COUGARS

The talk around the Key Arena is that this place is going to be packed. I've been in here for a Sonics game when it was pretty darn full, but not a college game. So it will be interesting to hear the crowd. Read on.

••••••••••

• The Cougars have been challenged physically twice this season. The most physical team was, of course, Kansas State, which bodied WSU all the way out of Manhattan, Kansas. The other was Gonzaga. Notice a trend? Well, tonight's opponent is, if not as talented, still of the same ilk. This is a team that will make the Cougars work for position, for each possession, for a win. That's the challenge tonight. Deal with physicality. ... Looking at Tasmin Mitchell, I'm reminded of Adrian Dantley. If Mitchell is 6-foot-7, as he's listed, I'm 6-foot. My guess: 6-5. Which is how tall Dantley was (or I guess is, though he's 54, which means he could have shrunk). Anyhow, back to Mitchell. He looks like the type of player who wants you to make contact, because if you do, he'll win. His matchup with either DeAngelo Casto or Abe Lodwick inside will be fun to watch. ... Look for LSU to pressure the ball out front, but not on every possession. The Tigers vary their defensive pressure in an attempt to lull the opposition into a false sense of security. Last year, they really turned up the pressure late in the first half and the game and it really worked down the stretch. ... One last note. Klay Thompson has 99 career 3-pointers. Keep track of his first one, so we know how long it took him to get to 100. By the way, LSU's Bo Spencer also has 99.

•••

• That's it for now. We'll be back at halftime. Until then ...

---

---