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The football team may be on a bye this week, but it will still be a busy week for WSU sports fans including a trio of significant games today. The men's and women's basketball teams will open their seasons while the women's soccer team will play its first round match against Seattle.
The soccer team is back in the NCAA tournament and will host Seattle in Pullman for the right to advance. The opening round has been a tough one for WSU in recent seasons with the Cougars losing on penalty kicks in each of the last two years. The No. 23 Cougars will attempt to break that trend this year and will do so against a team they've never lost to. WSU is 10-0 against Seattle, including 5-0 in Pullman. The match is set to begin at 5 p.m. PT with a live stream available on WSUCougars.com.
About the time the final whistle blows in Pullman, the men's basketball season will be tipping its season in Texas. Ernie Kent and the Cougars will begin the season at UTEP with tip set for 7 p.m. The game won't be televised, but there will be a webcast on UTEP's athletic site. It appears, however, the webcast requires premium access. The game will be Kent's debut as head coach and an early litmus test. The Cougars lost to UTEP in Pullman last season.
While the men's team opens its season on the road, the women's basketball team will begin its season on Friday at Beasley Coliseum. The Cougars will host No. 22 Dayton in a game that will be streamed at Pac-12.org. The Cougars will be tested by a good Dayton team. The Flyers return four starters from an NCAA tournament team last year. Like the men's game, the women will tip at 7 p.m.
Two openers and a postseason game, it's shaping up to be a nice little Friday.
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Football:
Cougars coaches return for a quick scrimmage - SportsLink - Spokesman.com - Nov. 13, 2014
WSU's coaches have fanned out across the country to recruit during the bye week. But all were back in Pullman on Thursday to lead a quick practice that consisted primarily of a Thursday Night Football scrimmage.
Cougars' 'Thursday Night Football' for up-and-coming players - Spokesman.com - Nov. 13, 2014
PULLMAN – The largest – and some say the strongest – player on Washington State’s defense has not played a snap in a game this season, nor will he.
Men's basketball:
Washington State at UTEP: What To Watch For - Miner Rush
The roller coaster that is a college basketball season starts tomorrow in El Chuco. Washington State will start the season with a little Texas two-step when they visit El Paso tomorrow to challenge the Miners, then head to Fort Worth to face TCU next Monday in opening the Ernie Kent era in Pullman.
UTEP men's basketball: Hopeful Miners open Friday vs. Washington State - El Paso Times
And a basketball season begins Friday night. That sometimes joyous, sometimes frustrating, sometimes heartbreaking and always fun journey that is a basketball season will tip off Friday night when UTEP takes on Washington State in the Don Haskins Center. It is the first step in a long journey that will wind into March.
WSU men’s basketball team opens season at UTEP - Spokesman.com - Nov. 14, 2014
Washington State will open its men’s basketball season on the road for the first time since 2006 as first-year coach Ernie Kent takes the Cougars on a two-game Texas swing before next Friday’s home opener.