Morning links: men’s basketball returns to the hardwood

Today’s football game is the main event. But last night the Washington State men’s basketball team got the weekend started with a win.

The Cougars beat nearby NAIA school Lewis-Clark State College in the first of two exhibition games. The game was closer than they would have preferred , but the Cougars got a good long look at their new players in various combinations. Here are the final stats from the game as well as video and quotes from the postgame press conference.

Of course, there are plenty of stories to pass along about today’s football game, what with frontrunner status in the Pac-12’s northern division on the line. I previewed the game with a look at Stanford’s pedestrian pass rush . Here are four things I think the Cougars need to accomplish to be successful today. Tom Fitzgerald of the San Francisco Chronicle also has a preview . Anyway, it should be a good atmosphere . Lindsey Schnell sat down for a Q&A with Gabe Marks. Stefanie Loh looks at today’s matchup and gives her prediction . Matt Calkins explains why the game is going to be starting so late . Sandy Ringer profiled WSU recruit D’Jimon Jones.

Here are the early returns from the cross country championships happening in nearby Colfax.

California hopes to end its long losing streak against USC today. … Here’s what to watch for when Colorado takes on UCLA. … Oregon State is going to have to face Utah without its starting quarterback . … Now its Washington’s turn to prepare for two Arizona quarterbacks.