WSU MEN’S BASKETBALL IN PULLMAN Saturday night vs. USC: Cougs
lost 93-84
PULLMAN (AP) -- Nick
Rakocevic scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and USC never trailed en
route to a 93-84 win over Washington State on Saturday night. Feb. 2, 2019
Jonah Mathews scored 20 points on 6-7 shooting from 3-point
range for USC (13-9, 6-3). Bennie Boatwright added 18 points and five rebounds.
Robert Franks scored 25 points for Washington State (8-14,
1-8). Ahmed Ali added 18 points and seven assists.
USC exploded to start the game with a 16-4 run in the first
seven minutes of the game. Shaqquan Aaron knocked down a 3-pointer, followed by
a jumper from Derryck Thornton and a big dunk underneath the basket by Victor
Uyaelunmo.
WSU fought back with an 8-0 run of its own to make it a
seven-point game after 3's from Aljaz Kunc and Viont'e Daniels, followed by a
layup from Franks.
USC answered with a 17-2 run over 3:30 to retain a 19-point
lead. Rakocevic scored the first six points of the run after a layup and
four-point play. Rakocevic was fouled on a layup, missed his free throw and
recovered his own rebound for an easy bucket under the rim completing the
four-point play.
The run was capped by a jumper from Thornton and a 3-pointer
from Boatwright. USC lead at halftime 47-33.
………………………
Washington State, USC looking to reboot their offenses
Saturday at Beasley Coliseum
UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 1, 2019, 5:39 p.m.
By Theo Lawson Spokane S-R
PULLMAN – Two Pac-12 teams looking to rebound from
discouraging mid-week losses will meet Saturday at Beasley Coliseum.
Five teams sit between USC (12-9 overall, 5-3 Pac-12) and
Washington State (8-13, 1-7) in the conference standings entering a 4 p.m.
showdown at Beasley Coliseum (Pac-12 Networks). While their season trajectories
might differ, the Trojans and Cougars also share similar objectives entering
their ninth Pac-12 game.
On Wednesday, both teams suffered double-digit losses that
could be directly linked to sloppy passing and inaccurate shooting. Despite
deficiencies elsewhere, WSU and USC, through nonconference and conference play,
are still two of the best in the league at putting the ball in the basket,
ranking third and fourth in team scoring average – the Cougars at 77 points per
game, the Trojans at 76.9.
But those averages have tapered since the Pac-12 season
opened. The Trojans are averaging 73 ppg (seventh in conference games) and the
Cougars are down to 68 (11th).
That trend continued Wednesday.
WSU stayed cold against UCLA, scoring 67 points in a
20-point loss to the Bruins that saw the home team shoot 43 percent from the
field. USC struggled to operate against the league’s top defense, shooting 40
percent in a 75-62 loss at Washington.
The Trojans had won three in a row before dropping
Wednesday’s game in Seattle to the only team still unbeaten in Pac-12 games.
The Cougars lost their fourth in a row and have now dropped 10 of 11 games.
“I’m a coach that’s been at this for a while and I
understand young people,” WSU’s Ernie Kent said after the UCLA loss. “Things
are not going to come to them overnight, as much as I want them to and I want
them to get better quicker.
“You have to be patient. You cannot lose them and you’ve got
to continue to teach and teach and teach, because when they get it or when they
grow or when they mature, you have to make sure you’ve taught the things you
need to teach them to be successful.”
WSU’s Robert Franks (21.2 ppg) and USC’s Bennie Boatwright
(17.3 ppg) are two of the league’s top five scorers, but a more intriguing duel
might be the one between the Cougars’ CJ Elleby and the Trojans’ Kevin Porter
Jr.
Both are 6-foot-6 freshmen from Seattle who were former
rivals in the highly competitive Metro League. Now Elleby and Porter Jr. are
two of the Pac-12’s top rookies, respectively scoring 16 and 9.5 ppg.
USC’s Nick Rakocevic could also be a handful for the
Cougars. The 6-11 junior forward from Chicago has posted 10 double-doubles this
season and is basically averaging one, with 15.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per
game.
