Saturday, December 14, 2019

News for CougGroup 12/14/2019


WSU’s stylish new Friel basketball court (in Beasley Coliseum) surface no simple remake



By Jamey Vinnick of Cougfan

(Photos from WSU Athletics)



PULLMAN -- Lisa Waite, who spent 22 years working in the NBA, talks about her role in Washington State athletics with a passion reminiscent of one of her old colleagues, Gary Payton.



She’s not loud like the former Seattle Sonics star, but the passion is readily apparent. Waite loves what she does for a living.



And one highly visible result of it is the newly redesigned -- and widely hailed -- basketball court at Washington State’s Beasley Coliseum. Waite shepherded the makeover.



“The (redesign) process started back in April when about 50 designs with color variations were explored,” Waite, a 1993 WSU graduate, told Cougfan.com last month.  If you haven't seen the court in person yet, WSU hosts UC Riverside on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.



Waite worked with the Sonics, Storm and Oklahoma City Thunder before returning to Pullman a little over a year ago as associate AD for emerging media and creative services.



She said WSU athletic director Pat Chun drove the review and approval process for the court, which was completed in June. The actual painting of the hardwood took place in September.



“It took six days (and four people) to paint and tint the floor,” says Erik Sigurdson, president of Camas-based Courtsports Gym Floors, which turned the blueprints into enameled reality.



The cost of the painting and sealing totaled $50,000. The project didn’t require a replacement of the maple wood floor, just sanding the existing one.



“We created a mixture of paint, floor stain, and clear sealer to create a translucent coating so you can still see the grain of the wood,” Sigurdson tells Cougfan.com. “This was used for the entire court and then again darker for the cityscape.”



Executing all the cut lines, silhouettes, shades and tints is no simple task.

“We used a large riding drum sander to remove all the old finish, paint, and sealers,” he said. “Then we used large plotters to create the digital stencils which are made out of vinyl. The vinyl is installed onto the floor and used as a stencil for the logos, lettering, and state-scapes.

“After we paint or tint we then pull up the stencils which creates a perfect computer-generated logo, lettering style, or state-scape.”



THE SILHOUETTE THAT RUNS from baseline to baseline symbolizes WSU’s unique connection across the state of Washington. The court includes images of WSU’s four branch campuses plus the Cascade Mountains; the Seattle skyline; the Cable Bridge in the Tri-Cities; Spokane’s Riverfront Park Pavilion and Clock Tower; and the iconic Bryan Clock Tower on the Pullman campus.



Waite said inspiration for the landscape came in part from WSU assistant AD Catherine Walker, who suggested a theme along the lines of a 2019 WSU calendar poster -- called Cougar Pride Worldwide -- that had been produced by University Publications.



Cougar basketball coaches Kyle Smith and Kamie Ethridge, Chun and WSU President Kirk Schulz all had input on the design, Waite noted.



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Women Basketball Cougs wrap up 3-game homestand Sunday vs. UC Irvine



Dec. 13, 2019 from WSU Sports Info



Washington State University women's basketball team returns to action this Sunday after a seven-day break, when they play host UC Irvine in the second game of a Cougar basketball doubleheader at Beasley Coliseum. Tip-off against the Anteaters will follow the WSU men's basketball and is tentatively set for 4:30 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Network.



WASHINGTON STATE (5-4) vs UC Irvine (3-6)

 Sunday, Dec. 15 | 4:30 p.m. | Beasley Coliseum

  Live Stats | WSUCougars.com

  Watch | Pac-12 Network Washington



THE STARTING FIVE

-> Washington State looks to continue its winning ways on Friel Court on Sunday, as the Cougars currently stand at 4-1 in home games this season. Through five home contests, WSU has averaged 72.2 points per game, while they've shot the ball with a 43.3% success rate at home. WSU average margin of victory insdie Beasley this season is 23.3 points.



-> The Cougars will close out a three-game homestand on Sunday. The game against UC Irvine will serve as the rubber-match for the homestand, as WSU is currently 1-1 after a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff (85-56) and a loss to then-No. 17/18 Gonzaga (76-53).



-> Sunday's matchup will be the first meeting between Washington State and UC Irvine. The Anteaters, who play in the Big West Conference, are 3-6 on the year after collecting 20 wins a season ago. All-time, the Cougars are just 13-17 against teams from the Big West.



-> All four of Washington State's losses this season have come to teams ranked inside the top-20 of both the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top-25. The intense non-conference scheduling has helped the Cougars post an RPI of 85 entering play this weekend.



-> Sunday's game will be the final home contest of the non-conference season for the Cougars. Washington State will close out the non-conference portion of its schedule at the Miami Holiday Classic on Dec. 20 and 21 in Miami, Florida. WSU will open Pac-12 play at home on Dec. 29 with a Boeing Apple Cup Series matchup against the Huskies.



