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WSU Men's Basketball

Washington State reveals nonconference schedule featuring nine home dates

Washington State guard Noah Williams is a key returner for the Cougars.  (WSU Athletics/Robert Hubner)

Washington State will have to leave Pullman just three times during the nonconference season and the Cougars won’t have to leave the Inland Northwest until a Dec. 1 Pac-12 opener at Arizona State.

The school revealed its full early-season schedule on Friday, with times and television slots still to be determined for all 13 games.

The nonconference portion of the early schedule is highlighted by a previously reported game against Boise State, set to take place on Dec. 22 at Spokane Arena.

WSU’s season will open on Nov. 9 against Alcorn State and continue with two home games in the six subsequent day, against Seattle U (Nov. 12) and reigning Big West champion UC Santa Barbara (Nov. 15).

The Cougars’ lone road game in nonconference play will come against Idaho on Nov. 18. The game will take place in the Vandals’ brand new basketball-specific venue, ICCU Arena, which is set to open in October in conjunction with Homecoming weekend for the football program. It’ll be the 276th meeting between WSU and UI.

On Nov. 22, WSU returns home to host Big South champion Winthrop, which went 23-2 a season ago and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. After Thanksgiving, the Cougars host regional rival Eastern Washington for a Nov. 27 matchup in Pullman before traveling to ASU for the Dec. 1 Pac-12 opener in Tempe.

USC, one of three Pac-12 teams to make the Elite Eight in 2020, will pay the Cougars a visit on Dec. 4 for the home conference opener.

Kyle Smith’s team plays five more games to close out the month of December, including three in Pullman: vs. Weber State (Dec. 8), vs. New Mexico State (Dec. 15) and vs. Northern Colorado (Dec. 18).

Two of those five will take place in Spokane, with the Cougars facing South Dakota State on Dec. 11 and BSU on Dec. 22.