P"><strong>2020</strong></p>
<p id="82c6tU"><em>Home: </em>Houston, Idaho, ASU, Utah, Cal, Oregon, Washington</p>
<p id="bBY2EP"><em>Away:</em> Utah St., UCLA, Colorado, OSU, Stanford</p>
<p id="Ok8boH"><strong>2021</strong></p>
<p id="SRqeeN"><em>Home:</em> Utah St., Portland St., BYU, Arizona, USC, OSU, Stanford</p>
<p id="kQlbJC"><em>Away:</em> ASU, Utah, Cal, Oregon, Washington</p>
<p id="qT94qb"><strong>2022</strong></p>
<p id="eicJYX"><em>Home: </em>Colorado St,<em> </em>ASU, Utah, Cal, Oregon, Washington</p>
<p id="pvZLNB"><em>Away:</em> Wisconsin, Arizona, USC, OSU, Stanford</p>
<p id="dnb0Zs"><strong>2023</strong></p>
<p id="5iMp5j"><em>Home:</em> Wisconsin, Arizona, Colorado, OSU, Stanford</p>
<p id="angr88"><em>Away:</em> Colorado St., ASU, UCLA, Cal, Oregon, Washington</p>
<p id="I3GkNl"><strong>2024</strong></p>
<p id="TnZUQ7"><em>Home:</em> ASU, UCLA, Cal, Oregon, Washington</p>
<p id="iD6Oc8"><em>Away:</em> San Diego St., Arizona, Colorado, OSU, Stanford</p>
<p id="QonZPm"><strong>2025</strong></p>
<p id="xzJgkY"><em>Home:</em> Idaho, San Diego St., Arizona, Colorado, OSU, Stanford</p>
<p id="I9ybYN"><em>Away:</em> USC, Utah, Cal, Oregon, Washington</p>
<p id="3DqvvC"><strong>2026</strong></p>
<p id="QF5MI7"><em>Home:</em> Boise St., USC, Utah, Cal, Oregon, Washington</p>
<p id="7J64p3"><em>Away:</em> Kansas St., Arizona, Colorado, OSU, Stanford</p>
<p id="TIjct4"></p>
<p id="7ud08G">WSU’s 2019 home schedule of New Mexico State, Northern Colorado, OSU, Stanford, UCLA and Colorado could be a fun challenge for the ticket office.</p>
<p id="ACv8AK"></p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2018/5/16/17362336/pac-12-releases-conference-schedules-through-2026Kyle Sherwood2018-03-03T17:42:12-08:002018-03-03T17:42:12-08:00Beavers Notch First Conference Road Win in Two Years, Destroy Cougs in Pullman 92-67
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Oregon State at Washington State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xN3M1guqRUTHGjRJxJSPbBL289w=/4x0:4252x2832/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58894599/usa_today_10674792.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>James Snook-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The biggest Senior Day gift was for the Beavs, as Wazzu decides not to show up for the game.</p> <p id="UDMasJ">The <a href="https://www.buildingthedam.com/">Oregon State Beavers</a> and <a href="https://www.cougcenter.com/">Washington State Cougars</a>, who had previously locked up the 10<sup>th</sup> and 11<sup>th</sup> respective seeds on Thursday, played an ultimately meaningless game today before heading to the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/pac-12-basketball-tournament">Pac-12 tournament</a> in Las Vegas next week. And the Cougs definitely played as if it were meaningless, nearly forcing arena officials to wonder if they still have to pass out free chalupa coupons if the other team scores 100 points on your floor. Thankfully, the Beavers pulled their starters with six minutes left in the game.</p>
<p id="HN342s">This was Oregon State’s first road win in fifteen months and first conference road win in two full years.</p>
<p id="PZs4hp"><span>Steven Shpreyregin</span>, earning a Senior Day start, knocked down a three to open up WSU scoring. After that shot, things went quickly downhill for the Cougs as OSU scored the next 13 points to get their lead out to double digits within the first six minutes of the game. A stretch in the first half found the Beavers scoring on eleven consecutive possessions to push their lead out to 17 by the ten-minute mark.</p>
<p id="RXWAgC">Oregon State continued to do whatever they wanted on the offensive end, led by <span>Ethan Thompson</span> ’s 15 points, and went into the locker room up 54-29.</p>
<p id="6Ajt6P">I’m assuming the second half was more of the same. I didn’t watch because Fast and Furious 6 was on FX and my family was upstairs thinking I needed to be alone to recap this game. You seldom get time alone to watch Dom and The Family assist the DSS to take down Owen Shaw on that airplane runway that seemingly went on for ten miles. Letty shows up after missing two movies with amnesia! I don’t think amnesia works like that, but it probably doesn’t matter. I always forget Gal Gadot was in this movie, no matter how many times I see it. And they just threw Brian into prison? Doesn’t that take months of undercover training? Tyrese jumped over a damn tank in this movie!</p>
<p id="crWGWg">Anyway, the Beavs humiliated the Cougs at home, ultimately winning the game by a 92-67 score and 186-129 aggregate for the season. Thompson led all scorers with 23 points. OSU had four players score in double-figures. The Cougs had Shpreyregin.</p>
<p id="2B9Y92">Next up for the Cougs is a Wednesday night game in Las Vegas against whoever ends up being the six-seed. I’m sure you’re all as excited as I am.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2018/3/3/17076746/beavers-notch-first-conference-win-in-two-years-destroy-cougs-in-pullman-92-67Kyle Sherwood2018-02-11T18:57:39-08:002018-02-11T18:57:39-08:00Recap: Oregon Coasts past Wazzu, 84-57
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<p>A Robert Franks-less Cougs puts up little fight in Eugene</p> <p id="plQvzV">The woes continue for the Washington State Men’s Basketball program as they lose again in clinical fashion, this time in Eugene. The <a href="https://www.addictedtoquack.com/">Oregon Ducks</a> beat the Cougs 84-57 without seeming to break much of a sweat.</p>
<p id="FPds2I"><span>Robert Franks</span> missed the game with a knee injury, forcing the Cougars to start little-used <span>Davante Cooper</span> in his place. Without their star forward, Washington State was forced to attempt to take down the Ducks from the outside, shooting 28 three-pointers.</p>
