Washington State University Athletics
Cougar Basketball Ready for 2016-17 Season
November 03, 2016 | Men's Basketball
WSU will host Carroll College in exhibition action, Sunday, Nov. 6, at 5 p.m.
Coming off an international tour of Italy over the summer, the 2016-17 Washington State men's basketball team returns three starters from last season and welcomes seven newcomers to the squad. Head Coach Ernie Kent enters his third year at the helm of the program and 22nd year as a Division I head coach.
The Cougars had a chance to bond over a 10-day trip to Italy this past summer. The team went 3-2 in its five games, while learning more about Italy's culture and its history.
"Our Italy trip was a great experience for us and gave us a leg up on a lot of teams in the country," Kent said. "I can't put a value on what we gained being together this summer. Bringing in new players and having the opportunity to practice, go overseas, travel, and come together as a team gave these young guys an opportunity to show these young guys how hard they are going to have to play."
Washington State features four seniors who have the experience and veteran leadership to bolster the Cougar lineup. In the frontcourt, Josh Hawkinson and Conor Clifford, along with senior guards Ike Iroegbu and Charles Callison, will carry the load for WSU this season.
Hawkinson, coming off his second-straight All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention accolades in 2015-16, led the Pac-12 in rebounds per game and double-doubles as a junior. He was ranked in the top-12 nationally in both categories. The Shoreline, Wash., native was named to the to the 20-member 2017 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award watch list, marking the second-consecutive year that he is named to the watch list. Last year, Hawkinson was one of 10 semifinalists for the award.
Iroegbu will continue to anchor the Cougars' backcourt this season. A model of consistency over his tenure at Washington State, Iroegbu started all 31 games last season, averaging 30.7 minutes a contest. He led WSU and ranked 11th in the Pac-12 with 3.6 assists per game. Iroegbu was second on the team and 24th in the Pac-12 with 12.7 points per game, while third on the team and 12th in the conference averaging .771 (84-109) from the free throw line.
"This team is a lot more in sync with what we want to do," WSU Head Coach Ernie Kent said. "People will see the speed of the game, the crispness offensively and the ability to score. You will see a team that is more intense on the defensive side of the floor."
Callison looks to boost the Cougars' backcourt once again this season. The versatile guard can shoot the three and drive the lane to get to the hoop. After appearing in 27 games last season and starting in 22, the Moreno Valley, Calif., native averaged 24.8 minutes, 7.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.
Clifford returns to the WSU frontcourt coming off seven starts last season. The 7-0 center played in all 31 games last season, averaging 14.1 minutes, 6.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.
Junior Derrien King returns to the Cougars backcourt after playing 26 games last season. The Wichita, Kan., native averaged 12.5 minutes, 3.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game during his first year at Washington State.Â
"Derrien (King) will play a lot more this year," Kent said. "He has the ability to play two different positions. We can play him on the perimeter or on the inside. You will see us playing a lot of small ball this year, so we will put him at the four because his skill set is good enough where he can handle himself down there defensively. He is shooting the ball better and playing with a lot more confidence."
Sophomore Viont'e Daniels has the potential to make a big impact with the Cougars this season from beyond the arc. The three-point specialist played in 20 games for WSU last season, notching three starts. He set a WSU freshman single-game record by going 5-for-5 from beyond the 3-point arc against Northern Arizona in his first collegiate game.
"Viont'e (Daniels) has gotten bigger and stronger," Kent said. "He spent his time this summer in the weight room. He has always been able to shoot the basketball, but now he has a bigger and stronger body that will be able to handle the physicality of the conference as well."
Washington State kicks off the season with an exhibition game against Carroll College, Nov. 6 at Beasley Coliseum. The Cougars' regular seasons begins Friday, Nov. 11, against Montana State. In all, WSU will host seven nonconference games at Friel Court, highlighted by a game against Idaho, as the two will meet for the 111th-consecutive season, the longest continuous rivalry west of the Mississippi River.
WSU travels to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands for three games at the Paradise Jam, Nov. 18-21. The Cougars open the tournament with Creighton, Friday, Nov. 18. Washington State continues its non-conference road slate with a matchup against Kansas State at the Sprint Center at Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 10. The game marks the first of a two-game, two-year series with the Wildcats.
Pac-12 action begins on the road against in-state rival Washington, Sunday, Jan. 1 in Seattle. Washington State will then face Oregon State, Wednesday, Jan. 4 at Spokane Arena, followed the Pac-12 home opener against Oregon, Saturday, Jan. 7 in Pullman.
 The Cougars hit the road for its first two-game road trip of the season as it heads to the Bay Area to take on Stanford, Thursday, Jan. 12 and California, Saturday, Jan. 14. Washington State returns home to host Utah, Wednesday, Jan. 18, followed by a game with Colorado, Saturday, Jan. 21. WSU will then travel to the dessert for a contest with Arizona, Thursday, Jan. 26, and Arizona State, Sunday, Jan. 29.Â
The Cougars begin the month of February at home taking on UCLA, Wednesday, Feb 1. WSU has won the last three meetings against the Bruins at Beasley Coliseum. Washington State welcomes the USC Trojans to Pullman on Saturday, Feb. 4.The next week, the Cougars head to the Mountain schools and take on Utah, Thursday, Feb. 9, followed by a matchup with Colorado, Sunday, Feb. 12.Â
The final homestand of the season begins with Arizona, Thursday, Feb. 16, followed by Arizona State, Saturday, Feb. 18. WSU then hosts Washington for Senior Day, Sunday, Feb. 26 at Beasley Coliseum. The Cougars close out the Pac-12 season traveling to Southern California to take on USC, Wednesday, March 1. Washington State's regular season ends at UCLA, Saturday, March 4, before the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, March 8-11.
