Sports in brief: Cougs in Alaska for Shootout

College basketball: After starting the season 3-0 at home, the Washington State University men’s basketball team will hit the road for the first time. And it’s not a short trip.

The Cougars head to Anchorage, Alaska, and will open the Great Alaska Shootout today with an 8:30 p.m. PST game against the host school, Alaska-Anchorage.

WSU gets Thanksgiving off – the players will observe the holiday in family homes around the city – then return to the court Friday against Nicholls State.

Saturday, the Cougars will match up against the corresponding finisher from the other bracket, which includes Houston, Oklahoma and San Diego.

Washington State guard Klay Thompson is coming off a 37-point effort against Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, a performance that helped him earn the Pac-10 player of the week award.

First-year WSU coach Ken Bone (pictured above) is familiar with the tournament, having taken his Portland State team north last season.

“That community does a great job with that tournament,” he said. “It’s a big deal.”

Vince Grippi

Chiefs face Tips without stars

Hockey: The Spokane Chiefs will be short two key players when they play at Everett tonight, but they will be playing.

Defenseman Jared Cowen and forward Levko Koper will be in Victoria tonight with the Western Hockey League team that faces a Russian team in the 2009 Super Series.

There is a second game in Kelowna on Thursday but only six players were selected to participate in both games. In the first six years of the series the WHL has outscored the Russians 59-18 to lead the series 11-1.

Cowen, an assistant captain for the WHL team, and Koper rejoin the Chiefs for Friday’s road game against first-place Tri-City. The Chiefs are home against Regina on Saturday.

Dave Trimmer