In brief: Sacramento St. visits Cougars

College basketball: The Washington State men open a three-game homestand tonight as Sacramento State comes to Beasley Coliseum at 7 for a nonconference game.

The Big Sky Conference Hornets are 2-3, but all three losses have come by seven points or less. Senior guard Sultan Toles-Bey leads Sac State in scoring (14.8), assists (4.6) and steals (1.6) per game.

WSU’s Klay Thompson (23.8 points per game) and Faisal Aden (23.3) are the top-scoring pair of teammates in the nation.

The Cougars may be without starting center DeAngelo Casto (foot) and point guard Reggie Moore (wrist) again, as Moore has yet to play this season and Casto missed the 66-55 win last Friday at Fresno State.

Vince Grippi

Canada invites Cowen to camp

Hockey: Spokane Chiefs captain Jared Cowen gets another chance at gold. He was invited on Monday to Team Canada selection camp for the World Junior Tournament.

Cowen, who was on Canada’s silver medal team last year, heads to Toronto for tryouts Dec. 12-15. The tournament is in Buffalo, N.Y., beginning the day after Christmas.

“If I didn’t get invited I would be very disappointed,” Cowen said. “This year I see myself playing a bigger role and contributing in the leadership department.”

There are 17 Western Hockey League players on the 39-player list.

Cowen said last year’s disappointing loss to Team USA and Chiefs teammate Tyler Johnson in the gold medal game is “definitely something that is on my mind.”

“When (Canada coach) Dave Cameron called me (Monday morning) we both mentioned (that),” Cowen said.

Dave Trimmer