Steve Bergum

Tyus Edney brings his considerable talents to Friel Court today. Photo by Associated Press

WSU's Issac Fontaine breaks past the Southern Cal defense for two of his game-high 20 points. Photo by Associated Press

Eastman

Washington State point guard Donminic Ellison made a surprise appearance here late Friday night and is expected to play in today's 1 p.m. Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball against Arizona State at University Activity Center. Ellison, who is averaging 10.9 points and 7.0 assists per game, did not accompany the team to Tucson, Ariz., on Wednesday and did not play in Thursday night's 84-76 loss to Arizona. Ellison had what Cougar coach Kevin Eastman described as a severe case of chicken pox.

Ahamon Antrum (12) tangles with Damon Stoudamire. Photo by Associated Press

The defining moment of Arizona's 84-76 win over Washington State on Thursday night came with just more than a minute left and the Wildcats leading 76-74. It was a crucial possession for UA and, with Reggie Geary trapped near midcourt, WSU's Shamon Antrum locked up with Damon Stoudamire in a courageous effort to keep the Wildcats' All-American point guard from getting the basketball.

No, John Stockton didn't sign a letter of intent to play football at Washington State University on Wednesday, but he's a perfect example of the good-but-not-great class the Cougars signed. "It wasn't one of our better years in the state of Washington, I don't think, but you know this recruiting is such an imperfect science," WSU head coach Mike Price said. "Did Washington recruit (Spokane native) John Stockton? I know Washington State didn't. "Here we have a guy right in our own backyard who is one of the best pro point guards in the history of the NBA and both in-state schools didn't recruit him.

This was the week when Washington State was to have proven itself as either a surprise contender or surplus pretender in the Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball race. But with starting point guard Donminic Ellison flattened by chicken pox and unable to accompany the team on its annual swing into Arizona, the Cougars find themselves in much the same position they were in the last time they challenged one of the league's elite on the road.

Oral commitments continued to trickle in on the eve of national signing day, but it appears Washington State will not immediately sign the full complement of 24 football recruits coach Mike Price expected. Today is the first day high school and junior college prospects who are eligible to enroll next fall can sign national letters of intent with Division I schools. And by late Tuesday night, only nine had announced decisions to attend WSU.

Kevin Eastman keeps perspective. Photo by Associated Press

Washington State freshmen Carlos Daniel and Chris Griffin will apparently not be suspended for tonight's nonconference men's basketball game against California State-Northridge despite being cited by Pullman police over the weekend for being minors in possession of alcohol. Cougars coach Kevin Eastman said Tuesday that he had not finished looking into the incident, which allegedly took place late Saturday night. But he indicated any disciplinary action at this point would probably involve nothing more than some extra running or, in the case of Daniel, who has started WSU's last six games, perhaps a missed start.

The status of Washington State freshmen basketball players Carlos Daniel and Chris Griffin remained unclear Monday night after the two were cited by Pullman police during the weekend for being minors in possession of alcohol. Cougars coach Kevin Eastman, who earlier slapped a one-game suspension on sophomores Tavares Mack and Donminic Ellison for breaking curfew, refused to comment on the incident or the status of Daniel, 19, and Griffin, 18, saying he had not had a chance to discuss the matter in detail with the players allegedly involved.

Washington State's Isaac Fontaine has his hands full against Brent Barry on this loose ball, but Oregon State couldn't reach the Cougars down the stretch. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Washington State's Mark Hendrickson wasn't exactly where his teammates would have liked him during the waning seconds of Saturday afternoon's 77-75 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball win over stubborn Oregon State. The Cougars' 6-foot-9 junior forward was on the bench, having fouled out on a questionable call with 1:33 left and his team ahead by only three points.

1. While Orlando Williams, left, and his University of Oregon teammates have been making a grab for glory... Photo by Associated Press 2. ...Jerry Green earns points with fans. Photo by Associated Press

Donminic Ellison and Tavares Mack are back in good standing with the Washington State men's basketball team, Cougars coach Kevin Eastman announced Tuesday. Ellison, a sophomore point guard, who had started WSU's first 10 games, and Mack, a backup forward, were suspended and did not play in Saturday's 91-78 loss at UCLA. They were punished for breaking curfew two nights earlier.

Freshman guard Chris Griffin, in his first collegiate start, shoots between UCLA's Kris Johnson, left, and J.R. Henderson. Photo by Associated Press

Donminic Ellison has improved in the classroom and on the court. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

One might think Jerry Green would have the common courtesy to let Oregon's long-suffering football program bask in the afterglow of the school's first Rose Bowl appearance in 37 years. But less than eight days after UO's dreamlike football season culminated in Pasadena, Calif., with a noble 38-20 loss to No. 2-ranked Penn State, Green has the Ducks basketball team trying to shove its way into the national limelight.

Washington State's Isaac Fontaine bolts past Cal's Tremaine Foulkes and toward basket. Photo by Associated Press

1. Michael Stewart, going for rebound over WSU's Isaac Fontaine last year, is one of 11 Bears who see significant time. Photo by Associated Press 2. Cal coach Todd Boseman