Sports in brief: Unbeaten Cougs take on IPFW

College basketball: The Washington State Cougars risk perfection tonight in Beasley Coliseum when they host Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne in a non-conference game at 7.

The Cougars (2-0) have never lost a November game on Friel Court, posting a 35-0 record since the facility opened in 1973.

“They’re very solid,” WSU coach Ken Bone (above) said of the Summit League’s IPFW. “They’re very, very solid on the defensive end, and they do a great job of screening out on the boards. Very disciplined, they execute their offense well.”

The Mastodons are 1-1. They lost their opener 75-46 at Wisconsin without leading scorer Deilvez Yearby, who had 20 points in 15 minutes of their 86-57 win over Madonna on Tuesday. IPFW will head up U.S. 195 and face Gonzaga on Friday night.

•Also tonight, the Gonzaga women are host to Southern California at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Zags (1-1) are coming off a win at Idaho. USC is also 1-1. Game time is 6 p.m.

College wrestlers vie in tourney

Wrestling: The Inland Northwest Collegiate Invitational, with approximately 200 male and 75 female wrestlers, will be held Saturday at the Valley HUB, east of Barker Road at 19619 E. Cataldo, near Liberty Lake.

Athletes from nine colleges and club teams will begin competition at 9 a.m. on seven mats. Tickets are $5.

East Valley HS coach Craig Hanson organized the event.

“The biggest thing is I want to try and continue to raise awareness of college wrestling and how great it would be to see us have it in the Spokane area again,” Hanson said.

North Idaho College and the Eastern Washington club team are among the entrants.

Top-ranked CWU opens playoffs

College football: Top-ranked Central Washington (11-0) is host to 12th-ranked Tarleton State (10-2) of Stephenville, Texas, at Tomlinson Stadium in Ellensburg on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Kickoff is noon.

The Texans defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville 57-56 in double overtime in the first round. CWU had a bye.

CWU leads the nation with 11.6 points per game allowed (128 total). Linebacker Buddy Wood (Riverside HS) was GNAC defensive player of the year.