WSU men’s basketball team will play at Oklahoma State
The Washington State University men’s basketball schedule for 2004-05 isn’t finished, but the rough draft already looks impressive.
The Cougars have non-conference games lined up with three 2004 NCAA Tournament qualifiers, highlighted by Final Four participant Oklahoma State.
WSU is scheduled to visit defending Big 12 champion OSU in Stillwater on Dec. 4. The Cowboys finished 31-4 last year after losing to Georgia Tech in the Final Four. Two nights later, the Yellow Jackets lost to Connecticut in the championship game.
“It’s a one-game matchup, we’re going there and we’re going to test our kids out,” said coordinator of basketball operations Ron Sanchez, who handles WSU’s scheduling. “In conversations with (Cougars head coach) Dick Bennett, he really wants to play high-level competition and get the kids prepared the best he can. We figured Oklahoma State, being a Final Four team and being one of the best teams in the country, will give us a good idea where we stand.”
WSU, which made a six-win improvement to 13-16 in Bennett’s first season, will entertain Gonzaga, which lost to Nevada in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, at a date yet to be determined. The Cougars also have a road contest with BYU, which finished 21-9 after a first-round NCAA loss to Syracuse last year, on Dec. 11. BYU will visit WSU the following year. Former Gonzaga guard Josh Reisman, who played at San Jose City College last year, has signed with BYU.
“We’re really trying to beef up our schedule,” WSU assistant coach Tony Bennett said. “Maybe you take your lumps, but we’ve got six young kids coming in and we’re trying to get them ready.”
The Cougars will open the season against Montana State of the Big Sky on Nov. 19 in Pullman, the day before the Apple Cup. WSU and Idaho are scheduled to play Nov. 30. The Cougars will visit Portland of the WCC on Dec. 18.
“Scheduling has been tougher because of Dick’s reputation and his defensive philosophy follows him, but that’s a positive thing,” Sanchez said.
WSU is close to finalizing an agreement that would bring Nebraska to the Spokane Arena for a non-conference matchup. The Cornhuskers, 18-13 last season, lost to Hawaii in Manoa in the second round of the NIT.
“If the schedule comes to pass, we’re going to be facing some quality teams,” Tony Bennett said. “The fans enjoy that more and frankly the kids enjoy that, too. We’ll have all we can handle.”
Eastern Washington was tentatively scheduled to play WSU on Dec. 3, but instead will face Washington in Seattle on Dec. 4 or Dec. 5. Oklahoma State knocked off EWU 75-56 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
WSU’s non-conference slate last year included VMI, Alaska-Fairbanks and Rice at the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Southern Utah, IPFW, TCU, Montana, Idaho, Fresno State and Gonzaga.