Cougar football is just days away with their season opener at Wyoming on Saturday, and we’ll have plenty of coverage on that all week long. But before we get to that, let’s do something even more exciting: talk about Cougar basketball!

The Cougs tip off the 2018-19 season in just over two months, and on Tuesday, Ernie Kent and company announced their non-conference slate for the upcoming year and once again, Washington State will see plenty of action on Friel Court. The Cougs will host seven games in Beasley Coliseum, along with home games held in Spokane and Kennewick. The team will play just two true road games, along with pair of games as part of the Las Vegas Classic in Sin City.

Here’s a look at how the schedule shakes out, starting with an exhibition matchup against Walla Walla University on November 4th. The regular season will open a week later on November 11 against Nicholls State before the Cougs hit the road for the first time to take on Seattle U on November 14.

It’s worth noting that WSU’s official schedule release has that game against Seattle in the Key Arena. But that building likely won’t exist at that point, so it will likely be played on Seattle U’s campus in the Connolly Center.

After the matchup with the Redhawks, Washington State returns home for three more including a home game against the powerhouse that is Delaware State on November 24.

Washington’s State second road game will be on December 1 in Las Cruces against New Mexico State. The Aggies won the WAC last season and stand as the only 2018 NCAA Tournament team in the non-conference schedule.

On December 5, Washington State will look for just their second win in five seasons against their rivals just over the border in Idaho. On December 9, the Cougs will continue their series in Kennewick when they host Montana State at the Toyota Center.

The team will play in the Continental Tires Las Vegas Classic on December 22 and 23. They’ll open up play in the Orleans Arena against San Diego before taking on either Drake or New Mexico State in the next round. They’ll close out the non-conference schedule on December 29 against Santa Clara with their annual Spokane Game in the Spokane Arena before starting the conference slate in early January at Washington.

The team had previously announced their Pac-12 Conference pairings. You can see those here.

The countdown is on to the start of Ernie Kent’s fifth-year at the helm in Pullman. Let’s just hope Cougar football can help tide us over for opening day.

Washington State basketball to play 11 games inside state lines during nonconference season | The Spokesman-Review
The Cougars will play eight true home games at Beasley Coliseum – including an exhibition –but 11 total in the state of Washington, with a road game against Seattle U at Key Arena on Nov. 14 and neutral-site games against Montana State at the Toyota Center in Kennewick on Dec. 9 and against Santa Clara at Spokane Arena on Dec. 29.

Football

Craig Bohl’s defense is formidable, but not unfamiliar to Washington State’s coaching staff | The Spokesman-Review
Steve Spurrier Jr. spent an entire year at Duke in the mid-1990s trying to crack Craig Bohl’s defense, so if anyone knows what Washington State’s offense is up against this Saturday in the season opener at Wyoming, the Cougars’ outside receivers coach might be able lend a hint.

Video: Washington State coach Mike Leach post practice Aug. 28 - The Spokesman-Review - Aug. 28, 2018
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Family finds way forward after Washington State QB Tyler Hilinski’s suicide | krem.com
The Hilinskis could have been overwhelmed by the grief and sadness. Then the letters and boxes began arriving at their home, sent by Washington State Cougars players, fans and others, saying how much they had been touched by Tyler's story.

Soccer

Women’s soccer: Washington State’s Mykiaa Minniss, Idaho’s Morgan Crosby earn weekly honors | The Spokesman-Review
Washington State freshman center-back Mykiaa Minniss was named Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week for women’s soccer, the conference announced Tuesday.