Even Cougs say it: NCAAs in sight
TEMPE, Ariz. – The high fives came with extra vigor and the smiles with an extra few teeth visible for all to see.
Make no mistake, Washington State clearly valued Thursday night’s win at Arizona just a little bit more than most of the other 17 from this season in the immediate aftermath.
But why?
“It was a tough game against Oregon and I was curious to see how we responded,” Cougars coach Tony Bennett said. “Now we’re beginning to think, OK, let’s keep our eyes on what’s out there. We know we’re getting closer to that, and that’s a good thing.”
And what, exactly, is “that?”
“I’m not afraid to say it, the NCAA tournament,” Bennett said, throwing up quotations in the air with his fingers for good measure. “I’m just saying we’re at a point now where you say, ‘OK, we’re moving, we’re focused on that.’ Because that’s such an experience that it would be tremendous for our program.”
On the heels of securing a season sweep against Arizona, the 18-4 Cougars are obviously riding high, and with good reason. Another win at 4:30 p.m. today against last-place Arizona State would go even further for the Cougars’ cause, sending them home next week with a chance to all but lock up a bid to the big dance for the first time in 13 years.
In January, WSU defeated Arizona State (6-15, 0-10 Pac-10) 75-55 in Pullman, cruising in the second half after scuffling along for 20 minutes.
The Sun Devils haven’t fared any better since, and head coach Herb Sendek got ejected from Thursday night’s game against Washington for trying to squeeze some life out of the Wells Fargo Arena crowd.
Ostensibly, this is a letdown game for the Cougars, coming on the heels of such a big win two days earlier.
But some of WSU’s veteran players insist they have no intention of ruining a potentially momentous week with an embarrassing loss.
“It’s not going to be tough to get up for,” junior Derrick Low said. “We have to get up for it. We can’t look past Arizona State, especially after beating Arizona. There’s no letdown.
“I don’t want to say we’re supposed to win games like (today’s), but those are ones we have to be able to grab. We can’t beat a really good team and then come over here and just not even try, be satisfied with just that win.”
Fellow guard Kyle Weaver took things one step further, explaining the Cougars shouldn’t even wait for a half, as they did in that first matchup with the Sun Devils, to establish themselves as the superior bunch.
“We have to jump on them early, not get down and try to fight back,” Weaver said. “We’ve been successful doing that, but we can’t depend on that second-half surge every time.”
In yet another sign that Bennett knows his team is getting closer to college basketball’s promised land, the 37-year-old head coach barked at an assistant to stop some of his players from a postpractice, can-you-top-this dunk line.
No unnecessary injuries, the coach warned.
If he can help it, no unnecessary losses today, either.
“It’s a tough game for us, no question,” Bennett said on the question of motivation.
“It’s about us. Call it what you want, they’re capable and they’ve played some close games.”