Cougs will host Utah Valley St.

Men’s basketball: As of Tuesday morning, there were a couple of Washington State assistant coaches preparing a gameplan –“the scout,” as it’s known in basketball circles – for tonight’s game against Utah Valley State at Beasley Coliseum.

But coach Ken Bone is focusing more on what the Cougars need to improve in their own realm.

“That’s what I’m trying to concentrate on, more about what we need to work on,” Bone said. “But at the same time you need to respect your opponent.”

Utah Valley is 1-1 this season, losing its opener to IUPUI before beating North Carolina A&T on Monday. Junior center Ben Aird leads Utah Valley with 14.5 points per game.

The Cougars impressed in their regular-season opener against Eastern Washington on Saturday, cruising to an 88-69 victory behind 23 points and 10 rebounds from senior forward Brock Motum.

WSU travels to Malibu on Friday for a game at Pepperdine before heading to Kansas City to play two games in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic.

Christian Caple

Two Chiefs gear up for Russians

Junior hockey: Spokane Chiefs coach Don Nachbaur and Chiefs leading scorer Mitch Holmberg will represent the Western Hockey League tonight and Thursday night against Team Russia in the annual SUBWAY Super Series.

Nachbaur will serve as the team’s head coach in both games. Holmberg, who was originally scheduled to play just today in Vancouver, British Columbia, has been added to the roster for Thursday’s game in Victoria, B.C.

The six-game series is tied at 2 after two games hosted by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and two games hosted by the Ontario Hockey League.

• The WHL suspended 20-year-old Chiefs center Dylan Walchuk for one game after he received a major penalty for clipping during Saturday’s home game against the Portland Winterhawks.

Walchuk will miss Saturday’s game at Seattle.