Questions or comments? Please direct them to Jessica Schmick, Assistant Director, Athletic Media Relations, Washington State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, at jessica_schmick@wsu.edu.
Sunday, Nov. 30 (9 p.m.)
Good Evening!
It was a long trip back, but the team made it to Pullman around 2:30 p.m. today. We left the hotel in Jersey City at 6:15 a.m. ET and headed straight to the Newark Airport. Our flight from Newark to Seattle took off around 8 a.m. We had perfect timing, because as we left Newark it was beginning to snow, it was a very wet snow.
We arrived in Seattle at 11:15 a.m. PT and caught our connection to Spokane at noon. After arriving at Spokane we bussed back to Pullman. Not the most exciting day to report about, but it's nice to be back. Now the Cougars have a quick turnaround before hosting Idaho State, Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. at Friel Court. For all of you in the Northwest who can't make it to Pullman, the game will be shown on FSN Northwest.
Tomorrow we'll have Ben Cartmell with Manager Monday. Ben will give us his take on the trip to New Jersey and talk about what he does on the road.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Saturday, Nov. 29 (11:50 p.m. ET)
Here's another entry from Nikola Koprivica.
Hello Everybody.
Today was pretty much the same as yesterday, but instead of shootaround, we just had a little walk-through in the hotel. Since the game was really late, it felt like we were waiting for the game the whole day, but I think overall we got pretty well prepared for the game.
At game time, everybody was really excited to play against the No. 4 team in the country. We started pretty well and held up in the first half pretty well. Despite having quite a few turnovers in the first half, we stayed in the game.
In the second half we played okay, but there were a few minutes when they made a run and separated themselves from us. It is really hard to chase a team as good as Pittsburgh. We tried a few times and came close a few times, but we couldn't overturn it. Overall, this was a great experience for us, hopefully we're going to learn some valuable lessons and get tougher from this game. We showed ourselves that we can compete with some of the best teams in the country and I think it's going to help our confidence during the year.
Go Cougs!
Nik Koprivica
Saturday, Nov. 29 (11:45 p.m. ET)
Welcome back to the Crimson ZZU!
It's been a long, eventful day here in Newark, N.J. as the Cougars fell to Pittsburgh, 57-43, Saturday in the championship game of the Legends Classic. Everything from streaks broken to points taken away occurred. Here we have the game wrap-up.
Player of the Game: Daven Harmeling. Harmeling was the lone Cougar to score in double figures with 12 points as he went 4-for-9 from the field, all of which were 3-point attempts. Harmeling played 30 minutes for WSU and did not commit a turnover. The 6-7 guard spread out his points evenly, scoring six in each half. Harmeling never gave up, as he hit a 3-pointer with about five minutes to go to pull WSU within six points at 46-40. His final three of the game came with 11 seconds to play and both of his rebounds came in the final two minutes.
Honorable Mention POG: Marcus Capers. The 6-4 guard played just 14 points, but provided a spark while in the game. Capers was part of the run that pulled WSU within six in the final five minutes. Capers hit his only shot of the game had two assists and a blocked shot and committed just one turnover. Klay Thompson. Thompson's first half made Cougars believe. The freshman sharp-shooter scored seven points and grabbed five boards in the first period, well on his way to his second-consecutive double-double. Pitt's defense suffocated Thompson in the second half as he did not score and grabbed just one board.
Stat of the Game: Points off of turnovers. The Cougars committed 15 turnovers, which is tied for second-most by the team this season. Pitt was able to convert those turnovers into 17 points. The Cougars scored just two points off of the Panthers' eight miscues. The difference of the two is 15 points in favor of Pitt, one point more than Pitt's margin of victory for the night. Honorable Mention SOG: Free throws. Pittsburgh got to the line to shoot 27 free throws, going 20-for-27 for 74.1 percent. The Cougars on the other hand shot just four free throws, going 3-for-4 (75.0 percent) from the charity stripe.
Turning Point of the Game: Some may argue the turning point came earlier, but Pitt put the final nail in the coffin in the final five minutes of the game when it went on an 11-3 run. During that span the Cougars missed nine-straight shots before Harmeling hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds to go. Levance Fields sparked the run with back-to-back buckets, a jumper and a 3-pointer. The Panthers went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final two minutes to assist the run.
Play of the Game: After winning the opening tip, the Cougars turned to Klay Thompson to set the pace. Thompson took a pass from Daven Harmeling and spotted up from 3-point range and hit it, giving his Cougars a 3-0 lead and the first points on the board at the 19:38 mark.
Strange Moment of the Night (A special category today): Taking a point. In a strange moment in the under 12-minute media timeout of the first half, the officials reviewed Thompson's second 3-point basket of the night occurring at the 17:28 mark. After reviewing it, the officials changed it to a two. The Cougars literally lost a point and the score went from a 17-14 lead to a 16-14 advantage with 9:46 to go in the half. Pitt quickly grabbed the lead at 17-16 less than a minute later.
I need to try and catch some sleep before we leave our hotel here at 6 a.m. ET. The team will arrive back in Pullman Sunday afternoon and start preparing for Tuesday's game with Idaho State. I will be back with you tomorrow for a trip recap, as the team takes the day off.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Friday, Nov. 28 (11:55 p.m. ET)
Okay, here we have it, the postgame wrap-up. I know it's been a long wait, but here is the wrap-up from WSU's victory over Mississippi State at the Legends Classic in Newark, N.J.
Player of the Game: Klay Thompson. In his first game on the road, the freshman recorded the first double-double of his young career with 19 points and 10 rebounds, bettering his previous career high for points of 17. Thompson also had the best shooting night of his career with a .500 mark (7-for-14). Although he was just 1-for-5 from beyond the 3-point arc, Thompson shot well in the clutch and did an excellent job of floating his shots above the athletic shot blockers of Mississippi State. The Ladera Ranch, Calif. native had just one turnover and converted all four of his free throw attempts. Thirteen of Thompson's 19 points came in the first half as he played all but three minutes of the game. Thompson continues to lead the team in scoring with 13.6 points per game.
Honorable Mention POG: Aron Baynes. The 6-10 center scored a season-high 17 points and went 8-for-10 from the field. Like Thompson, 13 of Baynes' points came in the first half. Of his eight field goals, four of them came off of dunks. Baynes added two blocks and four rebounds and provided a presence in the game that was intimidating. Nikola Koprivica. The Serbia-native had a solid night for the Cougs, putting in a career-high 36 minutes. The 6-6 guard scored seven points, had six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Caleb Forrest. Forrest's first half alone is enough to earn him honorable mention. In the first period, the 6-9 forward was one of four Cougars to score with four points, adding three rebounds, an assist and two steals in 11 minutes. Once again, Forrest's hustle made a huge difference as he dove for ball after ball.
Stat of the Game: Streaks. Margin of Victory. With `just' an 11-point victory, the Cougs ended their streak of six consecutive wins with a margin of victory of 20 or more points. However, WSU has won by double-digits in each of its last seven wins, dating back to last season's NCAA Tournament. Winning the half. The Cougars have won all 10 halves this season, outscoring their opponents 155-111 in the second period. Tonight's second half came down to the wire as the Cougs held just a 28-26 advantage. (Though on Thanksgiving Break, Mike helped me out with this one).
Turning Point of the Game: The final two and a half minutes of the first half and the first minute of the second half. Leading by just three at 29-26 with 2:18 to go in the first half, the Cougs used a 10-0 run which spanned between halves, to take a 39-26 advantage. Although the Bulldogs later pulled within six, the large run gave WSU some breathing room and allowed it to never lose its lead in the second half.
Play of the Game: After losing his first jump ball of the season, Aron Baynes let Mississippi State, and the fans, know what kind of game he was going to play. On WSU's first possession of the game, Baynes took a pass from Koprivica and dunked with authority, making a statement, while setting the pace for the game.
I will be back Saturday following WSU's matchup up with No. 4 Pittsburgh around 8 p.m. ET (Thirty minutes after the Texas Tech-Mississippi State game).
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Friday, Nov. 28 (11:25 p.m. ET)
Good evening Cougs!
Here's Nikola Koprivica with a little recap from the game. Nik had a solid game with seven points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.
