Washington State University Athletics
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WSU Men’s Basketball Earns Back-to-Back Postseason Berths
March 12, 2023 | Men's Basketball
PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State men's basketball team earned its second-consecutive postseason berth with an at-large bid to the 2023 National Invitational Tournament (NIT), the selection committee announced Sunday. The fourth-seeded Cougars will host Eastern Washington at Beasley Coliseum, Tuesday, March 14 at 8 p.m. PT on ESPNU in the opening round of the tournament.
The Cougs are led by All-Pac-12 duo TJ Bamba and Mouhamed Gueye. Bamba is the Conference's eighth-leading scorer at 15.8 points per game. Gueye is the Pac-12's double-double leader with 15 double-doubles on the year and sits ninth in Pac-12 scoring at 14.3 ppg and fourth in rebounding with 8.3 rebounds per game.
WSU Head Coach Kyle Smith leads the program to back-to-back postseason berths for the first time since the Cougs reached the Sweet Sixteen in the 2008 NCAA Tournament and earned a bid to the 2009 NIT the following season. Smith has guided Wazzu to a 17-16 record in 2023, reaching four-consecutive seasons at .500 or above, and became the first coach in program history to notch four-straight .500+ seasons in his first four years.
Last season, Washington State reached the 2022 NIT semifinals, advancing to Madison Square Garden after beating Santa Clara at home, and SMU and BYU on the road. WSU fell to Texas A&M in the semifinals, reaching the Garden for just the second time in program history. All time at the NIT the Cougs are 10-6.
Washington State and Eastern Washington met earlier this season in Spokane, Nov. 21, with the Cougs winning 82-56 behind 8-made 3-pointers from Jabe Mullins and four Cougars scoring in double figures. WSU and EWU have met 69 times in program history, with the Cougs holding a 57-12 advantage.
The second-round games will take place at campus sites, March 18-19, followed by the NIT quarterfinals, March 21-22. Washington State's path to the tournament semifinals would include a second-round matchup with the winner of Oklahoma State and Youngstown State. If the Cougs advance to the quarterfinals they would face one of Alcorn State, North Texas, Sam Houston State or Santa Clara.
The four advancing teams will meet for the 2023 NIT semifinals and championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The semifinals are scheduled for March 28 with coverage on ESPN and ESPN2, and the 2023 NIT Championship, March 30, on ESPN2 at 9:30 p.m.
The 32-team NIT field includes three Pac-12 teams, including Colorado, Oregon, and WSU. Seven Conference teams advance to postseason play in total after Arizona, Arizona State, Southern California, and UCLA earned bids to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, earlier Sunday evening.
Washington State finished tied for fifth in Pac-12 this year, recording back-to-back finishes in the top half of Conference play for the first time since finishing second in the Pac-10 during the 2006-07 season and tied for third in 2007-08.
The Cougars faced the 32nd toughest schedule in the country, according to KenPom. WSU played eight teams with bids to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, finishing a combined 4-8 against the teams. Including the 2023 NIT field, Washington State played 11 postseason teams over the 2022-23 season, finishing with a combined 6-10 record.
The Cougs are led by All-Pac-12 duo TJ Bamba and Mouhamed Gueye. Bamba is the Conference's eighth-leading scorer at 15.8 points per game. Gueye is the Pac-12's double-double leader with 15 double-doubles on the year and sits ninth in Pac-12 scoring at 14.3 ppg and fourth in rebounding with 8.3 rebounds per game.
WSU Head Coach Kyle Smith leads the program to back-to-back postseason berths for the first time since the Cougs reached the Sweet Sixteen in the 2008 NCAA Tournament and earned a bid to the 2009 NIT the following season. Smith has guided Wazzu to a 17-16 record in 2023, reaching four-consecutive seasons at .500 or above, and became the first coach in program history to notch four-straight .500+ seasons in his first four years.
Last season, Washington State reached the 2022 NIT semifinals, advancing to Madison Square Garden after beating Santa Clara at home, and SMU and BYU on the road. WSU fell to Texas A&M in the semifinals, reaching the Garden for just the second time in program history. All time at the NIT the Cougs are 10-6.
Washington State and Eastern Washington met earlier this season in Spokane, Nov. 21, with the Cougs winning 82-56 behind 8-made 3-pointers from Jabe Mullins and four Cougars scoring in double figures. WSU and EWU have met 69 times in program history, with the Cougs holding a 57-12 advantage.
The second-round games will take place at campus sites, March 18-19, followed by the NIT quarterfinals, March 21-22. Washington State's path to the tournament semifinals would include a second-round matchup with the winner of Oklahoma State and Youngstown State. If the Cougs advance to the quarterfinals they would face one of Alcorn State, North Texas, Sam Houston State or Santa Clara.
The four advancing teams will meet for the 2023 NIT semifinals and championship game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The semifinals are scheduled for March 28 with coverage on ESPN and ESPN2, and the 2023 NIT Championship, March 30, on ESPN2 at 9:30 p.m.
The 32-team NIT field includes three Pac-12 teams, including Colorado, Oregon, and WSU. Seven Conference teams advance to postseason play in total after Arizona, Arizona State, Southern California, and UCLA earned bids to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, earlier Sunday evening.
Washington State finished tied for fifth in Pac-12 this year, recording back-to-back finishes in the top half of Conference play for the first time since finishing second in the Pac-10 during the 2006-07 season and tied for third in 2007-08.
The Cougars faced the 32nd toughest schedule in the country, according to KenPom. WSU played eight teams with bids to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, finishing a combined 4-8 against the teams. Including the 2023 NIT field, Washington State played 11 postseason teams over the 2022-23 season, finishing with a combined 6-10 record.
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