COUGARS

FROM SEATTLE -- Is 11 a.m. still considered morning? For our purposes, it is. Anyway, we've settled at Hec Edmundson Pavilion and have a few thoughts before this game tips off. Read on.

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Not to beat a dead horse here -- we already wrote about this in today's advance -- but it's hard not to be curious about how Washington will use Desmond Simmons today. And how the Cougars will counter if the Huskies stick Simmons on Brock Motum the same way they did in January. Simmons hasn't been starting recently -- UW has opted for Shawn Kemp Jr. at the 4-spot -- and hasn't played more than 23 minutes in the team's last nine games. In their last three, he played 17, 17 and 12. So, do the Huskies increase that number today, and try to accomplish what they did in Pullman by having Simmons front, deny and pester Motum all game? Simmons played 30 minutes that game, and has exceeded that total just once since. Something to think about. The Cougars seem much more confident that if UW defends Motum the same way it did before, they'll be ready for it this time. ... A group of 35 or so WSU fans have made their way into the arena and are seated up behind the basket on the side with the windows. They were booed heartily by the Huskies students on their way to their seats. ... Mike Ladd is wearing sweats, as usual, and looks as if he will miss his fifth consecutive game due to a left knee injury. He scored 16 points and played 37 minutes against Washington in January.

That's all for now. We'll be back postgame.

Christian Caple can be reached at christianc@spokesman.com. Twitter: @ChristianCaple

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