Concussion may keep Cal player out of return match

PULLMAN – When Washington State hosts California today in a Pac-10 Conference men’s basketball rematch, the Bears may be without their main weapon from their early-season 88-81 overtime win in Berkeley.

Allen Crabbe, a 6-foot-6 freshman guard averaging 12 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, was kneed in the head in the first half of the Bears’ 109-77 loss at Washington on Thursday and suffered a concussion, according to a Cal spokesman. His availability will be a game-time decision.

Crabbe had his breakout game against the Cougars, scoring a career-high 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting, which included four 3-pointers.

“We’re planning on him playing, so when we did the scout his name and number is in the scout,” WSU coach Ken Bone said Friday. “If he’s not playing, he’s not playing. But we’re going to definitely prepare as if he’s going to be there.”

Cal is 13-11 overall and, at 6-6, one of two teams tied with Washington State for fourth in the conference standings. WSU (16-8) will be trying to rebound from a demoralizing 75-62 loss to Stanford on Thursday.

“We’ve done a nice job bouncing back from poor outings,” Bone said. “I hate to say that, because no one wants to admit you’ve had some poor outings.

“(Thursday) night, I just didn’t have the guys ready to go. They were not ready to play. As a staff, we’ll do the best we can to make sure they are ready to go (today).”