PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State men's basketball team released its 2023-24 nonconference schedule, WSU Head Coach Kyle Smith announced Monday. The Cougars will play seven home games at Beasley Coliseum in this year's nonconference, as well as four neutral site games as part of multi-team events (MTEs).
 
"We've put together a competitive nonconference schedule this season, "Smith said. "This selection of opponents will give us the opportunity to build confidence and face teams with recent postseason resumes."

Washington State begins its 2023-24 campaign, Monday, Nov. 6, welcoming long-time rival Idaho inside the confines of Beasley Coliseum. The Battle of the Palouse was the longest running college basketball series in the country prior to its cancellation last season. This November's matchup will mark the 278th all-time meeting between the schools.

"We look forward to welcoming Idaho to Pullman again this year," Smith said. "As our closest regional opponent, we are happy to continue this historic series with the Vandals."
 
The Cougars host Prairie View A&M, Nov. 10, in Pullman, a rematch of last year's Pac-12 HBCU Legacy Series in Texas. Wazzu will look for redemption over the Panthers after dropping a 59-70 defeat in Prairie View last fall.
 
Coach Smith and the Cougs hit the road for the first time, Nov. 18, traveling to Uncasville, Conn., for the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Event at Mohegan Sun. The four-team MTE will pit WSU against Mississippi State Saturday in the opening round, followed by a matchup with Northwestern or Rhode Island Sunday, Nov. 19.
 
"We're looking forward to playing in this year's Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off," Smith said of the event. "Since my time coaching at Columbia, the Hall of Fame Committee has carried forward the sport and this event with prestige. This year's tournament is no different and presents an excellent opportunity for our team. We're honored to be included in a competitive field, and we know it will provide a great experience early in the season."
 
After breaking to celebrate Thanksgiving, the Cougs will welcome Utah Tech in a Black Friday tipoff, Nov. 24 at Beasley Coliseum. The Cougars and Trailblazers have never met in program history.
 
Wazzu will conclude the November calendar against Eastern Washington, hosting the Eagles, Nov. 27. WSU and EWU met twice last season; the Cougars won a regular season matchup at Spokane Arena, before Eastern returned the favor with an NIT opening round win in Pullman last March.
 
The Cougars finish their home nonconference slate with three-straight games at Beasley Coliseum. WSU will face Portland State, Saturday, Dec. 2, looking to build on a perfect 9-0 record all-time against the Vikings. Wednesday, Dec. 6, the UC Riverside Highlanders arrive in Pullman. The Cougs welcome UCR to Beasley for the second time, after handing the California club a 70-56 defeat in 2019.
 
The nonconference home schedule concludes Sunday, Dec. 10 against Grambling State. The Cougars have not faced the Tigers since 2011 and hold a 3-0 all-time record against Grambling.
 
The remaining two games of WSU's nonconference schedule will be neutral site matchups, beginning Saturday, Dec. 16 in Phoenix, Ariz. Wazzu was invited to participate in the 2023 Jerry Colangelo Classic. The showcase event will include WSU tipping off against Santa Clara at Footprint Center.
 
"We're looking forward to facing Santa Clara this December," Smith said. "Santa Clara is an emerging program on the west coast. They are a consistent post-season program coached by Herb Sendek. This will be an excellent non-conference opportunity for both programs."
 
Washington State's final nonconference game will feature the Boise State Broncos at Spokane Arena as part of Numerica Holiday Hoops supporting Numerica CARES for Kids, a charitable organization benefiting youth and families in eastern Washington.
 
"We look forward to facing Boise State again this season," Coach Smith said. "It's a great opportunity to host a competitive game in front of our Spokane fans and raise funds for a worthwhile cause."
 
With the exception of the pandemic-modified 2020-21 season, the Cougars' last nonconference slate without a true road game came in 2016-17, when WSU finished 7-5.
 
The 2023-24 Pac-12 Conference schedule begins shortly after the winter holiday, with the full slate of games scheduled for release in the coming weeks. Tip off times and TV selections will be announced at a later date.
 
Season tickets for the WSU men's basketball 2023-24 season are on sale now at wsucougars.com. Single game tickets will be available in the coming weeks. Follow @wsucougarmbb on social media for up-to-date news and information.