<p id="TunjoO">Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The Cougs were able to stay in this one for the first fifteen minutes or so due to hot shooting from the outside, led by <span>Carter Skaggs</span>’ three three-pointers, but eventually Oregon’s superiority took over and made things pretty laughable, taking a 38-28 lead into halftime. Payton Prichard led the Ducks with ten points in the first half. A sequence involving Viont’e Daniels’ shot getting violently blocked by <span>Kenny Wooten</span>, leading to a fastbreak dunk by <span>Troy Brown</span> with a weak contest from <span>Arinze Chidom</span> resulting in a three-point play, followed by a Viont’e Daniels turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass is probably among the pieces of film Ernie Kent will not want to show his team to keep things positive.</p>
<p id="Pliydx">The Cougs switched strategies defensively for the 2<sup>nd</sup> half, selling out for anything inside and pretty much allowing any three-pointer to go uncontested. The gamble worked for a few minutes, as the Ducks found themselves unable to hit many threes in the second half when no defenders were within ten feet of them. But tides turned for good in the Ducks favor at the twelve-minute mark when Victor Bailey, Jr. hit a three pointer while being fouled by <span>Milan Acquaah</span>. The four-point play put the Ducks up eleven and they never looked back.</p>
<p id="AZVaQt"><span>Malachi Flynn</span> led the Cougs with 16 points and 5 assists. He was called for a flagrant foul in the closing seconds of the game, stopping a dunk after getting his pocket picked.</p>
<p id="RtLmCN">The loss drops Washington State to 9-15 overall and 1-11 in conference play. They have now lost seven in a row and 15 of their last 18. The Cougs have lost four in a row to the Ducks and ten of the last eleven matchups. The last time Washington State won in Eugene was ironically the beginning of the end for Ernie Kent’s tenure coaching Oregon. Tony Bennett was coaching WSU.</p>
<p id="o0HHTH">Next up for the Cougs is a return home to play the <a href="https://www.ralphiereport.com/">Colorado Buffaloes</a> Thursday night. The Buffs come into Pullman on a three-game win streak. </p>
<p id="llHbc5">The Cougs were outscored by 59 points on a two-game road trip. The anthracite uniforms were pretty.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2018/2/11/17002654/recap-oregon-coasts-past-wazzu-84-57Kyle Sherwood2018-01-13T11:05:23-08:002018-01-13T11:05:23-08:00WSU vs Cal: Preview, game thread, schedule, TV and online streaming info
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Washington at Washington State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bldvTDtUgDhtbQ40254EGR-dwgA=/0x0:1559x1039/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58316287/usa_today_10527069.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>James Snook-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cougs welcome the Golden Bears for a game this afternoon. Talk about it here!</p> <p id="S82fTV">Today, your <a href="https://www.cougcenter.com/"><strong>Washington State Cougars</strong></a><strong> </strong>and their winless Pac-12 record<strong> </strong>will welcome the 7-10 <a href="https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/">California Golden Bears</a> to Pullman for <a href="https://www.cougcenter.com/2018/1/11/16882176/why-did-wsu-lose-to-stanford-slow-referees#comments">another show on the 2018 Ernie Kent Excuseapalooza Tour</a>. The game will tip off at Friel Court at 1 PM PDT. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network and streamed live on Pac-12.com. Sorry, DirecTV viewers. Are we still making those jokes? I haven’t been around much.</p>
<p id="V3V4B6">The Bears hold a dominating 80-48 record against the Cougs all-time along with a four-game win streak. The last time WSU beat Cal, the leading scorer was Jordan Railey. Cal checks in at #197 on KenPom's laptop, 138th in the RPI and oh look, Beau Baldwin scored again.</p>
<p id="mxCYMg">Can the Cougs pull off the upset today? Actually, it wouldn’t be an upset! This might be WSU’s best chance to not go winless in conference, if that were to be a thing you could declare after three conference games, as Cal has struggled to find its footing after Cuonzo Martin packed up and headed east to the SEC. The Bears are led by Junior Guard Don Coleman. Coleman averages 18 points per game, four times higher than last season with the increased playing time after <span>Grant Mullins</span> and <span>Jabari Bird</span> graduated. Freshman Justice Sueing is another one to watch, averaging 14 points and dropped 27 against the Huskies on Thursday.</p>
<p id="Z4pAFw">As mentioned above, the Cougs still haven’t found a win in conference play after a season that started off so promising; today could be a jumping-off point to getting back to a less-embarrassing season or it could be further proof that any team can get hot in a gym for three days and win a random pre-season championship. You still can’t take that trophy from us, though. No refunds!</p>
<p id="TJfsjS">Pomeroy projects the Cougs to win this game 79-73 with a 70% confidence (!!!). Vegas has the Cougs as a 4.5 point favorite with a 151 O/U, so the smart money is on WSU (!!!!).</p>
<p id="fdbZSM">This page will also serve as your game thread for this afternoon so feel free to cheer for the losing streak(s) to end along with the rest of us here. Also, please regale us with your favorite mem...oh Beau Baldwin just scored again.</p>
<p id="PmBF34">Go Cougs! RIP, Keith.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2018/1/13/16888320/wsu-vs-cal-preview-game-thread-schedule-tv-and-online-streaming-infoKyle Sherwood