So today, standard procedure, breakfast and shootaround afterwards. We had pregame meal at two o'clock and the game at 5:30. I thought we were really prepared for the game, we had a really good scouting report, so we came well prepared for the game. It was really exciting, but we were a little nervous because it was the first time on the road and the best team we'd faced all year. We started off pretty well and the whole team responded really well, so today's Cougars reminded me of older Cougar teams. I hope we can continue like this and even go a step further. It was pretty good to see a great scorer in Klay. Even though Taylor didn't have a great night, we got it together and played as a team with great defense and team offense. I felt pretty good playing a lot of minutes, finally completely healthy. I'm getting more confident as the games go, I feel like I keep progressing. I hope when the Pac-10 season comes I will be in my prime.
Tomorrow we have Pittsburgh, it's going to be a great challenge and I think it's going to show us where we are right now playing against the No. 4 team in the country. We're really excited about it. I think we can match pretty well with them. They look really physical, athletic, a lot of real athletes, but that's another challenge for our young team and hopefully we're going to do well tomorrow.
I hope we'll have good things to talk about after our game against Pittsburgh.
Go Cougs!
Nik Koprivica
Friday, Nov. 28 (9:35 p.m. ET)
Hey Cougs! I'm sure you've all heard by now about the Cougars' big 63-52 victory over Mississippi State at the Legends Classic. I apologize for the delay in getting to you, but I will do our usual postgame blog when I return to the hotel from the Prudential Center. I have a 20-minute train ride ahead of me. Hopefully we can get some input from Nikola Koprivica as well. Thanks for your patience!
By the way, Pittsburgh is up on Texas Tech, 76-60 with two and a half minutes to play in the game. The Cougs will take on the winner of the game.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Thursday, Nov. 27 (7:30 p.m. ET)
Here's another entry from Nikola Koprivia during our stay in New Jersey.
Happy Thanksgiving!
After breakfast this morning we got ready for practice at 1 p.m. We practiced at Keane University, a D-III school with a nice gym. Practice was really intense, which helped us prepare for tomorrow's game. Hopefully that was enough preparation so we can get a win.
After practice we took the subway to New York and had a little tour around the World Trade Center. It was really emotional to see all the pictures and just thinking about the fact that two buildings that large are gone. We saw a memorial wall and went to a tribute to the WTC where we saw first pictures of the World Trade Center being built all the way to when it was destroyed. I think it was really nice to see a little bit of New York, being my first time there. Even though it was sad pictures we saw, it was still really good to be there.
After the city tour we came back to the hotel and had a really nice team/family Thanksgiving dinner. It is interesting for me to participate in Thanksgiving celebration because we don't celebrate it in Serbia, but I have a lot to be thankful for.
That's it for today, hopefully we can get a win tomorrow so there will be a lot of good stuff to talk about.
Go Cougs,
Nik Koprivica
Thursday, Nov. 26 (1:21 a.m. ET)
Welcome to the Crimson ZZU!
We are here in Newark, N.J. with a wonderful view of the city. It's been a long day of traveling, especially with our loss of three hours. This trip, rather than have me do all of the blogging, I'm going to get some help from junior Nikola Koprivica. So tonight here's the Serbia-native to talk about our day of travel.
Hello to all Cougar Fans!
Even though we played a game last night, we knew we'd need to get really prepared for the next couple of games. There was not time to rest, we practiced this morning and as soon as we got done with it, we took off for Newark. It was a pretty long flight from Pullman to Seattle, but it was just preparation for our flight from Seattle to Newark. Even though the flight was long, all the guys were excited to go to New York and see one of the greatest cities in the world. Just to prove that the world is small, I met a Serbian girl on the plane to Newark. It was really great to talk a little Serbian in person after awhile.
After a five hour flight, we finally got to Newark and coincidentally, at the same time as Texas Tech. There was another chance for me to meet another Serbian, a guy who plays for Texas Tech, Darko Cohadarevic ,and we had a nice talk. We got to the hotel at midnight local time, as soon as we got here we had dinner, which was pretty good. Now it's time for us to go to bed and prepare for practice tomorrow.
Go Cougs!
Nik Koprivica
Tuesday, Nov. 25 (11:15 p.m.)
Good evening at the Crimson ZZU!
Well, with Mike at home for Thanksgiving Break, that leaves me to handle the postgame wrap-up. Now, I'm no Mike, but I will try and do this justice. I'm sure most of you know that the Cougs defeated the Golden Griffins of Canisius, 67-41 tonight in front of a crowd of 6,091 at Friel Court. Although there weren't a lot of students, the crowd did its best to rattle the visitors. Here's a look at our postgame honors.
Player of the Game: Klay Thompson. Although the freshman didn't better his career high for points this game, like he has continued to do in every game this season, the 6-6 guard came through for the Cougars Tuesday with his best shooting performance of his career, going 6-for-12 from the field (.500) for 15 points. Thompson added a career-high seven rebounds, which ranked second on the team. The Ladera Ranch, Calif. native is now leading the team with 12.3 points per game, while grabbing 4.8 boards per outing. The last Cougar freshman to average more than 12 points at the end of the season was Mark Hendrickson in 1993.
Honorable Mention POG: Taylor Rochestie. For the second-consecutive game Rochestie scored 17 points. The redshirt senior added three assists, pushing his total to 26 assists on the season. Rochestie added a game-high three of the Cougars' 10 steals. Daven Harmeling. Harmeling scored in double-figures for the second-straight game with 10 points, led by 2-for-3 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. The redshirt senior added two assists and a steal. Aron Baynes. The 6-10 senior center helped keep Canisius' leading rebounder, 6-9, 320 center Chris Gadley, off the boards. Gadley didn't record a rebound, coming into the game he averaged 9.7 boards per game. Baynes pulled down eight rebounds of his own and added seven points. Caleb Forrest. Always hustling, Forrest was on the ground more than anyone else. The senior forward helped on the boards, adding seven of his own.
Stat of the Game: Offensive rebounds. This season the Cougars have been struggling on the glass, giving up a total of 27 offensive boards in the first three games. Tonight WSU grabbed 17 offensive boards of its own, scoring 12 second-chance points. The Golden Griffins had nine offensive rebounds, but no second chance points. In all the Cougs outrebounded their opponent, 44-27, expanding their rebounding margin to +13.5 on the season.
Turning Point of the Game: When the Cougars went on a 24-0 which started while they trailed 9-7. Taylor Rochestie sparked the run with a 3-point bucket giving the Cougs the 10-9 lead. WSU forced four turnovers in a two-minute span, two steals by Rochestie and one by Klay Thompson. The first 10 points of the run were scored by Rochestie and Thompson, each with five. Five Cougars scored in the run which spanned from the 15:03 mark in the first half until 4:20 remained in the period. Of those five Cougars, Abe Lodwick scored four points on a layup and a jumper. WSU took advantage of the 22-point lead and never looked back.
Play of the Game: Just minutes after an old-fashion 3-point play by Klay Thompson, Taylor Rochestie one-upped him with one of his own. Canisius' Robert Goldsberry brought the ball down the floor, but Rochestie picked his pocket for his third steal of the game. Rochestie took the ball all the way down the court for a layup in around two defenders. The point guard was fouled, but converted the layup. The 100-percent free throw shooter on the season hit the free throw for the 3-point play to give the Cougs a 47-18 lead with 18:15 to go in the game.
That does it for the wrap-up. I will be heading to Newark, N.J. with the team as they compete in the Legends Classic at the Prudential Center. I will keep you all up-to-date on our travels, Thanksgiving and games. Tomorrow will be a little crazy, but I will try and check in. I will be getting some help from some of the players while we're on the trip, so be sure to check it out here at the Crimson ZZU.
Check out All-Access video from tonight's game and post game press conference HERE.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Monday, Nov. 24 (7:55 p.m.)
Happy Monday!
Being the Monday of Thanksgiving Break there's not a whole lot of action in Pullman right now. However, there will be action tomorrow inside of Beasley Coliseum as the Cougs take on Canisius College, coming here from all the way out in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Cougs were back in Beasley today for practice, going nearly two hours. The floor was set up ready for game day, following the women's victory over Montana State Sunday afternoon. Also, with the game tomorrow, be sure to check out the latest set of game notes by clicking HERE. Among the fun facts; did you know that the last five of the Cougars' victories have come by 20 or more points, dating back to their NCAA Tournament victory over Winthrop, March 20? You can find out more in the notes.
Well, being Monday, we have our next installment of Manager Monday featuring Ty Arras. Here it is:
Welcome back Cougar Fans to another installment of Manager Monday. My name is Ty Arras and this will be my third season being a manager for the team, and I love it! My main job for the team is helping with all of the coaches' video needs, such as filming practice, games, and helping with film exchange. I also help with the day-to-day tasks in the bball office. And I have to say I love every minute of it!
