COUGARS

As Washington State prepares to play LSU tonight in Seattle's Key Arena, the Pac-10's bowl season gets underway in Las Vegas. We have links from both, so read on.
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• Washington State: We have our preview story, of course, though we did post it here last night. Nothing much more to add on that front. ... With the teams here in Seattle, there is a preview in the Seattle Times from Bud Withers and one in the News Tribune from freelancer Howie Stalwick. ... From Baton Rouge, there is this advance.

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• Around the Pac-10: Two games last night (there are seven tonight, so everyone but Oregon State will have played) and both were in Arizona. The Sun Devils routed UC Santa Barbara while Arizona needed a 3-pointer from Nic Wise to edge Lipscomb in overtime. No wonder UA coach Sean Miller believes the Wildcats' NCAA streak (at 24 consecutive years) is in jeopardy. ... UW is playing tonight in Seattle as well, hosting Texas A&M. It's a chance for the Huskies (and the Pac-10, down 9-2 in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series) to earn some respect and to siphon off some of the WSU crowd. ... Another chance for the conference, though a tough one, comes in Lawrence, Kansas, where Cal faces No. 1 Kansas. The Bears have been struggling with injury (wing Theo Robertson missed six games with a foot injury, post Harper Kamp is out for the season) and illness (the flu hit the team hard). ... Though USC's football team seems to be in disarray, the basketball team is doing better despite its youth. ... Turning to football, Oregon State quarterback Sean Canfield had some thoughts about the Beavers' Maaco Bowl game and his career that didn't make the Oregonian's recent story.

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• That's all for this morning. We'll be back before the game tonight. Until then …

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