WSU opens season by hosting Texas Southern

The college basketball season is upon us, and the Washington State Cougars join the rest of the CBB world today when they take on the Texas Southern.

Tipoff is 1 p.m. PT from Beasley Coliseum and the game can be found on your television on Pac-12 Washington or on your computer at Pac-12.com.

The Tigers have already got a game under their belt, having lost to the Gonzaga Bulldogs in Spokane on Friday, 97-69. Five-foot-7 guard Demontrae Jefferson led them in scoring with 20 points, but 7-foot-2 center Trayvon Reed is probably who the Cougs will need to worry about the most — he was by far the Tigers’ most efficient player in the opener, having scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in just 21 minutes.

It would be a boost to the Cougs if 6-foot-11 junior college transfer Davante Cooper could play; he’s been struggling with an injury, and the Cougs are pretty undersized up front without him.

Still, it goes without saying that this is a game WSU should win. Things I will be most interested in seeing? The tempo at which the Cougars play, whether they crash the offensive boards with purpose, and how they approach defense. There’s been a lot of change with the roster — will the style change?