And another thing I love is that WSU Football won another Apple Cup, winning 4 of the last 5, which means it is a great day to be a COUG!
Well that's it for Manager Monday, until next time GO COUGS!
Ty Arras
Sunday, Nov. 23 (6 p.m.)
Good Evening!
I hope you all had a good weekend, it was quite tan exciting one on the Palouse. Today the basketball team hit the court for practice, which went quite long, around two hours and 45 minutes. Due to the women's game, the team practiced in the new practice gym located in the Physical Education Building, just down the hall from the basketball offices.
The team focused on the details, getting things right, rather than full game speed. As usual the team split into the white and red squads and went against each other for the final seven minutes of practice. Making an appearance today was former Cougar manager Mitch Reaves, who is now the director of basketball operations at Seattle University.
Although we took last week off from our usual segment, we are back with Southpaw Sunday today. We're down to our fourth of five lefties on the team. This week we have redshirt senior Taylor Rochestie.
Five of the 15 members of the 2008-09 squad are left-handed on the court. The lefties on the team include Marcus Capers (who writes right-handed, but shoots primarily with his left), Abe Lodwick, Nikola Koprivica, Taylor Rochestie and Nick Witherill. On top of that, head coach Tony Bennett is a sharp-shooting lefty himself and senior Aron Baynes can use both hands on the court and writes with his left.
QUESTION: What is the best thing about being left-handed?
TAYLOR ROCHESTIE: Showing up to class and seeing a left-handed desk.
Q: What did you think about being left-handed as a child?
TR: `Cool' and 'I am better than you.'
Q: What is the hardest thing for a lefty?
TR: Smearing the pen on the page as I write on paper.
Q: What is the greatest advantage for a lefty?
TR: In basketball people think you want to go left.
Q: Is there anything you do with you right hand?
TR: Baseball, golf, hockey; anything in sports where I have a two-handed grip.
The Cougars have one more day of practice before taking on Canisius, Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. at Friel Court. Since Mike is out of class and at home for Thanksgiving Break, I will be back with you Monday following practice.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Saturday, Nov. 22 (11;30 p.m.)
Happy Apple Cup Cougs!
I'm sure you all are still celebrating the football team's big win over the Huskies today. The basketball team and coaching staff were among the fans in the stands today cheering on the Cougs at Martin Stadium. The team did have the day off from practice, so there's not much to report.
So. today I'm going to give you all a little look at last night's post-game press conference following the Cougs' win over Sacramento State. After each game and following the team's time together in the locker room, Coach Bennett comes down to the Cougar Lounge in the halls of Beasley where he first does his post-game radio interview with Bud Nameck via a wireless mic, then answers questions from the media. After that, anywhere from three to six players requested by the media come in and answer questions.
A few highlights included Daven Harmeling singing Taylor Rochestie's praises after the group was informed that Sacramento State's head coach Brian Katz had nothing but nice things to say about Rochestie, stating, "I love him. What's not to love? He really makes them go."
Harmeling had this to say about the Cougar point guard; "Ever since Taylor came, I remember the first time I played with him at the Rec Center, I told Ronnie, our ops guy, 'that's our point guard.' I've been a believer in Taylor ever since he came here. All of us are blessed to play with him, I think he's a great point guard. He doesn't have any weaknesses. The thing I like the most about him is that he always plays as hard as he can. I think that's all you can ask for in a point guard."
Rochestie, sitting just two seats from Harmeling became a bit uncomfortable, modestly responding, "Jeez Daven".
Aron Baynes was asked what his role is when the guards are shooting as well as they did, to which he responded; "Watch the ball go through the net. I just try to get in there and get my hands on any offensive rebounds I can. There weren't too many tonight. It's more of a defensive orientation for me, I guess, when we're playing like that."
And finally, freshman Klay Thompson was asked what percentage of shots he thought he should make from 3-point range when his feet are set and he has an open look. He said; "With your feet set and an open look, I think 80 percent of your shots should go in from 3-point range. I think my biggest problem is to get my feet set whenever I come across a screen or when I'm open at the wing. When I have my feet set, it starts from your legs, so I think it's going in every time."
I'll be back tomorrow with Southpaw Sunday featuring Taylor Rochestie.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Friday, Nov. 21 (10:20 p.m.)
Welcome to the Crimson ZZU post game. The Cougs got back to business tonight with a 76-55 victory over Sacramento State. That makes it five-straight Cougar victories that have seen margins of 20 points or more, dating back to last year's first and second round games at the NCAA Tournament.
One note from the game that didn't make the post game list, is that true freshman Mike Harthun, who originally the coaches thought about redshirting, saw his first action as a college basketball player today. Head coach Tony Bennett had this to say about Harthun after the game: "I talked to Mike about it. He's clever with the ball, he can shoot, and I think our motto for the most part is to be all hands on deck, as it is every year. He did a nice job when he came in. He got beat once or twice but he moves well without the ball. Certainly, in practice he'll drive our first unit nuts just sticking threes in their faces."
Here's what tonight's game had to offer.
Player of the Game: Taylor Rochestie. The point guard, playing in his 100th collegiate game, responded to his coach's challenge tonight with a career effort. "I certainly challenged him at practice yesterday and I thought he responded, even after a shaky start, but he kept playing," said head coach Tony Bennett. "Before the start of the game, I told him `you don't have to be perfect, play beyond your mistakes. You make a mistake, have a short memory.' I thought he did that." Rochestie wasn't far from perfect. After missing his first three attempts from the field, he returned to the lineup and hit six of his next seven shots including the final five 3-pointers he attempted in the game. Rochestie shared game-high honors with Klay Thompson as the guards each poured in 17 points. Going 5-for-6 from beyond the arc boosted his career 3-point field goal percentage to 43.8 percent, jumping Thomas Kelati for second-best all-time at WSU. He matched his WSU-high with 10 assists, one off his career-high 11 while at Tulane. His 10 helpers were countered with only one turnover, giving him a 5.75 assist-to-turnover ratio this year. Rochestie is now just one assist shy of tying Anthony Kidd for 13th on WSU's career list, and two away from former teammate Derrick Low in 12th place.
Honorable Mention POG: Klay Thompson, for the third-consecutive game, bested his career-high in points. This time the true freshman knocked down six shots, including five 3-pointers, for a game-high 17 points. Thompson also grabbed a game-high six rebounds and dished out 4 assists. Aron Baynes played just 19 minutes tonight, but was one of four Cougars in double-figures with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. Baynes tied Thompson with six rebounds to pace the Cougars to a 29-28 advantage over Sacramento State. The senior from Australia also recorded his first block of the season and his now alone in 14th place on the WSU all-time list with 51 for his career.
Stat of the Game: Three-point proficiency. The new 20-feet-six-inch 3-point line (previously 19-6) in college basketball has not affected the Cougars this year, and certainly not today. The Cougs made a living from long range as they knocked down 15 deep balls. That is the most by a WSU team in the Bennett era, and the most since tying a school-record with 18 against Gonzaga on Dec. 7, 2002. Today, the Cougars were 15-for-29 from 3-point range for 51.7 percent. It is the first time a WSU team has made more than half of its 3-point attempts since March 14, 2008, against Stanford in the Pac-10 Tournament (12-20). The Cougars were so good from 3-point land that they made more shots from outside the arc than from inside. In fact, the Cougars took nearly the same amount of shots from downtown as they were 13-for-30 on 2-point field goal attempts. Coach Bennett had this to say about the 3-point barrage: "If you're not able to get defensive rebounds or create stops, you better be able to throw in a few threes."
Turning Point of the Game: When Taylor Rochestie decided to make this his game. The senior took over from about the eight-minute mark in first half when he knocked down a three-pointer to break an 18-18 tie for his first points of the game. A minute and a half later Rochestie went crashing into the scorers table to make a steal, hustled back inbounds to take the outlet pass and found Klay Thompson on the left wing for a transition 3-pointer and a 25-18 lead. The hustle play brought more than 8,000-strong at Friel Court to their feet and ignited a 10-2 WSU run, one the Cougars never looked back from.
Play of the Game: Less than 30 seconds after entering the game, freshman guard Marcus Capers showed his play-making ability. The Cougars encountered their first deficit of the season when Sacramento State knocked down two free throws to cap a 10-2 run and take a 13-12 lead. On the next possession, Capers got the ball on the wing and made a strong move to the middle where he drew an aggressive double team. Capers pump-faked to get the defenders in the air, looked to the top of the key and fired a bullet into the post where Aron Baynes was waiting all alone for a ferocious dunk that got a jolt out of the Apple Cup-weekend crowd.
