at Arizona State (2-5) | Wed., Dec. 1 | 5:30 p.m. MT
  Live Stats | StatBroadcast
  Watch | Pac-12 Networks (JB Long & Matt Muehlebach)
  Listen | WSU IMG Radio Network (Matt Chazanow & Craig Ehlo)

OPENING FIVE
> Pac-12 play begins around the conference this week with the Cougs heading to Tempe Wednesday night to take on Arizona State. The two teams faced off twice to end the 2020-21 season, once in Tempe and once in Las Vegas with the Sun Devils taking both matchups.
> The Cougs starting backcourt of Tyrell Roberts and Michael Flowers combined for 44 points in the loss to EWU. It was the first 20+ pt game for Roberts as a Coug while Flowers has scored 20+ in back-to-back contests.
> Tyrell Roberts is on the verge of history having hit his first 23 FT - the sixth longest streak in program history and the second longest streak to begin a career at WSU.
> Making the most of their freebies the Cougs enter the week shooting 76.3% from the line (42nd in the country) - the Cougs have made 129 FT overall (10th best in the country).
> Defensively the Cougs have used their length and athleticism to come up with 5.5 blocks per game (29th in the country) - Efe Abogidi (2.2 per game) and Dishon Jackson (1.3 per game) lead the way.

GAME INFORMATION - at ARIZONA STATE
The early Pac-12 games begin Wednesday in Tempe as the Cougs are on the road to take face off against Arizona State. If it seems like the two teams have met each other repeatedly it is as this is the third-straight time the Cougs take on the Sun Devils in Pac-12 play including a matchup in Las Vegas in the 2021 Pac-12 Tournament. In addition to the tournament game the Cougs and the Sun Devils faced off in Tempe to end the regular season in 2021, playing one game while the season finale was cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols and injury concerns.
The Sun Devils have been in control of the series as of late winning three-straight, two of which coming in Desert Financial Arena and the last of which at T-Mobile in Las Vegas. The contest on Wednesday marks the earliest in the year the two sides will meet in the regular season with a later contest being played in Pullman in February. The two sides will look very different this time around as both the Cougs and the Sun Devils have had to replace their leading scorers from last year in Isaac Bonton and Remy Martin. This year, the Sun Devils have struggled out of the gate going 2-5 on the year having lost the last four coming into the week including a 77-59 loss to Loyola Chicago to end the Battle 4 Atlantis. During the four-game skid the Sun Devils have been without star Marcus Bagley who is averaging 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in three games on the year.

NEXT UP
The Cougs return home from their first real trip away from the Palouse to take on No. 20 USC Saturday at Beasley Coliseum. Despite losing the Pac-12 Player of the Year and NBA Lottery pick Even Mobley, USC has come out of the gates hot in 2021-22 having gone 6-0 to begin the year. The last took down San Diego State to win the Wooden Legacy championship.

LAST TIME OUT
The Cougs suffered their first defeat of the 2021-22 season falling to Eastern Washington, 76-71, at Beasley on Saturday, Nov. 27. The loss snapped WSU's 18-game non-conference winning streak as the Eagles came back from 19 down to stun the Cougs. WSU was without it's top scorer Noah Williams and sixth man TJ Bamba in the game but still saw its starting backcourt of Tyrell Roberts and Michael Flowers combine for 44 points in the loss.  

FREE THROW STREAKING
Known for his ability to hit shots, junior Tyrell Roberts has made his money all over the court but has been especially good from the free throw line to begin the season. Entering the day, Roberts is a perfect 23-for-23 from the line as the first year Coug is one of just six players to remain perfect on the year from the charity stripe with his 23 leading the way among the six. Roberts streak of 23 straight is tied for the sixth longest streak in program history and longest since Josh Hawkinson tied the program record with 31 straight as a sophomore in 2014-15.
Additionally, Roberts has a chance to pass the legend, Klay Thompson, for most free throws to begin a career as Thompson hit his first 24 FT in 2007 to begin his hall of fame career. 
The Cougars' all-time record sits at 31 set by Hawkinson (2014-15) and Thomas Kelati (2003-04).
In addition to Roberts, the Cougs have been shot 76.2% from the line as a team (42nd in the nation) and a 5% jump from last season. WSU's all-time record is 76.9% set in 2008-09. The Cougs' 129 FT made on the year ranks 10th in the nation.

BLOCK PARTY
Kicking off the new campaign the Cougs have started a block party in Beasley hosted by sophomores Efe Abogidi and Dishon Jackson. As a team the Cougs rank 29h in the country with 5.5 blocks per game. That team mark is bolstered by Abogidi who ranks 41st individually at 2.2 blocks per game and Jackson at 137th at 1.3 bpg. More impressively, Abogidi has come up with a block rate of 13.1% when on the floor (22nd best in the country) while Jackson rates at 8.5% (59th in the country).
Abogidi posted a career-best 6 blocks against UCSB - the first Coug since Valentine Izundu's 6 vs Idaho State (11/20/15). Last season, Abogidi blocked 36 shots the second best for a Coug freshman. Jackson joined Abogidi in the club with a career best 5 blocks against EWU Nov. 27.

~ Complete Release ~ (PDF)

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