WSU-Cal: Men's Hoops Preview

The Washington State men's basketball team returns home to host the Cal Bears Thursday night after a road trip split against the Arizona schools.

The past is in the past for the No. 9 Cougars. It's time to buckle down and prepare for one of the most dangerous teams in the Pacific-10 Conference.

OK, please stop mocking me with comments such as, “Cal is one of the most dangerous teams in the Pac-10? Are you kidding me?”

Let me tell you, a team that is second in scoring in conference play and 31st nationally in scoring average is dangerous.

Before you start rattling off WSU stats for holding teams to an average of 54 points per game, consider this. Going into the Cal-Stanford game, Stanford was giving up an average of 56 points per contest. Cal put up 77 points on that defense.

When the Bears played USC, they scored 92 points against a Trojan defense that held opponents to a paltry 59 points per game. That’s right. Those are PAC-10 quality teams and defenses which couldn’t stop the Bears. So although the Bears bring a conference record of 2-5 and 11-7 overall, they are a good basketball club.

 When you mention Cal this season, the discussion should begin with sophomore Ryan Anderson. Anderson is leading the Pac-10 in scoring with a 21 points per game average. He poured in 32 and 30, respectively, when the Bears made their Arizona swing.

Recently, senior center DeVon Hardin has improved his play offensively. Over the past few games he’s averaging nearly 12 ppg. That’s nothing special unless you put in in the context of a player that contributes eight rebounds and two steals while playing tough defense in the middle. 

Another player who can make a solid contribution when he’s on the floor is Jamal Boykin. No, he’s not comparable to the 5-5 Earl Boykins of the NBA. Jamal is a transfer from Duke who stands 6-8 and can provide a spark on both sides of the floor for the Bears.

Describing Cal as a dangerous team can be backed up by the man who leads their basketball club, Coach Ben Braun who has been in Berkeley for 12 seasons. Five of his teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament and in 1999 his squard won the NIT. He was Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 1997.

Given the high academic standards at Cal, that’s some impressive coaching.

Braun also likes to see a fast paced game, which flies in the face of the preference of Coach Tony Bennett and the Cougs.

Having said all that, Washington State will be ready for Cal. They were humbled in Tucson and were pressed to the limit by ASU. Cougar seniors won’t be deterred in their quest for success. Then there’s the Zzu Crew! Playing at home is a tremendous advantage for any team, but that is truly the case for the Cougs.

Playing before a packed house in Pullman is, once again, a very special experience.

Sorry Cougar Nation, this game won’t be televised and at the moment it doesn’t appear that there will be a real time webcast. Check your local radio stations if you want to listen to another Cougar victory.

Prediction: WSU 81 - Cal 70