WSU rides into Bears’ loud den
WACO, Texas – The road can be an unkind place.
The only non-conference loss the Washington State men’s basketball team suffered last season came in early December against Utah in Salt Lake City.
During their 6-0 start this year, the Cougars have played one road contest, a quick trip to Boise State earlier this month. Playing before an occasionally loud crowd of 6,718, the Cougars rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit to win, 86-74.
This week, the road got longer – and bumpier.
WSU left Pullman on Wednesday to avoid possible bad weather. After an overnight stay in Seattle, the team arrived here Thursday. Tonight the Cougars will try to hand the Baylor Bears their first loss of the season, something Notre Dame, Winthrop or Wichita State couldn’t do.
Of course, none of those schools is ranked sixth in the nation, like WSU. But none of them had to face the Bears (5-0) before 10,000 fans in the Ferrell Center, which the Cougars will do.
“Washington State does a very good job of playing fundamentally sound basketball, they don’t give you anything easy and they don’t turn the ball over,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said after an 85-62 win over Centenary last Saturday. “It’s one of those teams that makes you earn everything that you get, so we really need the crowd’s help in that game.”
“This is going to be a tremendous test for our defense,” WSU junior Daven Harmeling said. “Playing on the road, in an environment where now, they’ll say, ‘We’ve got the sixth-ranked team in the country coming,’ so you know they’re going to be fired up.
“It’s crazy, to think people are fired up to play us.”
But that’s what a 26-8 record buys you the next season – a high national ranking and a target.
“Hands down, it will be the hardest game so far,” Harmeling said. “No disrespect to the other teams we’ve played, but all I’ve heard about (the Bears) is (they are) athletic, talented.
“They are kind of in the position we were last year, where they believe they can get it done, they’re good enough to get it done and people are just kind of sleeping on them in where they were picked to finish in the Big 12.”
The Bears were picked ninth, right behind Texas Tech.
“I’ve talked to a few people in their league, and they believe they are in the top three in the league in talent,” Cougars coach Tony Bennett said, mentioning athletic point guard Curtis Jerrells (14 points and 6.2 rebounds per game) and 6-foot-6 freshman wing LaceDarius Dunn (12.4 and 5.4).
The game is part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, pitting schools from the two conferences. Next year Baylor will come to Pullman.
“There’s a competitive side that wants your league to do well,” Bennett said.
When asked if he will mention to his team they are defending the honor of the Pac-10, Bennett said, “Yeah, absolutely. You’re a Pac-10 team, we feel like we play in an excellent conference and you want to go and represent your conference well.”
No matter how long the trip takes.