Can Cougs go 3-0 against Stanford?

Washington State University played Stanford twice this season and twice the Cougars upset the Cardinal. Neither time, first on Dec. 31 in Spokane then in Palo Alto, Calif., six days ago, was the game close. So, having outscored Stanford by 20 this year, it should be no problem to grab a third win in the Pac-10 tournament, right?

“Normally you’re asked that if you’re the favorite,” chuckled WSU head coach Dick Bennett, whose sixth-seeded team has held the mysterious edge over third-seeded Stanford. The two teams tip off at 8:45 p.m. Thursday night in the first round. “Like last year, Stanford had to play us a third time. I’m sure they were asked that question, and I’m sure they said, ‘It’s really hard to beat a team three times in a row.’ Well, the tables have flip-flopped. If ever there’s an appropriate statement – it’s really hard to beat a team three times in a row. I don’t know what to think, to be very, very honest.”

And last season Stanford, a team that had just lost its first game of the entire season, did take care of WSU for a third time in the first round of the conference tournament. But the scene in Los Angeles’ Staples Center this season is expected to be much different.

The Cougars (12-15) allowed a paltry 28 points to Stanford (17-11) in the first half – of both games combined, that is. Cardinal center Rob Little is normally one of his team’s most reliable scorers, but against WSU he tallied just five points in two games. Star point guard Chris Hernandez shot just 3 of 16 from the floor last week against the Cougars and was visibly shaken by frustration both during and after the game.

The Stanford loss to WSU last week wasn’t a back-breaker because Trent Johnson’s team salvaged the week with an upset win against Washington two days later. This time around however, there may be no second chance. A loss in the first round for Stanford would probably mean no NCAA Tournament bid; a win would position them most likely for a rematch with Washington and alone it might be enough to secure an at-large berth.

With so much on the line for the Cardinal, Johnson said he’s trying not to focus on the seemingly nightmarish matchup with WSU. But the two losses this season are still fresh in his mind.

“The only thing we talk about is trying to put ourselves in a situation where we can play better basketball,” Johnson said. “Me personally, I don’t think anybody is really happy about playing a team that’s beaten you twice, or a Dick Bennett-coached team.”

Since 1969-70, the Cougars haven’t swept a conference foe when playing three times once in 16 tries. Still, regardless of his team’s foe, Bennett said he’s happy that WSU appears to making progress under his watch. Two years ago, before he arrived, the Cougars missed the conference tournament. Last season they squeaked in as a No. 8 seed. And now they’ve moved up two spots further.

But WSU hasn’t won a game in the Staples Center since the Pac-10 reintroduced the conference tournament in 2002, and it can’t help but view this as the perfect opportunity to put that to rest.

“It appears to be. One thing: They will not take us lightly,” Bennett said. “Maybe I’d prefer to play somebody else, but on the other hand, we’ve proven that we’ve been able to play with them.”