Mike Sando

Eastman

It may have been a laugher, but Washington State barely cracked a smile after Monday night's 91-53 pounding of UC Irvine at Friel Court. Instead, the Cougars were left to ponder the basketball future of senior starter Tavares Mack, who was suspended indefinitely prior to the game after missing Sunday afternoon's practice. According to WSU coach Kevin Eastman, the 6-foot-9 forward decided to leave the team after apparently losing interest in basketball. "He's gone through this before, prior to school starting and during conditioning," Eastman said, adding that Mack's suspension was not related to legal or academic issues. According to Mack, who watched Monday night's game from the fourth row of the baseline bleachers directly adjacent to the WSU bench, there was simply a misunderstanding - "nothing that can't be worked out." Mack, averaging 9.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in three games this season, said he felt awkward sitting in the stands, but felt obligated to show support for his teammates. "I'm still a team player, regardless," he said. Eastman was more reticent. "I think when someone leaves a group, it's up to the someone to take the first few steps," the third-year coach said. "It's not up to the group to chase after him - especially when it's happened once or twice before." Mack has been suspended three times by Eastman, missing one game as a sophomore and one as a junior. Cameron Johnson started Monday in place of Mack and helped spark the Cougars (4-0) to a 16-0 lead in the game's first 7:12. Johnson finished with 11 points and two steals, making 5 of 7 field goals. Johnson, Rodrigo de la Fuente and Carlos Daniel helped WSU step up the defense early, each taking a charge in the first half. "Fortunately for me, the game's real

Gonzaga's Chelsea Herman (21) and WSU's Jennifer Kerns hit the floor in pursuit of a first-half loose ball. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

"He needs a lot of throwing just to work on his individual quarterback techniques." Mike Price on Ryan Leaf

Senior guard Isaac Fontaine gives a young and inexperienced Washington State men's basketball team a presence in and out of the locker room. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

There was a knock at the door to the interview room, and Kevin Eastman paused, leaning forward inquisitively as reporters held their questions. To Eastman's disappointment, no one entered. "I thought that was our jump shots trying to get in the building," Washington State's third-year basketball coach said, managing to find humor in an otherwise dour performance. Eastman's Cougars sleepwalked through most of their non-conference basketball game Tuesday night against Seattle Pacific, coming from behind for an 87-77 victory before 1,763 spectators at Friel Court. WSU ended up needing relatively inspired performances from role players Kareem Jackson and Cameron Johnson to beat the NCAA Division II Falcons (1-2). Having senior guard Ike Fontaine at the foul line for 13 free throws in the second half also was a factor. "The only good part about tonight's game was that we learned the difference between the words cocky versus confident," Eastman said. "We were cocky tonight. "You can say, 'Oh, they shot the lights out (in the first half).' Well, there are supposed to be defenders there, too, to keep them from shooting the lights out. "Our perimeter defense was just non-existent." As a result, the Cougars trailed through much of the first 30 minutes, finally pulling ahead for good on a pair of Fontaine free throws with 7:51 remaining. WSU's sluggish approach didn't surprise SPU coach Ken Bone. "I think it was hard for them not to (overlook us)," Bone said. "With no students around; we are a Division II school . . . "I'd be surprised if they came in and got after it like it was the Husky game or UCLA. We've played a lot of schools and it's the same thing - they rarely come in mentally prepared to play a Division II school." Fontaine ended up leading the Cougars (2-0) with 24 points, converting 13 of 17 from the line to offset 5-for-15 shooting. "Stuff wasn't dropping," Fontaine said, crediting SPU's pesky zone defense. Fontaine was dependable late, helping the Cougars foul out both of SPU's post players, but it was Jackson, the senior point guard plagued by chronic knee trouble, and the often overlooked Johnson who provided a needed second-half spark. "Cameron turned up the defense," Eastman said. Jackson was more effective running the offense, dishing out five assists without a turnover.

