Last season, the expanded conference schedule in men’s basketball brought some changes to the Pac-12. Not only were the teams playing two more games then they’re used to, but it also made teams adjust to playing a pair of Pac-12 teams in early December.

Thanks to the delayed start, Washington State ended up playing their Pac-12 opener in their third game of the season on December 2nd, topping Oregon State 59-55 in a win that became a lot more impressive as the season rolled on. They were scheduled to visit Colorado three days later, but COVID-19 issues caused that one to be postponed.

It was a strange feeling playing a conference foe so early in the year, but it’s something we’re going to have to get used to. On Tuesday, the Pac-12 announced the early season conference matchups for every program, including Washington State.

The Cougars will open Pac-12 play on December 1 when they visit Arizona State. Just a few days later, on December 4, WSU will come home to host USC in Pullman. The rest of the 2021-22 slate will be announced later in the offseason.

The conference also announced the regular season opponents for teams this season. With a 20-game schedule, each team will have a home-and-home series with nine different teams, while playing the other two just once. For WSU, they’ll host Arizona in the only meeting between the two squads. The Cougs will also hit the road to take on UCLA.

The 2021-22 season will also mark the start of a new 10-year rotation for the Pac-12 that will run through 2030-31.

Links

Pac-12 Unveils Early 2021-22 Conference Game Dates - Washington State University Athletics
Pac-12 early schedule has Cougars at Arizona State Dec. 1 and hosting USC Dec. 4.

Washington State to face Arizona State, USC in early part of Pac-12 schedule | The Spokesman-Review
Washington State's basketball team will open the 2021-22 Pac-12 Conference season against the same team that ended the Cougars' 2020-21 campaign.