Kansas St. stern test for WSU
Washington State is feeling pretty good about itself after two dominating wins on its home court to move to 3-1 on the season.
But head coach Dick Bennett has a word of warning for his team as it tries to go to 4-1 at 2 p.m. today on Friel Court – visiting Kansas State is the toughest team the Cougars have encountered thus far.
“Clearly,” said Bennett, who then proceeded to use some of his words of highest praise to describe the 4-0 Wildcats.
“I just see some real soundness, just … they run outstanding offense,” he said. “They’re tough kids. At this point, I have not detected any weakness. I think they’re clearly a better team this year than they were last year when we played them.”
Last year, these Wildcats – albeit on their home court in Kansas – defeated WSU 62-55.
In their sixth year under head coach Jim Wooldridge, Kansas State comes to Pullman with a lineup of four guards and a forward, all of whom measure in from 6-foot-4 to 6-8.
As a result, Wooldridge’s squad is a versatile one, though the top threat is without question 6-7 guard Cartier Martin, who leads his team with 21.8 points and 8.8 rebounds a game.
With a lineup that’s neither small at guard nor big in the frontcourt Bennett said he’s still scratching his head a bit on how to match up. Most likely, WSU will try to go big at first. But if that doesn’t work, a smaller look like the one that dominated Wyoming on Wednesday could make a quick return.
WSU is tough to beat in Pullman – 68-3 against non-conference foes since 1990 – but Bennett knows that record and the three wins posted this season already won’t mean much if his team doesn’t play well today.
“They’re athletic and they’re sound and that’s a pretty good combination,” Bennett said. “The teams we’re playing now from here on in are pretty much like what we’re going to see the rest of the year (in the Pac-10). They’re mature, bigger, stronger teams.
“ Idaho (0-4) continues its search for its first win when Southern Utah (1-5) visits the Cowan Spectrum at 2:05 p.m. today. The Vandals are averaging just 54.8 points per game and shooting 37.9 percent from the field. UI opponents have made 47.9 percent of their shots and average 72.5 points.
Southern Utah is coming off its first win, a 68-47 rout of visiting Weber State on Tuesday. Guard Justin Allen (10.0) is the only player averaging in double figures.