Mike Sando

Paul Mencke takes nutritional advice from a guy who weighs 300 pounds, so it might be a stretch to consider him the "logical" choice to become Washington State's next starting quarterback. But he's in the running, for sure. There was little doubt of that Monday as Mencke and the defending Pacific-10 Conference champions opened spring football practices in Martin Stadium. Mencke, the former two-sport star at Lewis and Clark High School, has added about 15 pounds to his 6-foot-5 frame. The 232-pounder has been a regular in the weight room this offseason, but he also credits his roommate, 300-pound lineman Joe Criscione, with giving him a nutritional edge.

Full steam ahead. Last year the Washington State football team enjoyed one of its best seasons ever, but many of the best players are gone and coach Mike Price will be busy this spring filling the gaps. File/The Spokesman-Review

As the NFL draft approaches, former WSU quarterback Ryan Leaf is riding high. File/The Spokesman-Review

Bob Bender is used to making his case to the refs, but now the UW coach must turn his attention to NCAA Tournament selection committee members. Photo by Associated Press

In Washington State's 78-71 victory over USC Saturday, Chris Crosby hit the pivotal 3-pointers. Carlos Daniel and Steve Slotemaker grabbed the important rebounds.

District 7-B The DeSales boys are going to the State B Tournament for the first time in 44 years and won't mind if anyone considers them a long shot, not after draining 12 of 20 3-pointers in Saturday night's 72-56 victory over Blue Mountain rival Waitsburg in a District 9-B elimination game at Friel Court. "After yesterday's victory (over Garfield-Palouse), the guys weren't going to be denied," Irish coach Joe Lesko said.

WSU's Kojo Mensah-Bonsu fouls UCLA hero Kris Johnson during the first half of the Cougars' loss Thursday night. Johnson later scored the game-winning shot. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

By focusing on his responsibilities, WSU basketball star Carlos Daniel has come close to his goals. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Two of Washington State's newest basketball recruits have yet to score a single basket this season, but there's no need to panic. Mike Bush, a senior at Kent-Meridian High School, and Ventura (Calif.) College sophomore Eddie Miller are sitting out this season. The 6-foot-6, 190-pound Bush averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds as a junior at Mercersburg (Pa.) Academy, but he cannot play this season because this is his fifth year in high school. The 6-8, 225-pound Miller played one season at Ventura before the program was discontinued. He'll have three years of eligibility at WSU.

Playing 10thranked Stanford is a depth wish for undermanned teams like Washington State, a lesson the Cougars knew long before Saturday night's 72-56 loss at sold-out Maples Pavilion. For Stanford, depth means Ryan Mendez - ever hear of him? - coming off the bench to drill five 3-pointers, including four during a 6-minute span that helped the Cardinal take a 36-26 halftime lead.

Playing 10th-ranked Stanford is a depth wish for undermanned teams like Washington State, a lesson the Cougars knew long before Saturday night's 72-56 loss at Maples Pavilion. For Stanford, depth means Ryan Mendez - ever hear of him? - coming off the bench to drill five 3-pointers, including four during a 6-minute span that helped the Cardinal take a 36-26 halftime lead. "The last one he hit, I touched the ball," marveled WSU wing Chris Crosby. "I actually deflected it and it went in. Great shooter."

Blake Pengelly, left, and Brian Stewart trap Cal's Sean Marks. Photo by Associated Press

Oregon State doesn't always play hard, as coach Eddie Payne and his players admitted following the Beavers' most recent defeat, an 80-68 loss at Washington State. And OSU rarely plays particularly well, as any statistical breakdown would suggest. Surely no team in the Pacific-10 Conference is so quick to fire the off-balance perimeter jump shot.

1. OSU's Jerome Vaden runs into triple trouble as WSU's Kojo Mensah-Bonsu, left, Leif Nelson, middle, and Kab Kazadi create a turnover. Photo by Sandra Bancroft-Billings/The Spokesman-Review (color photo ran only in the Spokane edition) 2. Oregon State's Todd Marshall rejects the Cougars' Chris Crosby. Photo by Sandra Bancroft-Billings/The Spokesman-Review (black & white photo ran in the Spokane and Idaho editions) 3.Washington State center Brian Stewart battles Oregon State's Terrill Woods for a rebound. Photo by Associated Press (color photo ran only in the Regional edition) 4. Washington State's Kojo Mensah-Bonsu elbows Oregon State's Terrill Woods in the face on a drive to the hoop. Photo by Associated Press (black & white photo ran only in the Regional edition.)

It was unclear which was more painful, the ankle injury that knocked Carlos Daniel from the game with 10:42 remaining, or the late 3-pointer that sent Washington State to its eighth consecutive men's basketball defeat. "I think we're just kind of numb to it," point guard Blake Pengelly said. "We've had a lot of bad things happen to us so far. You get kind of used to it. It was nothing surprising." Oregon's 64-63 victory Thursday night at Friel Court provided the latest test to the Cougars' pain threshold. Given several chances to win in the final minutes, WSU didn't know what to do.

Washington State sophomore wing Chris Crosby, who sprained an ankle Saturday against Arizona, is questionable for tonight's home game against Oregon. His jump shot, like those of several teammates, remains doubtful at best.

It could have been worse. Much worse. Just ask Arizona State, which gave up 127 points to college basketball's defending national champs. Kansas State (125), Washington (112) and Morgan State (115) can also vouch for the potency of Arizona's unrelenting arsenal. For Washington State, then, there was no shame in Saturday night's 83-61 loss to the fourth-ranked Wildcats in McKale Center, a place where far better opponents have suffered far worse fates.

Mike Price: "This is the place for me." File/The Spokesman-Review

As an assistant basketball coach at Washington State from 1987-92, Don Newman helped Kelvin Sampson build the program into a postseason contender. Newman, now the interim head coach at Arizona State, felt a twinge of sadness Thursday after his surging Sun Devils handed the Cougars their sixth straight defeat, an 82-68 pounding before 6,032 fans in the University Activity Center.

There are two things to remember during the rush to assess Washington State's latest football recruiting class, which coach Mike Price unveiled during Wednesday's national letter-of-intent day.

Arizona restored order to the Pac-10 with its humbling of previously unbeaten Stanford last week, leaving the Wildcats as clear favorites to end UCLA's three-year hold on the conference championship. "Stanford had a better record than us and people were trying to hype the game up," Arizona point guard Mike Bibby said, "but we're the national champions. People gotta knock us off."

WSU's Carlos Daniel, center, and USC's Gary Johnson scramble for loose ball. Photo by Associated Press

WSU's Carlos Daniel challenges Kris Johnson. Photo by Associated Press

Miles Simon and the Arizona Wildcats shouldn't have any trouble getting pumped up for tonight's game at Stanford. Photo by Associated Press