UW-WSU preview

By Jason Shoot THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Noah Williams couldn’t choose a better game to end a recent shooting slump.

The junior guard is seeking a return to his early season form when Washington State hosts rival Washington in a Pac-12 Conference men’s basketball game tonight at 8 at Beasley Coliseum in Pullman.

WSU is 8-5 overall and 1-1 in the conference. The Huskies, playing their Pac-12 opener and just their third game since Nov. 27, are 5-5.

Williams has averaged just 10 points over the Cougars’ past four contests – three of them losses – and his season average is down to 12.6 points. Williams made a combined 13 of 52 shots (25%) from the field during that stretch.

Cougars coach Kyle Smith said at a news conference Tuesday that Williams has been getting more attention from opposing defenses this season.

“Sometimes less is more,” Smith said. “He was leading us in assists, and we need him to be that guy, the jack of all trades. Get putbacks, score in the post, make plays for others. He doesn’t need to get 16 shots a game to be effective.”

Smith noted Williams, a Seattle native, will be eager to compete against players familiar to him from high school.

“We don’t have to get Noah ready to play that game, that’s for sure,” Smith said. “We want to keep him level-headed. Obviously, a lot of those guys all know each other, and that basketball community is pretty tight. Definitely a lot of pride on the line at both ends.”