I know most of you couldn't forget, but of course, the Apple Cup is tomorrow with a Noon kickoff. Hope to see all of you there. The undefeated Cougar swim team also hosts a home meet against Seattle U at 10 a.m.
Jessica will be back tomorrow with a special feature.
Keep it crimson,
Mike Walsh
Friday, Nov. 21 (9:30 a.m.)
Good morning Cougar fans!
Here we have it, our Freshman Friday feature. This week it features Nick Witherill, a 6-2 guard from Phoenix, Ariz. Here's what Nick has to say:
Basketball season has finally begun! I am so excited for the season, I have been waiting for this season to arrive ever since I committed here before my junior year of HS. It has been my goal to play college basketball since I was about eight years old when I first started watching college basketball. My time here so far has been a great learning experience for me in many ways. Not only am I learning more about the game of basketball than I ever have, but I am also growing mentally and spiritually with every passing day. Even though I won't see much playing time this year, there is not a college I would rather be at right now than here. I am surrounded by awesome teammates and friends, an amazing coaching staff, and great spiritual leaders that help me become a better person everyday.
As for my transition to the college life, it was somewhat difficult. When I left Phoenix it was 110 degrees without a cloud in the sky. When I arrived in Pullman, I was in for a treat. It was 61 degrees and pouring rain when i pulled into my dorm parking lot and I was thinking to myself "what have I got myself into?" That is when I realized I was going to need to go shopping for an ENTIRE different wardrobe. So far I have grown onto the weather though, I just don't know how I am going to handle the snow... The most difficult part of leaving home was missing my family and friends and the little things that you take for granted everyday. Things like beating on my little bro in videogames, watching movies with my mom, playing with my dogs, or just doing nothing with my friends all day. School-wise it is also more difficult than in high school, but it hasn't been a very hard transition because my classes this year aren't that strenuous.
All in all, I am so excited and thankful to be here. I am also very excited for Wazzu to possibly return to the tournament for the third straight year, which I have the utmost faith we will! We are going to continue to keep getting better and working hard everyday so we can reach our goals. That's about all I have to say... oh yeah, Go Cougs and God bless!
-Nick Witherill
Thursday, Nov. 20 (7:30 p.m.)
Hello Cougs!
It's the eve of WSU's game with Sacramento State and the campus is buzzing with all the athletic events going on in Pullman this weekend. Following WSU's basketball game (which tips off at 6 p.m.), the volleyball team will take the court against No. 5 Washington at 8 p.m. down the street at Bohler Gym. Saturday morning the 3-0 swim team will host Seattle University at 10 a.m. at Gibb Pool. And then, of course, the Cougar football team hosts the Huskies in the Apple Cup at noon at Martin Stadium.
As for men's hoops, it was an exciting day at practice today as all 17 members of the team took the court and participated in practice. Looking sharp was freshman John Allen who's missed the majority of practices this season. Allen was racking up assists, thanks to sharp shooting by Fabian Boeke, Mike Harthun and Abe Lodwick during four-on-four drills. He also stepped back and hit two 3-pointers in a row during one five-on-five drill.
Freshman Mike Harthun was hitting on all cylinders today, looking extra confident on the hardwood and with the ball. In defensive drills Klay Thompson used his length to get steals and stop drives.
At the end of practice the white team (consisting of the five starters) took on the red team in a six and a half minute scrimmage. The white team scored first off a hook shot by Aron Baynes. After the red team tied it, the white team looked to regain the lead off a layup by Taylor Rochestie, but DeAnelo Casto made his presence known with a block. Daven Harmeling gave the white team the lead on the next possession. A dunk by Baynes ended the game as the white team took a 3-1 advantage.
After practice I sat down with Caleb Forrest for the 10 questions segment of the next game program, which will be sold at the Idaho State, Baylor and Gonzaga basketball games. He had some very interesting answers and we will have the extra five questions for you on the blog. Speaking of which, Aron Baynes is featured in this current game program and we will have his extra questions for you next week.
By the way, thanks to Mike, we have a new countdown going up top, counting down the seconds until the Legends Classic in Newark, N.J.
Alright, that's all for today, but I will be back in the morning with Nick Witherill's Freshman Friday. I hope to see you all at Beasley for the game, if you can't make it, you can always check out Mike's post-game analysis right here at the Crimson ZZU following the game.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Wednesday, Nov. 19 (8:15 p.m.)
Welcome back to the Crimson ZZU!
I hope you all enjoyed Mike's wonderfully thorough recap of last night's game as the Cougars improved to 2-0. The team took an unexpected break from the usual practice today, taking a little bit of a break before its game with Sacramento State Friday.
Since I don't have practice to report on, I have some other things to discuss. First off, in case you've all been waiting, we will have our Freshman Friday with Nick Witherill this Friday. So any of you in suspense, the wait is over.
The Cougars' game last night was part of the Legends Classic. WSU will play in the championship round of the tournament in Newark, N.J. next weekend. Last night, though, WSU honored a Legend of its own as part of the tournament, former Cougar Craig Ehlo. Ehlo played for the Cougs from 1981-83, taking the team to the NCAA Tournament Second Round in 1983. Craig couldn't make it, but his daughter Erica, who is a student at WSU, was there to accept the award.
This past weekend the women's team traveled to Ehlo's hometown of Lubbock, Texas to play Texas Tech. Upon his return, the WSU women's basketball SID and secondary football contact, Joe Nickell, shared stories of Ehlo's popularity. The people in Lubbock, including TTU's women's radio broadcaster and an assistant men's basketball coach, shared stories of Ehlo's high school days and his reputation in the city. Joe said that Ehlo is almost as popular as Buddy Holly, who was also from Lubbock!
Now, a treat for you guys,
HERE is some All-Access video from last night's game. To watch Coach Bennett's interview, click
HERE. To see Caleb Forrest, Taylor Rochestie and Klay Thompson, check it out
HERE.
I will be back tomorrow with a practice recap, followed by Nick Witherill's Freshman Friday and Mike's game recap on Friday.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Tuesday, Nov. 18 (11:10 p.m.)
As I'm sure all of you know by now, the Cougars are off to a 2-0 start after their 55-33 win over Fairleigh Dickinson tonight. And, yes, that means the Cougars are holding opponents to 29 points per game. Also, opposing offenses are 20-for-105 from the floor against the Cougs for 19 percent. But enough about what everyone else is writing. Here's the Crimson ZZU post game, including a new wrinkle, Play of the Game.
Player of the Game: Nikola Koprivica. The junior from Serbia led a balanced Cougar scoring attack today. Koprivica poured in 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting including 2-for-4 from behind the arc. It is the first time in his career Koprivica has led the Cougars in scoring and just his fourth career double-figure scoring game. Koprivica filled up other areas of the stat sheet as well tonight. The 6-foot-6 guard pulled in four rebounds and used his length to garner a career-high and team-leading three steals, guiding the Cougars to 10 steals. That is the most steals in a game since registering 11 on Feb. 2, 2008, against Stanford.
Honorable Mention POG: Aron Baynes with eight points and a team-high eight rebounds in just 19 minutes of action. Taylor Rochestie, who dished out seven assists against just two turnovers for a 6.5 assist to turnover ratio this year. Caleb Forrest, again hitting four shots from the field, Forrest tallied eight points and two steals in just 12 minutes.
Stat of the Game: Five different players combine for eight blocks. Four of the five were freshmen including Klay Thompson who led the way with three blocks. Fellow true freshman DeAngelo Casto swatted two shots to give him six, two games into his career as a Cougar. Freshman Marcus Capers, redshirt freshman Abe Lodwick and redhsirt senior Daven Harmeling each added one rejection. For Thompson, Capers and Lodwick, it was their first career blocks. The eight blocked shots as a team not only matches the number of blocks they had against Mississippi Valley State in the season-opener, it also equals their season high from last year when they turned back eight shots from the Citadel Dec. 20, in Seattle.
Turning Point of the Game: After a 1-for-6 first half, freshman Klay Thompson found his touch early in the second half as he knocked down jumpers on consecutive possessions to give the Cougars a 30-15 lead. Thompson's first 3-pointer of the game gave the Cougs a 20-point lead at 37-17. Thompson would score a total of seven second half points to give him nine for the game and a new career high. One that is sure to improve time and time again this season.
