PULLMAN, Wash. – After just five home nonconference games in Ernie Kent's first year with the Cougars, the 2015-16 Washington State men's basketball nonconference schedule features eight home nonconference games, including four teams that participated in the 2015 postseason, Kent announced Monday.
“With the excitement generated last season, we're excited to have more home games this season,” Kent said. “This nonconference schedule will help us prepare for conference play and we hope to continue to develop a home-court advantage as the team matures throughout the season.”
The Cougars' nonconference schedule is set, as well as all of the weeks and locations for their conference opponents. The Pac-12 will announce the completed conference schedule in conjunction with the Pac-12 Networks following television selections by the networks. The completed schedule with dates, opponents and times is expected to be released in late August or early September.
For the first time since the 2003-04 season, Washington State will host two exhibition games. The first one will take place Friday, Oct. 30 at Beasley Coliseum against Lewis-Clark State of Lewiston, Idaho, while the second one will be featured in a 'Flashback Friday' game the Friday of 'Dad's Weekend', Nov. 6 against Pacific of Forest Grove, Ore., at Bohler Gym. The Cougars called Bohler Gym home until the 1973-74 season when Beasley Coliseum opened. It's the current home of the Washington State volleyball team. The football team will host Arizona State the following day, Saturday, Nov. 7 at Martin Stadium.
The Cougars open up the regular season in a men's/women's doubleheader hosting Northern Arizona, Friday, Nov. 13. Last season the Lumberjacks fell in the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The season opener is the first of six-straight home games for the Cougars as they host Idaho State, Friday, Nov. 20 (the night prior to WSU football hosting Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 21), Cal State Los Angeles, Tuesday, Nov. 24, Texas Southern, Saturday, Nov. 28, Gonzaga, Wednesday, Dec. 2 and Portland State, Sunday, Dec. 6. Texas Southern advanced to the 2015 NCAA Tournament, before falling to Arizona in the second round. Gonzaga advanced to the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion-Duke. The home game with Gonzaga is the first the Cougars will host against the Bulldogs since Dec. 5, 2012.
WSU doesn't have to go far for its first road game of the season as it travels the seven miles to Moscow, Idaho to take on Idaho, Thursday, Dec. 10. Following that game, the Cougars return to Pullman to close out their home portion of the 2015-16 nonconference schedule hosting UTEP, Sunday, Dec. 13 and Texas State, Friday, Dec. 18. Last season UTEP fell in the first round of the Postseason National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
The Cougars will have a tough test to prepare for Pac-12 play as they conclude their nonconference season at the Diamond Head Classic at Honolulu, Hawaii. Matchups haven't been announced for the tournament, but half of the field appeared in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, including BYU, Harvard, Northern Iowa and Oklahoma. BYU fell in the first round, Harvard in the second round and Northern Iowa in the third round, while Oklahoma advanced to the 'Sweet 16.' The field also includes Auburn, Hawaii and New Mexico.
Unlike last season where WSU opened both the nonconference and conference seasons on the road, the Cougars will get to open both with home-court advantages as they host their first three Pac-12 games at Beasley Coliseum. WSU will host UCLA and USC the week of Dec. 30-Jan. 3, then Washington the week of Jan. 6-10. The Cougars will open its Pac-12 road season in the state of Arizona, taking on Arizona State and Arizona the week of Jan. 13-17.
“Anytime you can open conference play on your home court, it's a huge advantage,” Kent said. “We'll be coming off tough competition at the Diamond Head Classic and during nonconference play, teams like Gonzaga, BYU and Oklahoma, which should help prepare us for a grueling Pac-12 race.”
Washington State returns from the road to host Utah and Colorado the week of Jan. 20-24, followed by a trip to Los Angeles to take on UCLA and USC, Jan. 27-31. Arizona State and Arizona come to Pullman to open the month of February with games slated for the week of Feb. 3-7. The Cougars will play five of its final seven games on the road as they head to Utah and Colorado the week of Feb. 10-14 before returning home for their final regular season home games the week of Feb. 17-21 against Stanford and California. WSU concludes the season with back-to-back trips to Oregon and Seattle to take on Oregon State and Oregon the week of Feb. 24-28 and Washington the week of March 2-5, respectively.
Since the additions of Colorado and Utah to form the Pac-12 in 2012, not all conference schools play each other twice. There is a two-year rotation in which each team will play four teams once, either at home or on the road. This season marks a new rotation after playing Colorado, Utah, California and Stanford just once in both 2011-12 and 2012-13 and Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA and USC just once each in both 2013-14 and 2014-15. This season the Cougars will play Oregon and Oregon State just once, at Oregon, and will play Stanford and California just once, at Pullman.
The Pac-12 Tournament will take place March 9-12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at Las Vegas.
Season ticket renewals are currently available now through July 31, 2015. New season tickets will go on sale, Monday, Aug. 17, with single-game tickets slotted for Oct. 5 for season ticket holders and CAF members and Oct. 19 for the general public.
Please contact the athletic ticket office at athletictickets@wsu.edu with any questions regarding tickets.