WSU’s Moore in cast as Cougs take on Idaho
COUGARS
We're sitting on our perch high above Friel Court watching a handful of Cougars work on their shot prior to tonight's game with Idaho. We have some news, notes and thought, so read on.
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• The news is simple. You won't see Reggie Moore in a Cougar uniform tonight. And you might not for a while. Moore's left wrist is in a cast and he'll not play until the inflammation heals. It could be this week, two weeks, three, maybe ... well, no one knows for sure. That's why he's out "indefinitely." The decision was made this week to cast the wrist, let it rest and heal. If the swelling doesn't go away, my guess is Moore might be out for an extended period. But there is a shot Moore's wrist could heal quickly and he could be back before too long. No one, not even the doctors, know what will happen. ... So tonight's game will be the Cougars first real test without Moore. The Vandals aren't Gonzaga or Kansas State but they are an experienced, motivated team, filled with upperclassmen who haven't defeated WSU before. The Cougar offense isn't all that complicated, so through the course of the game not having a go-to point guard may not be a huge problem. But come crunch time, when the ball needs to be in the hands of a guy who can create shots for others or make his own (think at Arizona last year), that's when Moore's absence will be felt. Tonight may be the first time such an occurrence may happen, but down the road there is Portland, Fresno State, Kansas State and Gonzaga before December gets nine days old. ... Against Eastern Oregon last Saturday, Idaho used its size to build a 46-20 scoring discrepancy in the paint – and a 41-26 edge on the boards. The Vandals put together two runs – 17-2 and 11-1 – in the second half to put the 86-74 win away. ... Though I didn't see it, it was obvious WSU had no trouble with Southern even without Moore. Of all the statistics from the game, the one that might bode best is Patrick Simon's eight rebounds. Yes, I know the Jaguars were outsized, but if the freshman continues to make those type of tough plays, one of the Cougars' biggest worries will be lessened.
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• OK, that's all for now. We'll be doing our Twitter deal during the game, so you can follow that at vinceg55. We'll post at halftime so you can comment on the first 20 minutes and the outcome. Until then ...
