When Blake Mazza announced plans to transfer from Washington State last week, the kicker expressed a desire to finish his career close to home.

For about nine minutes in the first half, it appeared Washington State had woken from a slumber that's followed the Cougars since their Jan. 9 loss to Stanford. 

Gunner Cruz has taken his last snaps in a Washington State uniform, but the Cougars will probably cross paths with the quarterback at some point in the next few years.

Sedona Prince scored 14 points, Taylor Mikesell added 11 — including four free throws in the closing seconds — and No. 13 Oregon beat Washington State 58-50 on Friday night.

Gunner Cruz, who played sparingly for Washington State during the shortened 2020 football season, has reportedly entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Washington State returned home Thursday hoping to rediscover the defensive form that carried the Cougars to an unbeaten record through the first two months of the 2020-21 season.

Can't say the sun came out shining any brighter Thursday morning, but shades came in handy. The air going into the lungs felt fresher.

Blake Mazza was on the phone with Washington State coach Nick Rolovich Wednesday morning and simultaneously navigating through the NCAA transfer portal page when he pressed submit, officially making one of college football's most accomplished kickers a free agent.

Seven months from the start of the 2021 season, we’re calling our shot: The South will be the superior, and perhaps even the dominant division next season.

On one hand, Washington State volleyball coach Jen Greeny is happy her players will have a season after months of COVID-19-related uncertainty and unknowns. On the other hand, the Cougars open at home Friday against Oregon and Wednesday’s practice was just the team’s fifth full workout since returning to campus from an extended holiday break.

Washington State will be replacing not just one, but both of its all-conference specialists in 2021.

After appearing in just one game this season and missing three others for reasons that were undisclosed, Washington State safety Tyrese Ross has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

When the 2020 football season ended, Abraham Lucas told reporters over a postgame Zoom call in Salt Lake City he’d take a private approach to the looming decision that would soon hang over his offseason, leaving few hints as to whether the Washington State right tackle would leave school for the NFL or return to the Cougars for his fourth season.

He’s been the engine of Washington State’s offense this season, averaging a conference-high 21.7 points in Pac-12 games, but Isaac Bonton recently approached coach Kyle Smith with a play call that had nothing to do with high ball screens or pick-and-rolls.

As the Washington State women celebrated one of the biggest wins in program history, Charlisse Leger-Walker was in the middle of the mob.

A four-game California road swing for Washington State culminated with one victory and three reminders of where the Cougars need to improve before they can start stacking up wins against the Pac-12 Conference's best teams.

In many ways, it's the best of times and the worst of times to be Washington State's athletic director.

Jordan Sanders had a season-high 24 points, Endyia Rogers scored nine of her 16 points in overtime, and Southern California beat No. 25 Washington State 81-77 on Saturday night.

The win-loss column would suggest both Washington State and UCLA had tremendous success through the first 11 games of the 2020-21 season. Thursday's game between the Cougars and Bruins was a reminder that not all 9-2 teams are created equal.