Play of the Game: With 8:26 left in the game Taylor Rochestie notched his seventh and final assist of the game as Caleb Forrest threw down a very impressive dunk with a defender challenging his attack at the basket. The two-handed flush sent the Friel Court crowd and, most of all, the Cougar bench into a frenzy. I'll let Caleb walk you through what happened, "When Taylor passed it to me, I saw the guy there but I thought he was a little bit farther off. So, I thought I was going to have a wide open dunk. Then when I actually jumped I was like, `uh-oh, this guy's right there. Well it's too late to back out now, I might as well try and dunk on him.' Then he blocked it a little bit and I honestly have no idea how it went in or why it went in. Lucky I guess. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good."
Thanks for checking in. Jessica will be back with a practice report tomorrow as the Cougs have just two days to prepare for Sacramento State who comes to Pullman Friday.
Keep it Crimson,
Mike Walsh
Tuesday, Nov. 18 (8 p.m.)
It's halftime here at Friel Court and the Cougars have a 26-15 lead on Fairleigh Dickinson. Nine Cougars have seen the court so far, led by Aron Baynes' six points and six rebounds. He is on his way to the first double-double of the season. The starters were the same today and they will be for the second half as well.
About to get back underway, check back for the post game entry!
Keep it crimson,
Mike Walsh
Monday, Nov. 17 (8:55 p.m.)
Here we have it, Manager Monday featuring co-head manager Ben Cartmell.
What's up everyone,
I can't believe we are about to play our second regular season game, the next thing we know we will begin Pac-10 play. Today our guys practiced hard and look ready to take on a scrappy Farleigh Dickinson team tomorrow. Our guys grooved their shots and focused on our defensive principles such as transition defense, defensive rebounding and working on their closeouts on the ball. Our guys are rested and ready for game time tomorrow.
I would like to make a note that John Karns is prepared to make a run in our fantasy league, so watch out Daven!
I want to give a shout out to our boy Mitch Reaves up in Seattle, one love.
I'll see you all at the game tomorrow, 7 p.m. tip off.
Keep it crimson,
Ben Cartmell
Monday, Nov. 17 (8:15 p.m.)
Happy Monday at the Crimson ZZU!
Well, I'm sure a lot of you are wondering where our Freshman Friday and Southpaw Sunday segments are (I know at least one of you is!). I know I promised an entry from Nick Witherill, who is both a freshman and a lefty, but do to some technical difficulties, I don't have an entry for you. What I will have for you though later tonight is Manager Monday. Co-head manager Ben Cartmell will be back with you guys to fill you in on things since the first game of the season and preparation for tomorrow's game.
Alright, I've been getting a lot of questions about a few things, so I will answer them here. Many people have asked why freshmen Mike Harthun and James Watson didn't play in the game on Tuesday. Here's what head coach Tony Bennett said about that in his postgame press conference: "the reason I didn't play Miike Harthun and James Watson is, nothing's set in stone, but we're thinking about redshirting those guys. And that's why we didn't put them in."
No rest for the weary, the Cougs have been on the court practicing both yesterday and today. The Cougars' Tuesday opponent, Fairleigh Dickinson, arrived in town yesterday (Sunday), coming straight from Pittsburgh, Pa., where FDU fell, 86-63.The Knights, from Teaneck, N.J., practiced at Friel Court Sunday evening and then again Monday afternoon before WSU hit the floor.
Also, for those of you who have wondered, walk-ons Ryan Bailey and Ben Loewen are now up on the roster at www.wsucougars.com. They came in and got headshots taken today, so look for photos and bios soon.
Finally, if you want to know more about the team and some fun facts, be sure to check out the game notes HERE. Did you know that the Cougars have not lost a game in the month of November under head coach Tony Bennett? WSU is a perfect 15-0 under Bennett in the month.
I will be back later tonight with Ben Cartmell's entry. Thanks for your patience!
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Saturday, Nov. 15 (11:30 p.m.)
It was an exciting day here in Pullman as the Cougars tipped off the 2008-09 season in front of 8,346 fans at Friel Court. The season started with a bang as the Cougars jumped out to a 28-0 lead before Mississippi Valley State scored it's first points with 8:28 remaining in the first half. The final margin was 76-25. The 51-point win is the second-largest margin of victory for a WSU team, three off the record 54-point win against Delaware State (93-39) in 1988.
As the games start we are starting something new here at the Crimson ZZU. As part of every post game entry we will fill you in on the player of the game, the stat of the game and the turning point of the game. Here's the first edition of the Crimson ZZU post game.
Player of the Game: Marcus Capers. The freshman from Winter Haven, Fla., played a team-high 26 minutes and made major contributions in every category. Capers scored six points with four coming from the charity stripe and his lone field goal an impressive 16-foot jumper with a hand in his face. He wasn't in there to score though as he saw most of his time spelling Taylor at point guard, and he picked up right where Taylor left off. Marcus tied Rochestie for the game-high with six assists including an alley-oop to fellow freshman DeAngelo Casto that brought everybody in Beasley to their feet. Capers also brought down a game-high nine rebounds. It wasn't just stats either. Capers put incredible pressure on the Delta Devils' guards all game as he was a huge part of the Cougars' defense holding MVSU to just 25 points on 9-for-54 shooting.
Honorable mention: Caleb Forrest with 13 points including 5-for-5 from the free throw line. He tied his career high in points, which he set last year against MVSU. Taylor Rochestie controlled the game with six assists and zero turnovers in 18 minutes. Aron Baynes led the Cougars in scoring with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field in just 14 minutes of action.
Stat of the Game: Defensive dominance. The Cougars had the best all-around team defensive performance in the Bennett era. WSU held Mississippi Valley State to 25 points. That is the fewest points allowed by any Cougar team since a 48-23 win over Idaho on Jan. 23, 1948. This performance bested last year's victory over the Delta Devils by one point in terms of points allowed as last year's final was 71-26. This year the Cougs limited MVSU to just 16.7 percent from the floor as the Delta Devils hit only nine shots on 54 attempts. Extensive research has not been able to confirm this, but it's possible this was the first time a WSU opponent did not make 10 field goals. On the nine baskets they did make, the Devils only tallied one assist thanks to the swarming Cougar defense. The 45 missed field goals led to a lot of opportunities for the Cougars to grab rebounds and they took advantage of nearly every one, hauling in 53 rebounds, 42 on defense. It is the first time a Cougar team reached the half-century mark since grabbing 50 boards against TCU Nov. 30, 2002.
Turning point of the Game: When Aron Baynes scored six-straight points from 16:53 to 14:42 to stretch the lead to 13-0 and established an inside presence against the much smaller MVSU.
That will do it here from Beasley Coliseum as it turns to the morning after the Cougars started their season with an easy victory. We will be back tomorrow with a little twist. You won't see the usual Southpaw Sunday, rather the long-awaited Freshman "Friday" of Nick Witherill, who happens to be left-handed, after he saw 11 minutes of action tonight.
Don't forget, the Cougars are back in action Tuesday night at 7:00 against Fairleigh Dickinson in the opening round of the Legends Classic.
Keep it crimson,
Mike Walsh
Saturday, Nov. 15 (7:20 p.m.)
We are about 10 minutes from tipping off the 2008-09 Cougar Basketball season here at Friel Court in Pullman!
It's official, Klay Thompson, the heralded freshman from Ladera Ranch, Calf., will become the first true freshman to start a season-opener since Kyle Weaver back in 2004. Other than that, it's familiar faces that will be on the floor to start the season. Seniors Aron Baynes, Daven Harmeling and Taylor Rochestie along with junior Nikola Koprivica will try to get off to a quick start against Mississippi Valley State.
The Delta Devils already have a game under their belts as they fell to Arizona State last night 80-64.
Well we just had the national anthem and the teams are about to hit the floor.
Go Cougs!
Keep it crimson,
Mike Walsh
Nov. 14, 2008 (7:45 p.m.)
Good evening Cougars!
It's the eve of the Cougars' season opener, and I don't think there's a more exciting place to be right now than the Palouse.
The Cougars had their final tune-up for Saturday's season opener at practice today. There was a lot of work on the details, getting all the kinks worked out. Towards the end of practice the Cougars worked on different scenarios, including scoring with both 15 and 10 seconds on the clock both half and full-court. The most efficient play involved Aron Baynes scoring with a dunk after his defender got beat going for the steal. Once again, former WSU head coach Dick Bennett was on hand. After practice he addressed the team with the point of emphasis, "win the hustle."