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WSU football - All-Decommit Team: 10 notable Washington State pledges who flipped on the Cougars before Signing Day



UPDATED: Sat., Dec. 14, 2019



By Theo Lawson  spokesman.com

CHEEZ-IT BOWL

At Chase Field, Phoenix

Friday, Dec. 27: Air Force Falcons vs. Washington State Cougars, 7:15 p.m. PDT TV: ESPN



PULLMAN – The uncertainty of recruiting is part of what makes it so intriguing to college football fans this time of year and, likewise, so unnerving for coaching staffs who work around the clock and travel through the country to nail down their signing class before Dec. 18.

When this week began, Alaka’i Gilman, a three-star prospect from the Hawaiian island of Oahu, was firmly committed to Washington State. Tuesday afternoon, the Punahou High standout reneged on a pledge he made to the Cougars six months ago. Friday evening, Gilman officially swapped shades of red, trading crimson for cardinal when he committed to David Shaw and Stanford.



Gilman is certainly not the first player to change allegiances after committing to the Cougars, nor is he the first in this class, joining Louisville-bound wide receiver Christian Fitzpatrick, who pledged to WSU in late July before flipping to the Cardinals in October.



Fans and coaches in Pullman are accustomed to the peaks and valleys of recruiting. The Cougars could fill an entire depth chart with recruits who were headed to the Palouse before calling an audible. With the NCAA’s early signing period approaching, we trimmed the depth chart down to 10 standout players who were committed to WSU before switching, and graded the impact of their loss on a 1-5 scale.



==1. Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon State

Committed: May 5, 2016

Decommitted: Aug. 15, 2016

WSU’s pursuit of the All-Pac-12 receiver was revisited before the Beavers came to Martin Stadium for the second-to-last game of the regular season – a thrilling 54-53 win on Senior Day. Hodgins was firm with the Cougars for 3 1/2 months and ex-WSU receiver Gabe Marks wore the player’s high school number to practice when Hodgins paid a visit during fall camp. Hodgins was statistically one of the best receivers in the Pac-12 this season, catching 86 passes for 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns before declaring early for the NFL draft.

Impact: 2. The Cougars signed Easop Winston, Tay Martin, Travell Harris and Jamire Calvin in the class and had arguably the deepest WR group in the country this season.



2. Joe Tryon, DL, Washington

Committed: Aug. 15, 2016

Decommitted: Jan. 13, 2017

Tryon stuck a knife into the Cougars when he reopened his recruitment right before his senior season at Hazen High in Renton, then twisted it when he chose WSU’s bitter in-state rival. It’s not a stretch to think one of the Cougars’ last two Apple Cup losses could have gone differently had Tryon been wearing crimson instead of purple. The Huskies’ edge rusher had three tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack in UW’s 13-point win last year. He had one of his top games as a redshirt sophomore in the most recent rivalry meeting, sacking Anthony Gordon twice in the Huskies’ 31-13 rout.

Impact: 5. A player of Tryon’s caliber could have helped WSU reverse a four-point loss to UCLA, a three-point loss to Arizona State or a two-point loss to Oregon.



==3. Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame

Committed: April 11, 2015

Decommitted: Aug. 4, 2015

Would Mike Leach have traded Brian Kelly’s second-year starter for either of the Cougars’ last three quarterbacks? It’s hard to imagine. But at the time of Book’s decommitment, Gardner Minshew was a complete unknown, and few could have guessed a junior college transfer like Anthony Gordon would develop into the Pac-12’s first 5,000-yard passer. Notre Dame fans are still waiting on Book to make the jump from “very good” to “elite,” but it’s also hard to argue with someone who carried his team to the College Football Playoff.

Impact: 2. The Cougars may soon have a third straight QB taken in the NFL draft, but it’s still interesting to wonder what the Air Raid may have looked like with Book’s mobility.



==4. Montrel Meander, LB, Texas/Grambling State

Committed: Jan. 20, 2013

Decommitted: Feb. 4, 2013

Not long after Leach arrived in Pullman, the Cougars started scouting a three-star safety/wide receiver out of Palo Duro High School in Amarillo, Texas. Meander was committed to WSU for just over a month, but Texas rolled out the burnt orange carpet on his official visit, inviting Earl Campbell and Vince Young back to Austin to help sway the high school player. Meander didn’t finish his career in the Big 12, eventually transferring to FCS Grambling State, but he’s bounced around the NFL and is on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad.

Impact: 2. Leach’s early teams in Pullman would have taken all the help they could get on defense, but Meander may not have been a sure-fire starter for the Cougars, and Texas dismissed him after a sexual assault charge.