Washington State football coach Mike Price expressed surprise and disappointment Tuesday over Washington coach Jim Lambright's public contention that the Cougars are "low class" because one or more WSU players allegedly made racist comments during Saturday's Apple Cup game. After the game, UW safety Nigel Burton, who is black, used the word "racial" in describing what he claimed went beyond normal trash-talking by WSU players. Since then, Lambright has discussed Burton's charge on the radio. "I just had some of my minority athletes in particular who are just totally irate," Lambright said. "If I heard that one of my players used that sort of language, they'd no longer be on this football team."

It was often sloppy, as most undercards are, but Washington State was never really in danger of losing its season-opening basketball game against Boise State. Not with Ike Fontaine open on the wing, if only for a second. "You do a nice job for a long time," BSU coach Rod Jensen attested Saturday afternoon, "and then you lose him for a second and, boy, he just puts the knife in you and turns it." The knife, as Jensen put it, was a 3-pointer from the right wing with 1:15 remaining. It put the Cougars ahead for keeps in what would become a 74-69 victory before just 1,999 at Friel Court. The win was WSU's eighth straight in a season opener and came just a couple of hours prior to the day's main event - the 89th renewal of the Apple Cup football rivalry between the Cougars and Washington - which was played just across the street in Martin Stadium.

1. Huskies John Fiala and Jermaine Smith find cause to celebrate as the Cougars' Chad Carpenter has the ball, but not a touchdown, on the game's final play. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf fell flat for three quarters, but only a late hit by the Huskies following a handoff that led to the tying touchdown could bring him down in the fourth quarter. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

1. Huskies John Fiala and Jermaine Smith find cause to celebrate as the Cougars' Chad Carpenter has the ball, but not a touchdown, on the game's final play. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. University of Washington tailback Corey Dillion waits for a hole to open in Washington State's defense as he makes one of his 38 carries during Saturday's 31-24 Apple Cup win over the arch-rival Cougars in Martin Stadium. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Corey Dillon this. Michael Black that. Brock Huard and Ryan Leaf the other thing. As Washington State coach Mike Price put it for, oh, roughly the 50th time this week, "I just think it's great Pullman can host this intercollegiate football game when you have the No. 1 rusher in the conference (Dillon) and the No. 2 rusher in the conference (Black), as well as two of the up-and-coming quarterbacks (Huard, Leaf)."

1. McWashington 2. Much like Shawn McWashington, the Huskies' Rashaan Shehee has had a run of bac luck since gaining a career-best 212 yards rushing in last year's Apple Cup. File/The Spokesman-Review

1. Knuff 2. Knuff has had a supporting role in passing game. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Washington State tailback Michael Black, it has been well-documented, is moving on with his once-troubled life, attempting to distance himself from an admittedly crime-filled past. The extent of Black's criminal record was not publicly known, however, until a recent report in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Washington quarterback Brock Huard hasn't spent a lot of time throwing this season, but when he has, he's been effective. Photo by Associated Press

Washington's Corey Dillon has a habit of breaking into the clear. File/Associated Press

Corey Hill, right, missed this interception, but he and Stanford handled WSU. Photo by Associated Press

Stanford linebacker Jon Haskins sacks Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf for a fourth-quarter safety. Photo by Associated Press

Michael Black scoots in from 8 yards out for six points. Photo by Associated Press

Gary Kasparov plays chess with more emotion than Washington State displayed in last week's 38-14 football loss to UCLA. For WSU, then, today's question is simple: Was its unconditional surrender an aberration?

Hutchinson's talents go beyond the football field. File/Associated Press

Carpenter

This week's practices have been especially intense as Washington State's football team tries to snap out of the lethargy that contributed to last week's poor showing against UCLA. Wednesday night's session was no exception. The highlight came when freshman linebacker Brad Philley, a member of the scout team, went after senior left tackle Scott Sanderson, a three-year starter. Sanderson was leading on all scorecards when the ensuing scuffle was quelled. Shawn Tims averages 12.7 yards per punt return, best in the conference.

To say Washington State was flat would be generous. Concave is more like it. The day after his team turned up missing in a 38-14 loss to UCLA, WSU coach Mike Price took the blame for what amounted to an indifferent approach.