I realize it's Friday, and with that comes Freshman Friday. I'm not going to make excuses, but Freshman Friday will be a bit late today, it may become Freshman Saturday. This week we have Nick Witherill, a 6-2 guard from Phoenix, Ariz. I will have that for you later. But to keep with the theme of Freshman Friday, I'm going to overload you all with some good freshmen facts.
With that said, here are some freshmen stats , thanks to some research compiled by Dave Saba in the sports information office at Duquesne and Mike Kennedy at Denver. The Cougars have nine total freshmen on this year's roster, which is tied for the most freshmen on a men's NCAA Division I roster. Presbyterian, High Point and The Citadel also have nine freshmen. So, it's safe to say that WSU has the most freshmen of any school not located in the Carolinas.
When it comes to scholarship freshmen, the Cougs are tied for third in the nation with seven, while they're tied for fourth with seven true freshmen. Oregon joins WSU on the list with eight total freshmen, six of them on scholarship and six of them true freshmen.
Although the Cougs have a lot of freshmen, the sophomore, junior and four seniors make up for it, being a little bit on the older side. The Cougars have nine freshmen, but are the 11th youngest team in the nation by average age. The team average age for WSU is 19.87 years old. The Cougs are sandwiched between Arizona State (19.81) and Oregon (19.93).
Freshman Klay Thompson started WSU's exhibition game Monday, so if he starts Saturday, these stats may come in handy. The last Cougar freshman to start a game was Nikola Koprivica, Dec. 21, 2006 against San Diego State. The last time a Coug freshman started the season opener was when Kyle Weaver started Nov. 19, 2004 against Montana State. And, the most points by a true freshman in his debut is 19 by Aron Baynes Nov. 19, 2005 against UC Riverside. For more freshman info, you can check out this week's notes.
Alright, I'll be back with Nick Witherill's Freshman Friday blog either later tonight or in the morning. Hope to see you all at Beasley tomorrow! Just a reminder, tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Thursday, Nov. 13 (10:05 p.m.)
Hello again Coug Fans!
The guys got their legs burning today.
In front of former head coach Dick Bennett the Cougars got back to basics. Before anybody touched a ball, everybody was in a defensive stance working on slides.
Just because the balls started hitting the floor, didn't mean the defense was over. The next 10 minutes was dedicated to transition defense with the team splitting into three squads. Each group took a half-court offensive possession and hustled back to defend a new group running onto the floor until Coach Tony Bennett was satisfied, and he was letting nothing slide today.
Next was a 2-on-2 rebounding drill with a lot of focus on securing loose balls.
Once the Cougars got to the offensive portion of practice, it was still more running. The first thing they worked on was breaking a full court press.
The press break was immediately followed by half-court sets where Caleb Forrest's ever-present energy set the tone for the whole team.
The focus for today's practice was a little on X's and O's, but it's also clear Coach Bennett is intent on getting the team into game shape.
Under 48 hours to Cougar basketball! Jessica will be back with another practice report tomorrow, so I hope to see everyone with tickets at the game Saturday.
Keep it crimson,
Mike Walsh
Wednesday, Nov. 12 (6:15 p.m.)
Happy Signing Day Coug Fans!
I know this season hasn't even really started yet, but today we get to look ahead to next year (the next four years for that matter). Today marks the first day that high school seniors are allowed to sign National Letters of Intent for colleges; and Washington State picked up four gems.
Read more about Anthony Brown (6-5, 205, SG, Spokane, Wash./Shadle Park HS), David Chadwick (6-8, 215, PF, Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin School), Brock Motum (6-9, 215, PF, Brisbane, Australia/Australia Institute of Sport) and Xavier Thames (6-3, 180, PG, Elk Grove, Calif./Pleasant Grove HS) click HERE.
Speaking of looking ahead, ESPN.com's latest Bracketology gives Cougar fans even more reason to be excited about the coming season.
Back to the present.
After a day off yesterday, the Cougars hit the floor today for their first practice since Monday's exhibition win. The men began preparing for Mississippi Valley State with lots of defense.
One-on-one drills became 3-on-3 close out drills, and if that wasn't enough, block outs and defensive rebounds were also heavily stressed. Marcus Capers is making a strong case for being the best on-ball defender on the team with his long arms and gifted athleticism. The freshman from Florida also showed a knack for getting in the way of passes. DeAngelo Casto soared for rebounds on the defensive end while Caleb Forrest and Charlie Enquist fought hard to keep him off the offensive glass.
The Cougs also looked to improve on Monday's 8-for-13 (61.5 percent) performance from the charity stripe as during every break each player shot as many fee throws as they could in a minute, aiming for 82 percent as a team. The white team shot 88 percent for the practice and the red team shot 83 percent.
In other Cougar-related news, former WSU student-athlete Derrick Low led the Syndey Spirit of the Australian National Basketball League to a victory today with 22 points. Read the game recap HERE.
It seems we may have started the blog a year late as D-Low is natural. The Spirit have a different player write a piece each week and this week Derrick was featured. Read what he has to say HERE.
Through 13 games this season, Low is averaging 18.5 points per game, good for fifth in the league. Sydney is off until Nov. 21.
I'll be back with another practice recap tomorrow.
Keep it crimson,
Mike Walsh
Monday, Nov. 10 (11:30 p.m.)
SIDELINE SEATING PHOTO GALLERY
Good evening Cougs!!
In addition to seeing a new team on the court at tonight's exhibition game, fans also got to check out the new look of Beasley Coliseum, including some new seats. I want to take a minute to talk a bit about some of the new courtside seating that is still available, thanks to the help of the WSU Athletics Ticket Office, including the hard-working trio of Dan Meyer, Jessica Young and Jeremy Wang.
Here's the deal, last season WSU Athletics added baseline seating, and with its success, worked to create additional courtside seating for fans on the sidelines for 2008-09. There is a very limited number of the premium courtside season tickets still available for this season. It's pretty much as close to the action as you can get without having a pick set on you by Aron Baynes. Which is to say, your feet are literally ON Friel Court.
Anyway, a handful of the baseline folks have moved to the sideline, freeing up a few baseline seats, and there are still some unsold sideline seats available. Here are the prices: baseline season tickets (16 games) are $1,315 and sideline seats are $1,515 apiece for the season.
Locking these seats in as a season ticket also gives you first right of refusal to renew the seats, meaning that no one can take the seats away from you as long as you wish to keep them. With one of our customers from last year already putting the seats in his will, chances are you will want to keep them for a very long time! Call 800-Go-Cougs during business hours, or log on to www.wsucougars.com to secure your seats today!
Okay, now for those of you who weren't at the game tonight, the Cougs looked sharp against Lewis-Clark State, with a 76-31 victory. Coach Bennett was impressed with the way the team came out, saying, "I thought we came out with the right kind of intensity. That's what we really wanted, to try and establish some things defensively."
However, there's still work to do as Bennett added, "There's much work to be done, there's no question."
In the postgame press conference, Taylor Rochestie joked about all the new faces on the team. "It was really exciting to get out there with a new team. Every now and then if I get lonely, I just look down and see Baynes, he's a familiar face. It was just exciting to get back out on the floor," Rochestie said.
I will have more quotes from tonight's game from freshmen DeAngelo Casto and Klay Thompson, as well as Daven Harmeling's insightful comparison of his freshman class and this year's freshmen, tomorrow.
Mike did a wonderful write-up about the game, you can read it HERE.
The team takes Tuesday off, so we'll be back to tie up some loose ends. Thanks for all your support.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Monday, Nov. 10 (1:15 p.m.)
Hello Cougs!
Before the Cougs hit the floor for their exhibition game against LCSC, we have our Manager Monday blog entry. Today we have Neil Stover, who will explain all about himself, his job and offer a little more insight into Cougar Basketball.
Happy Game Day Cougar Fans!
The smell of hardwood, a bustling campus and crazy last-minute preparations can only mean one thing: Cougar Basketball is back! And it's about time.
My name is Neil Stover and I am a sophomore co-equipment manager for the team. As a communication major with an interest in journalism, this post promises to be uncontrollably lengthy. My sincerest apologies if reading this causes even greater procrastination from work or school.
My role with the team involves preparing all of the team's equipment before and after practices and games (along with co-head manager Ben Cartmell), keeping track of points/possession during practices and helping the coaches with Scoutware- a recruiting database. I want to give a special thanks to former manager Mitch Reaves, who is now on staff with the basketball team at Seattle University, for his help in teaching me all of the intricacies of Photoshop and Scoutware.
