WSU’s season ends today

COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN — Who’d have thought the football team would be nearly one-third of the way through spring practices before the basketball team finished playing? WSU’s long, up-and-down season will come to an end tonight, one way or the other. Read on.

…

I got to thinking last night about how much a CBI championship would really mean to Washington State, in terms of the impact it has on how people view the season. More specifically: if you were encouraged by the way WSU finished the season, would a loss tonight remove any of the happy feeling? And if you weren’t all that thrilled about the way the Cougars played this season, would a CBI title make you feel any better? I’m interested to hear your thoughts. … It was another busy day down at the athletic complex yesterday. We put together this advance after speaking with Ken Bone from Pittsburgh. And we were at Day 4 of the Mike Leach Spring Football Extravaganza (new unofficial working title), after which we wrote this story about Darryl Monroe’s return from injury , as well as this blog post recapping the day’s practice. … WSU announced yesterday that as part of its Spokane Week festivities leading up to the April 21 spring game, former coach Bill Doba will make a public appearance with other WSU greats to “relive” WSU’s 2003 Holiday Bowl win over Texas. … I don’t really know how to describe this one. … This video has been making the rounds over the past 24 hours. It’s a Craig James campaign ad, in which he refers to Mike Leach as a “bully” from whom he defended his son. … Here’s a preview of tonight’s basketball game from the Pittsburgh side. … Montana fired football coach Robin Plfugrad and athletic director Jim O’Day on Thursday. Pflugrad coached tight ends and headed up WSU’s recruiting efforts from 2001-2005. Mike Breske, of course, was Montana’s defensive coordinator last season.

There was, in fact, a Pac-12 basketball game last night. Stanford claimed a bit of respect for the conference by putting a 75-51 whupping on Minnesota in the NIT championship game.

Elsewhere … Arizona still has the attention of an Italian guard. … Arizona State’s new coach has already seen a few surprises in the Sun Devils’ spring practices. … A pair of Washington players are weighing their NBA options . My guess, and it’s a popular one: they’re both gone. … Steve Sarkisian talks UW spring practice . … A Utah running back is switching to defensive end. He’d fit in well around here. Some early newcomers are glad they started college already.  … Colorado picked up a commitment from a local running back. … A preview of Oregon’s offensive line . … Oregon State’s , too. … BYU’s receivers are catching on . … Matt Barkley is throwing some interceptions this spring, but Lane Kiffin isn’t too concerned . … George Schroeder says Oregon’s Olu Ashaolu is a quick study .

All for now.

Christian Caple can be reached at christianc@spokesman.com . Twitter: @ChristianCaple