==5. Kyahva Tezino, LB, San Diego State

Committed: Dec. 16, 2014

Decommitted: Feb. 2, 2015

It isn’t often a WSU commit flips to a Mountain West program. The opposite has happened twice this year, with Jackson Lataimua, a former Nevada pledge, and Julian Ripley, a former San Diego State commit. But four years ago, the Aztecs managed to change Tezino’s mind and the linebacker has gone on to a brilliant career at the midmajor level. The two-time All-Mountain West first-team performer is a projected NFL draft pick and will leave SDSU with 287 total tackles.



Impact: 5. Using the same logic we used with Tryon earlier, it’s safe to assume a future pro could have helped the worst defense in the Pac-12.



==6. Deontay Burnett, WR, USC

Committed: July 14, 2014

Decommitted: Feb. 4, 2015

The Cougars had the speedy receiver in their plans for six months before USC arrived late to flip Burnett on signing day. The 6-foot, 186-pound slot receiver became a reliable target at USC, though Burnett, Sam Darnold and the fifth-ranked Trojans came up short in Pullman two years ago, losing 30-27. USC bounced back to make the Rose Bowl and Burnett was named the MVP of “The Grandaddy of Them All,” catching 13 passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns.

Impact: 3. Burnett and River Cracraft would have been lethal in the slot together. While the USC star would’ve helped out, wide receiver production wasn’t an issue for the Cougars from 2015-17.



==7. Cyrus Habibi-Likio, RB, Oregon

Committed: May 3, 2016

Decommitted: Sept. 18, 2016

A three-star prospect, Habibi-Liko decommitted from Jim Mastro and wound up playing for the longtime running backs coach anyway. Oregon’s redshirt sophomore trucked into the end zone seven times last year – 11th most among FBS freshmen – and was a sure thing on short-yardage situations for the Pac-12 champion Ducks this year, rushing for 337 yards and 10 touchdowns. Similar to Burnett, Habibi-Likio’s decison to decommit from WSU allowed him to play in the Rose Bowl, and maybe he’ll appear in a couple with two more years of eligibility remaining.

Impact: 3. It’s unlikely Habibi-Likio would have taken carries away from James Williams or Max Borghi last year. Because the Ducks don’t throw to their running backs too much, it’s unclear how he would have fared in an offense that would want him to catch the ball and make plays after the catch.



==8. DeMarcus Ayers, WR, Houston

Committed: June 14, 2012

Decommitted: Dec. 13, 2012

When inside receivers coach Eric Morris left the Cougars for Texas Tech, Ayers also ditched WSU for a school in the Longhorn State. The small but athletic receiver had a stellar career at Houston, finishing his senior season with All-American Athletic Conference first-team honors as a wide receiver and return specialist. Ayers led the AAC and ranked sixth nationally with 98 receptions, also ranking 18th nationally with 1,222 yards. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and spent time with two other NFL teams.

Impact: 4. WSU’s depth at receiver from 2013-15 wasn’t as strong as it is now. Ayers’ skills as a returner would have been a nice addition, especially considering how the Cougars struggled on special teams early on in Leach’s tenure.



==9. Dillon Faamatau, DT, Oklahoma

Committed: Dec. 15, 2014

Decommitted: Jan. 26, 2015

The Cougars have struggled traditionally to recruit big, quick nose tackles, and they nearly had one signed in 2015 until Faamatau made a last-minute switch to Arizona State. The Norwalk, California, native signed with the Sun Devils and played in Tempe for one year before transferring to Cerritos College. Faamatau committed to USC in April 2017, but he also flipped on the Trojans, switching to Oklahoma. He’s since stayed put in Norman and was listed as one of two backup noseguards for Alex Grinch and the Sooners before the Big 12 championship game. He enters the College Football Playoff with OU.

Impact: 3. Even if the Cougars did wind up with Faamatau’s services, there’s a chance someone who’s played at three schools and committed to five wouldn’t have stuck in Pullman. Granted, if he did, Faamatau surely would have carved out a role.



==10. Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas A&M

Committed: March 28, 2017

Decommitted: June 2, 2017

A 6-foot-6, 260-pound defensive end, Wilson decommitted from the Cougars, citing the need to “enjoy the recruiting process and pick a school that best fits me.” With offers from Texas A&M, Tennessee, Arkansas, Baylor, Florida, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas, Ole Miss and others, Wilson wasn’t lacking options. He signed with the Aggies and made an impact this fall as a redshirt freshman, appearing in 11 games as a backup and totaling 12 tackles with three tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks.

Impact: 3. WSU graduated its starting defensive end last season (Logan Tago) and Nnamdi Oguayo is set to play his last college game in the Cheez-It Bowl. Even if Wilson wouldn’t have started in Pullman, having him on the depth chart would have been a plus.

Honorable mentions: Austin Joyner (DB, Washington); BJ Thompson (DL, Baylor/Stephen F. Austin); Alec Anderson (OL, UCLA); Dahu Green (WR, Oklahoma/Arkansas State).



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