Now that I have told you a little bit about me, I want to take this opportunity to share with you all just how the Five Pillars of Cougar Basketball affect even us as managers. As you may or may not know, when the Bennetts came to WSU, they brought with them the Five Pillars that the program lives by. Those five pillars are Passion, Unity, Humility, Servanthood, and Thankfulness. Let's look at how we, as managers, fit these five pillars:
Passion: Obviously, we all have a passion for basketball, and specifically this program, or we would not dedicate several hours a day to it.
Unity: With all of the special roles each of our managers have, it is imperative that we are unified with a common goal. Without everyone being on the same page, it is impossible for us to fulfill our duties successfully.
Humility:Let's just say it's pretty easy to stay humble when you are washing sweaty clothes everyday!
Servanthood: The title student-manager is pretty much synonymous with servanthood. We all spend countless hours every day working for the team and coaches, and expect nothing in return.
Thankfulness: People always say if they love their job, they would do it for free. However, if it actually came down to it, few of them actually would. Well, as managers, we have the wonderful opportunity to work in a job we love, while doing it for nothing more than fun and satisfaction. That is why we truly have the greatest job one could imagine.
Finally, I would just like to let you know about Managers vs. Cancer. As the President of the Pac-10 for Managers vs. Cancer, I intend to shamelessly plug the organization whenever possible. Managers vs. Cancer is a national non-profit organization that allows division one basketball managers to parlay their unique opportunity into benefitting cancer research. Throughout the season, there will be autographed memorabilia auctioned off on www.managersvscancer.org, with all proceeds going directly to the American Cancer Society. I encourage you all to frequently log on and check out those items. They especially make great gifts for the Holidays. Also, I want to thank all of you who bought raffle tickets at Saturday's scrimmage, which helped us earn $400 for the cause.
Alright Coug fans, sorry to keep you so long. I guess it's time for you all to get on with your work and studies. I hope to see you all at the exhibition game tonight, and then for all the home games from here on out. Be loud and be proud because this is sure to be an exciting year.
Go Cougs,
Neil Stover
Sunday, Nov. 9 (2:05 p.m.)
Good Afternoon!
With games getting started this week (including the exhibition game tomorrow, Monday, at 7 p.m.), the Cougs hit the floor for practice Sunday. WSU practiced from 11-1 p.m., before the women's team's exhibition game set for a 3 p.m. tipoff.
It's been an eventful weekend on the Palouse with the scrimmage Saturday morning, home volleyball and soccer both Friday and Sunday, football Saturday and the women's game Sunday. And of course it was Dad's Weekend, so thanks to all you dads who came for the weekend.
One dad in attendance was Howard Rochestie, Taylor's father. Following the scrimmage Saturday (and some time in the weight room), the father and son duo made an appearance on Bud Nameck's pregame radio show live from the field house. As the two appeared, fans gathered, as both father and son signed autographs afterwards.
As is tradition, we have our Southpaw Sunday segment today. This time we have freshman Marcus Capers who claims to be just a lefty when it comes to the basketball court.
Five of the 15 members of the 2008-09 squad are left-handed on the court. The lefties on the team include Marcus Capers (who writes right-handed, but shoots primarily with his left), Abe Lodwick, Nikola Koprivica, Taylor Rochestie and Nick Witherill. On top of that, head coach Tony Bennett is a sharp-shooting lefty himself and senior Aron Baynes can use both hands on the court and writes with his left.
QUESTION: What is the best thing about being left-handed?
MARCUS CAPERS: It's different than everyone else.
Q: What did you think about being left-handed as a child?
MC: Why does everyone shoot so weird?
Q: What is the hardest thing for a lefty?
MC: Finding a baseball glove.
Q: What is the greatest advantage for a lefty?
MC: It's hard for other players to guard me when I'm playing basketball.
Q: Is there anything you do with you right hand?
MC: I bat right handed.
For those of you who can't make it to the game Monday, you can read all about it following the action at www.wsucougars.com. A reminder for those of you that can make it, admission is free and tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Friel Court against Lewis-Clark State.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Saturday, Nov. 8 (12:30 p.m.)
Good afternoon Cougar Fans!
Although gloomy outside, the mood was electric inside Bohler Gym Saturday morning as the Cougs debuted their 2008-09 squad in an intrasquad scrimmage open to the public. An estimated 1,600 fans showed up to cheer on the Cougs against each other.
The first game pit the Gray team of Aron Baynes, DeAngelo Casto, Klay Thompson, Taylor Rochestie, Daven Harmeling and Caleb Forrest against the Crimson team of Abe Lodwick, Mike Harthun, Marcus Capers, James Watson, Charlie Enquist, Nikola Koprivica and Nick Witherill. The Crimson team defeated the white team, in a nail biter, 15-13.
In the second game the Crimson team consisted of DeAngelo Casto, Taylor Rochestie, Daven Harmeling, Mike Harthun, Nick Witherill and James Watson. The Gray team included Charlie Enquist, Abe Lodwick, Klay Thompson, Marcus Capers, Caleb Forrest and Nikola Koprivica. In another close game, the Crimson team prevailed with a 15-14 victory.
Before the third game, Coach Bennett addressed the crowd, encouraging the side across from the benches to cheer on the freshmen, while the other side supported the upperclassmen (with redshirt freshmen Charlie Enquist). The game came down to the final possession, but the freshmen, led by the sharp-shooting Klay Thompson, defeated the upperclassmen, 14-11, as Marcus Capers blocked a 3-point attempt by Rochestie at the buzzer.
The first two games went in 10-minute segments, while the final game was seven minutes. After scrimmaging, the team hit the practice gym to shoot some free throws before lifting weights. The team will be back on the court Sunday, and I will be back with you then.
Keep it Crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Friday, Nov. 7 (6:27 p.m.)
Happy Friday Cougs!
I'm going to keep my part short, because it is Freshman Friday and we have a wonderfully insightful entry for the week. Just a reminder to all of you in Pullman this weekend (especially you dads up here for Dad's Weekend), the team will scrimmage Saturday morning from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Also, don't forget about the raffle that the managers are holding to raise money for Managers vs. Cancer. For more information on the organization, click HERE.
Okay, onto the exciting part. This week we have 6-foot-3 guard Mike Harthun doing our blogging for Freshman Friday. The Medford, Ore., native has a lot to say about the basketball team, his transition to college life and what he misses most about home. Here it is:
It is beginning to change seasons here in Pullman, Washington and I am not ready for the winter. With the weather though comes the best season of all sports and that is basketball. The season up to this point has been a humbling experience to say the least. For me it has been a difficult transition from high school, but I look forward to the challenges that it brings each day. In high school I was the best or second best player on the team behind Kyle Singler (currently at Duke). Now on this team I am far from that, but I like it that way. It gives me new goals and things to work on each day in practice. Also I have no choice, but to improve when I am playing against the high level of competition that I am. Right now I am trying to slow down a bit and enjoy the game like I should be doing. To this point I have been more stressed out about basketball rather than just going out and playing the game I love with a loose abandon. Like my high school coach Dennis Murphy always told us, "go out there and play with a smile on your face, a hop in your step, and a song in your heart". I am going to do my best to keep this in mind every day that I step on the floor. I have dreamed of playing division I basketball since I was about four years old and now it's here. I am thankful that my parents put a ball in my hands at the age of two because I don't know what I would do without basketball.
The upper classmen have been a big help in making the transition easier. They are very accepting of the younger guys and always open to questions on and off the court. I am trying to learn as much as I can from them before they leave next year and this freshman class, at that time, will be the majority of the team. To go along with the upper classmen is the coaching staff. They are the main reason that I picked Washington State and they have only made me feel stronger about my decision. I will say this, they are not always quite as nice when we hit the court as they were when they recruited me, but that is a positive. They push us and I am thankful for this because it shows that they truly care about you and more importantly the team. I am looking forward to building stronger relationships with the coaches and all of my teammates.
One thing that I can't help but miss at times is being home with the family. I am blessed with an awesome family and definitely feel like I took advantage of some of the years we spent together. I really, really miss my mom's homemade cooking. Her two best meals are MEXICAN food which is my favorite and funnel cakes for breakfast. My sister just had her first kid and I missed out on that, but hopefully I get to see the little guy around Christmas time.
Now last, and to be honest, least for me is school. I have never been a big fan of school, but it comes with the territory of being a STUDENT-athlete. Student comes first and if you don't perform in the classroom then you will not get a chance to perform on the court. I am trying to look at it as a free education and a stepping stone into a more positive future for me. It has been a very difficult transition in the classroom for me. I find myself putting in a great amount of extra time in the books when we have free time. With that being said sometimes I get discouraged because the results don't reflect the time I put in as well as I want them to. This will all come with time though.