"Overall, the players coming back really understand what we need to get done," Kent said. "With the talent level that is coming in the door, I think people will be pleasantly surprised with how this team will play."
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The Cougars had a chance to bond over a 10-day trip to Italy this past summer. The team went 3-2 in its five games, while learning more about Italy's culture and its history.
"Our Italy trip was a great experience for us and gave us a leg up on a lot of teams in the country," Kent said. "I can't put a value on what we gained being together this summer. Bringing in new players and having the opportunity to practice, go overseas, travel, and come together as a team gave these young guys an opportunity to show these young guys how hard they are going to have to play."
Washington State features four seniors who have the experience and veteran leadership to bolster the Cougar lineup. In the frontcourt, Josh Hawkinson and Conor Clifford, along with senior guards Ike Iroegbu and Charles Callison, will carry the load for WSU this season.
Hawkinson, coming off his second-straight All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention accolades in 2015-16, led the Pac-12 in rebounds per game and double-doubles as a junior. He was ranked in the top-12 nationally in both categories. The Shoreline, Wash., native was named to the to the 20-member 2017 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award watch list, marking the second-consecutive year that he is named to the watch list. Last year, Hawkinson was one of 10 semifinalists for the award.
Iroegbu will continue to anchor the Cougars' backcourt this season. A model of consistency over his tenure at Washington State, Iroegbu started all 31 games last season, averaging 30.7 minutes a contest. He led WSU and ranked 11th in the Pac-12 with 3.6 assists per game. Iroegbu was second on the team and 24th in the Pac-12 with 12.7 points per game, while third on the team and 12th in the conference averaging .771 (84-109) from the free throw line.
"This team is a lot more in sync with what we want to do," WSU Head Coach Ernie Kent said. "People will see the speed of the game, the crispness offensively and the ability to score. You will see a team that is more intense on the defensive side of the floor."
Callison looks to boost the Cougars' backcourt once again this season. The versatile guard can shoot the three and drive the lane to get to the hoop. After appearing in 27 games last season and starting in 22, the Moreno Valley, Calif., native averaged 24.8 minutes, 7.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.
Clifford returns to the WSU frontcourt coming off seven starts last season. The 7-0 center played in all 31 games last season, averaging 14.1 minutes, 6.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.
Junior Derrien King returns to the Cougars backcourt after playing 26 games last season. The Wichita, Kan., native averaged 12.5 minutes, 3.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game during his first year at Washington State.Â
"Derrien (King) will play a lot more this year," Kent said. "He has the ability to play two different positions. We can play him on the perimeter or on the inside. You will see us playing a lot of small ball this year, so we will put him at the four because his skill set is good enough where he can handle himself down there defensively. He is shooting the ball better and playing with a lot more confidence."
Sophomore Viont'e Daniels has the potential to make a big impact with the Cougars this season from beyond the arc. The three-point specialist played in 20 games for WSU last season, notching three starts. He set a WSU freshman single-game record by going 5-for-5 from beyond the 3-point arc against Northern Arizona in his first collegiate game.
"Viont'e (Daniels) has gotten bigger and stronger," Kent said. "He spent his time this summer in the weight room. He has always been able to shoot the basketball, but now he has a bigger and stronger body that will be able to handle the physicality of the conference as well."
Washington State kicks off the season with an exhibition game against Carroll College, Nov. 6 at Beasley Coliseum. The Cougars' regular seasons begins Friday, Nov. 11, against Montana State. In all, WSU will host seven nonconference games at Friel Court, highlighted by a game against Idaho, as the two will meet for the 111th-consecutive season, the longest continuous rivalry west of the Mississippi River.
WSU travels to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands for three games at the Paradise Jam, Nov. 18-21. The Cougars open the tournament with Creighton, Friday, Nov. 18. Washington State continues its non-conference road slate with a matchup against Kansas State at the Sprint Center at Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 10. The game marks the first of a two-game, two-year series with the Wildcats.
Pac-12 action begins on the road against in-state rival Washington, Sunday, Jan. 1 in Seattle. Washington State will then face Oregon State, Wednesday, Jan. 4 at Spokane Arena, followed the Pac-12 home opener against Oregon, Saturday, Jan. 7 in Pullman.
 The Cougars hit the road for its first two-game road trip of the season as it heads to the Bay Area to take on Stanford, Thursday, Jan. 12 and California, Saturday, Jan. 14. Washington State returns home to host Utah, Wednesday, Jan. 18, followed by a game with Colorado, Saturday, Jan. 21. WSU will then travel to the dessert for a contest with Arizona, Thursday, Jan. 26, and Arizona State, Sunday, Jan. 29.Â
The Cougars begin the month of February at home taking on UCLA, Wednesday, Feb 1. WSU has won the last three meetings against the Bruins at Beasley Coliseum. Washington State welcomes the USC Trojans to Pullman on Saturday, Feb. 4.The next week, the Cougars head to the Mountain schools and take on Utah, Thursday, Feb. 9, followed by a matchup with Colorado, Sunday, Feb. 12.Â
The final homestand of the season begins with Arizona, Thursday, Feb. 16, followed by Arizona State, Saturday, Feb. 18. WSU then hosts Washington for Senior Day, Sunday, Feb. 26 at Beasley Coliseum. The Cougars close out the Pac-12 season traveling to Southern California to take on USC, Wednesday, March 1. Washington State's regular season ends at UCLA, Saturday, March 4, before the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, March 8-11.
"Overall, the players coming back really understand what we need to get done," Kent said. "With the talent level that is coming in the door, I think people will be pleasantly surprised with how this team will play."
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