College Basketball Tonight

Washington State at San Jose State

The Cougars (5-1) hope to build on a modest two-game winning streak when they take on the Spartans (1-6) at San Jose’s 5,000-seat Events Center. A crowd of just over 1,000 is expected for the 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

At a glance

After back-to-back non-conference wins over Big Sky opponents Montana and Idaho, the Cougars wade into Big West Conference waters to test San Jose. The Spartans struggled early, but have improved dramatically since Olivier Saint-Jean, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, regained his eligibility two games ago. Saint-Jean has averaged 14.5 points per game in a win over Portland and a narrow loss to Pepperdine, but even more impressive are the improved numbers of 6-7, 240-pound center Roy Hammonds, who has averaged 24 points and almost 15 rebounds since Saint-Jean’s return. The Spartans’ main problem in losing six of seven games has been their shooting. They have hit only 38.5 percent of their field-goal tries, including a miserable 17.3 percent from 3-point range. Working in the their favor is the fact that WSU is coming off another long layoff. The Cougars, who were idle for 11 days earlier in the year, finished their final exams just prior to the holidays and haven’t played in 10 days. Still, they rate the favorite’s label based on the improved perimeter shooting of Shamon Antrum and the inside consistency of senior forward Mark Hendrickson. WSU coach Kevin Eastman has everyone healthy for the first time this season and hopes to get a few more minutes for his reserves, who have accounted for only 65 of WSU’s 477 points so far this year.

Leaders

WSU: Isaac Fontaine, 18.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg; Mark Hendrickson, 16.0 ppg, 10.2 rpg; Donminic Ellison, 14.3 ppg, 5.5 apg. San Jose State: Olivier Saint-Jean, 14.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg; Roy Hammonds, 14.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg; Tito Addison, 3.0 apg.

TV/Radio

No television; KXLY (920 AM) Spokane, KCLX (1450 AM) Colfax, KWSU (1250 AM) Pullman, KCVL (1240 AM) Colville, KZFN (106.0 FM) Moscow, KORD (870 AM) TriCities, KBSN (1470 AM) Moses Lake, KKRT (900 AM) Wenatchee. 7 p.m.

Idaho vs. Old Dominion

Idaho (4-3) faces Old Dominion (3-6), an NCAA

Tournament qualifier last season, in the opening round of the Sacramento Holiday Classic at 6 at Arco Arena.

George Washington, a first-round loser in the NIT last season, and Sacramento State, coached by former Vandals standout Don Newman, play in the nightcap. Losers square off Thursday at 6; winners at 8.

At a glance

Old Dominion, located in Norfolk, Va., and a member of the Colonial Athletic Conference, reminds Idaho coach Joe Cravens of Mississippi Valley State, which edged the Vandals 63-61 earlier this season. “They’re big and powerful,” Cravens said. “They present tremendous matchup problems.”

UI welcomes back leading scorer Shawn Dirden, who was suspended for Friday’s Rocky Mountain game because of a run-in with a neighbor.

Idaho is on the road for five straight games. “These will have a huge impact on how the rest of our season goes,” said Cravens, whose club is 0-2 in road games and 1-1 at neutral sites.

Leaders

Idaho: Dirden, 15.7 ppg; Reggie Rose, 13.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg; Harry Harrison, 11.4 ppg, 11.8 rpg. Old Dominion: Joe Bunn, 16.2 ppg; 8.2 rpb; Odell Hodge, 13 ppg, 8.3 rpg.

Radio

KPRL (1400 AM) Moscow, KVNI (1080 AM) Coeur d’Alene.