Overall my experience at Washington State so far has been a positive one. There has been ups and downs without question and each day is hard. I am very thankful for the opportunity to play and go to school here. First game is coming up and we will be working hard! GO COUGS!!
-Michael Harthun #3
Thursday, Nov. 6 (7:15 p.m.)
Good Afternoon Coug Fans!
Welcome back to the Crimson ZZU. Practice today was hard-fought and seemingly non-stop.
There was a major focus on shooting with tired legs today as the guys were constantly going. After every drill they rushed to the free throw line and got in their shots so they could have a rest.
The fast-paced practice was met with a high level of intensity by the players, especially the red team during a 15-minute, full-court, five-on-five scrimmage.
The white team prevailed though, as Klay Thompson's and Daven Harmeling's sweet outside shooting led the way.
Despite being outscored, the red team was definitely the aggressors, as they jumped passing lanes and fought for offensive rebounds which turned into second and third-chance points.
It's evident the team wants to get out on the floor and play somebody in a different colored jersey as the Cougars were playing with a lot of fire and emotion.
Overall, it was a tough practice today, but the players accepted the challenge and look ready for their exhibition game Monday against LCSC.
Don't forget about the first chance to see the 2008 Cougs hit the floor though.
As part of the Dads' Weekend festivities here at WSU the men's basketball team will be squaring off in an intrasquad scrimmage Saturday morning at 10:30 in Bohler Gym. The scrimmage is open and free to the public and will run for about an hour.
Something else to look for at the scrimmage is the student-mangers selling raffle tickets. The raffle is to support Managers vs. Cancer and will give you the opportunity to win a ball autographed by this year's Cougar hoop squad. The managers will also be taking donations and handing back receipts for tax purposes.
Hope to see everyone in Bohler to support the team and help the managers with a good cause.
Also, tomorrow's edition of Freshman Friday will feature Medford, Ore. product Mike Harthun.
Keep it crimson,
Mike Walsh
Wednesday, Nov. 5 (10:05 p.m.)
Welcome to the Crimson ZZU!
There's not a whole lot to talk about today, but I do want to start off with telling/reminding you all about the scrimmage this Saturday. The Cougs will hold an intrasquad scrimmage from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in Bohler Gym, giving all you fans a chance to check out the team before the football game at 2 p.m. The scrimmage, which is open to the public, will take place just two days before WSU's exhibition game against LCSC on Monday at 7 p.m.
Today the Cougars practiced in the practice gym in PEB, rather than their usual practice location of Beasley. The practice, which contained a lot of 5-on-5 competition, went by quickly as the team hit the weight room right afterward.
I know I promised a photo gallery to come soon...we're missing one of our lenses right now...but I will have one ASAP.
Mike and I will be back tomorrow with more. Mike's been busy writing some feature stories for our upcoming game program, but he will be returning to practice tomorrow.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Tuesday, Nov. 4 (11:30 p.m.)
Good Evening Coug Fans!
Practice today started and ended as they have the last week or so. A lot of offensive repetition at the beginning and a lot of shooting before anybody left.
What happened in the middle of practice is what Cougar fans are excited to see this coming season. Taylor Rochestie looked very good slashing and getting to the basket despite a six-man zone defense. On the perimiter Daven Harmeling was stretching the "D" as he knocked down 3-pointer after 3-pointer. And on the blocks, Aron Baynes looked as strong as ever.
Also taking place today was an extended transition defense drill. The white and red teams took turns on each side of the ball as the white team looked good on both fronts.
Before the team got in their end-of-practice shooting, they ran through more full-court offensive sets.
I know you have all been sitting around your computers waiting for the blog name race to be called, and the wait is over. Crimson ZZU wins with a final total of 26 votes. The blog headline will be changed this week and will be known as Crimson ZZU for the rest of the season.
Thank you to everybody who sent in your suggestions and those of you who voted over the last 10 days, and please keep the comments and concerns about the blog coming to mwalsh88@wsu.edu.
Keep it crimson,
Mike Walsh
Tuesday, Nov. 4 (2:28 p.m.)
Here it is Coug Fans!
The second installment of Manager Monday is finally here thanks to co-head manager Mike Simonson.
What's up Cougar world,
This is Mike Simonson, the second half your stupendous head managers. I just wanted to stop by and fill you in with our ever busy manager tasks.
Practice today was like a NASCAR race, running from drill to drill like an assembly line. Luckily I was pulled aside to play in a few drills, while Ben Cartmell had to ref the many live drills we ran today. I felt bad because Ben was put into a tough situation because he had to organize our manager crew while making terrible calls on the court (just kidding, he's a great ref).
Even though Ben was in a tough spot, I didn't have it easy either, I was stuck guarding many of our freshmen, I never realized how bad of an athlete I was until about three hours ago. Reality definitely hit me after a poor closeout on Abe Lodwick, that sent me flying off the court into Coach Woodley. Luckily I didn't kill Coach Wood but that being said, I think I'm going to take it easy for awhile.
Today was a good day for our managers; we were able to stay on top of everything and didn't have any mix-ups. I think it's because we have a solid crew this year and they make my life very easy. So I have to give the boys a shout out: Neil, Charlie, Casey, Blake, Ty, John and Ben; thanks for the hard work keep it up.
Alright guys, I guess that's enough from me, I'll see you on the "Flip Side."
Mike Simonson
Tuesday, Nov. 4 (1:00 p.m.)
Happy Election Day Coug Fans!
While we are still waiting for technology to catch up to us here at the blog, yesterday's Manager Monday entry seems to have been lost in cyberspace. It will be up by this afternoon though.
In the meantime, I wanted to give everyone the first numbers from our polls. After checking and double-checking all of the ballots, and throwing out all of the duplicate votes... it's turning into a landslide in the voting for the blog name.
Crimson ZZU- 25
(Cougar) Hoopla- 7
Cougar Fast Break- 3
Cougar Dribble- 2
Beyond the Arc- 2
In the Paint- 1
For those of you still undecided and waiting to send in your vote, you have until 10 p.m. PST, when the last poll closes (Alaska), to let your voice be heard.
Thanks, and I will be bringing you occasional updates throughout the night, as well as that Manager Monday feature and today's practice report.
Keep it crimson,
Mike Walsh
Monday, Nov. 3 (7:32 p.m.)
Welcome Back Coug Fans!
The Cougs were back on the court Monday after a break Sunday. The first part of practice was spent working on implementing offensive plays, as the team looked quicker and more focused than on past Mondays. The Cougs also spent a lot of time going live in both drills and a short scrimmage at the end of practice.
A couple orders of business to take care of tonight; first off, I realize there haven't been many new photos lately, I will get a new practice photo gallery up early this week. Secondly, it is Monday, so Mike will be back later tonight with Manager Monday featuring co-head manager Mike Simonson. Mike will also be back Tuesday with the results from our blog-naming competition.
Finally, there's been a time change in the Cougars' season opener, Saturday, Nov. 15. The game against Mississippi Valley State has been moved from 7 p.m. to a 7:30 p.m. start at Friel Court so that WSU fans can listen to both the football and basketball games live. Thanks for all your support!
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
Nov. 2, 2008 (11:30 a.m.)
Good morning Coug Fans!
Since the Cougars are traditionally off on Sundays, we are continuing our Southpaw Sunday Segment. Each Sunday we sit down with a different left-handed member of the WSU basketball team and ask them the same five questions about what it is like to be left-handed.
Five of the 15 members of the 2008-09 squad are left-handed on the court. The lefties on the team include Marcus Capers (who writes right-handed, but shoots primarily with his left), Abe Lodwick, Nikola Koprivica, Taylor Rochestie and Nick Witherill. On top of that, head coach Tony Bennett is a sharp-shooting lefty himself and senior Aron Baynes can use both hands on the court and writes with his left.
Our second installment of the segment features junior Nikola Koprivica.
QUESTION: What is the best thing about being left-handed?
NIKOLA KOPRIVICA: Being different than others.
Q: What did you think about being left-handed as a child?
NK: That I was special, I was the only lefty on my team.
Q: What is the hardest thing for a lefty?
NK: To be as good with his right hand.
Q: What is the greatest advantage for a lefty?
NK: It's so hard to guard me.
Q: Is there anything you do with you right hand?
NK: Play Guitar Hero/Rock Band.
The team is back on the court Monday, I will be back with you then.
Keep it crimson,
Jessica Schmick
