Cougars getting no respect

Washington State hasn’t quite grabbed the attention of the outside men’s college basketball world yet, as was made clear when the newest Top 25 polls came out Monday.

But if nothing else, WSU has obviously turned plenty of heads within the Pac-10 after its split in Southern California last week.

The Cougars are 31st in both polls, moving up only a couple of spots in the Associated Press poll and falling two spots in the coaches poll.

But just getting into the neighborhood of the Top 25 is an accomplishment for this Cougars team. WSU (12-2) hasn’t been ranked since February 1983, and a few more Pac-10 wins will give them a chance to end that spell of virtual anonymity.

Of course, far more important than a poll in January is the team’s status in March, and based on the impressions of both WSU opponents last week, there appears to be a good chance this season will extend beyond the Pac-10 tournament.

Both UCLA’s Ben Howland and USC’s Tim Floyd declared the Cougars an NCAA tournament-worthy team, and even if that doesn’t end up being the case an NIT bid seems reasonable to expect after the hot start. For a team that was picked to make a repeat appearance in the conference cellar this season, that’s not bad.

So how have the Cougars done it?

Under first-year head coach Tony Bennett, WSU has again been solid on the defensive end. But it’s improved production on offense that has helped make the team more competitive. The experience of the current junior class also seems to be paying dividends. Patience and precision, two elements lacking from the Cougars offense in recent seasons, is much more evident this time around.

“Over the course of the game, our offense that we run, you hope that it sort of wears down the defense,” Bennett said. “It’s almost like a (football) team that runs. You run, you run and then finally it starts breaking down that defensive line.”

WSU’s opponents seemed to agree with that point of view, too.

“When you’re chasing someone around and guarding him for the whole or at least most of the shot clock it’s tough,” USC guard Gabe Pruitt said after Saturday’s game. “They get you tired when you’re playing defense by playing their sets. And that’s a team that makes you do that. You just have to be poised.”

In a Pac-10 that appears to be as loaded as any conference in the country this season, though, improved offense isn’t enough to guarantee many wins. Again, though, the veteran experience on the WSU roster appears to be paying dividends. When the Cougars needed a big play late against USC to earn the split last week, junior Kyle Weaver took advantage of a napping defense to streak downcourt and score the winning basket with 4 seconds left.

“I feel like it’s another step in the right direction,” fellow junior Robbie Cowgill said of the win. “We continually talk about making steps to get this program where we want. That’s other step in the right direction, being able to finish a game. It’s fitting that it’s Kyle. It’s one of the third-year guys in the program that’s been through all the one- and two-point losses here. He’s the guy to be a leader and step up and make the big shot at the end. It’s just great.”

If the Cougars are to climb up the rankings ladder, they’ll have to win games like the one against USC. And for the first time in years, this team might be equipped to do just that.