“I’ve always said when the conference hits, USC will have a
chance to reset their season,” Kent said. “And they’ve done a good job of
that.”
::::::::::::::::::
WSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IN LOS ANGELES
Friday night vs UCLA. Sunday afternoon vs. USC.
Chanelle Molina's Big Night for WSU Women’s Basketball Not
Enough vs. UCLA in Westwood/Los Angeles
2/1/2019 from WSU Sports Info
LOS ANGELES - Despite a shooting clinic from Chanelle Molina
and a double-double from Borislava Hristova, Washington State (7-14, 2-8) could
not keep pace with UCLA (12-9, 5-4) Friday night in Westwood as the Bruins
pulled away in the second half for an 83-56 win. From the outset, the Bruins
were able to use their size and athleticism in the paint and the passing lanes
to control the contest despite a quick start to the game offensively by the
Cougs. Finding their shooting rhythm early, WSU shot nearly 62% from the floor
in the opening quarter but found themselves trailing by one after 10 minutes of
play due to UCLA collecting nine offensive rebounds and forcing four Cougar
mistakes accounting for 13 of their 19 points. While UCLA continued to produce
at the same rate in the second quarter, the Cougars' offense went frigid,
hitting just 2-of-15 shots from the floor in the period which saw the Bruins
push their lead to double-digits heading into the lockerroom. After a sluggish
start in the first half, Molina went supernova to start the third, drilling
five three-pointers including four in the first five minutes out of the break
to get the Cougs within six midway through the frame. However, the quarter
would prove to be a microcosm of the opening half as WSU would miss seven of
their final eight from deep in the final 4:27 of the quarter allowing the
Bruins to close out on a 14-5 run that broke the game wide open. The Bruins
continued to put the pressure on in the games final quarter, shooting just over
60% from the floor to seal the win.
WSU Coach Kamie Ethridge Quote:
"I thought we played with some pretty good heart and I
though Nelle came out in the second half and really tried to keep us in it and
will us in it. Their zone bothered us in teh second quarter I thought we
handled that decently a little bit in the second half, but again its hard when
you are playing people as many minutes as we are and we just didn't get enough
production. We didn't score enough points to compete against these top
teams."
………….
WSU dropped its fifth-straight game in Pac-12 play with the
loss in the lone meeting of the season between the Cougars and the Bruins.
Chanelle Molina scored a game-high 24 points including
finishing a career-best 6-for-7 from distance. The 24 points marked the fourth
time on the year the junior eclipsed the 20-point mark and the 12th-straight
double-digit scoring game, the longest active streak for WSU.
Molina did the bulk of her damage in the third quarter
scoring 15 points on five three-pointers. Her 15 points ties for the second
biggest single quarter output trailing only her 18-point for quarter scored
against UCLA during her freshman season.
Borislava Hristova posted 12 points to start a new
double-digit scoring streak after seeing her 19-game streak snapped the game
prior. The redshirt-junior finished the night with her second double-double of
the season after adding a team-best 11 rebounds.
The Bruins were just the second team on the year to put five
in double-figures against the Cougars led by Michaela Onyenwere's 21. Kennedy
Burke (18), Lajahna Drummer (12), Japreece Dean (11), and Lauryn Miller (10)
rounded out the scoring.
UCLA came away with a 28-5 advantage in points off of
turnovers while also adding 16 second-chance points on 26 offensive rebounds.
WSU finishes its trip to Los Angeles with a game against USC
Sunday, Feb. 3. The tip is scheduled to start at noon in USC’s Galen Center in
Los Angeles.
::::::::
WSU football & hoops: Roaming the Palouse with Braden
Johnson
By BRADEN JOHNSON Feb 1, 5:28 pm Cougfan.com
IT’S PROBABLY SAFE TO SAY Washington State wide receiver
Rodrick Fisher is feeling sharp these days after season-ending shoulder surgery
in October. The 6-2, 195-pounder out of Spokane is about to etch his etch his
name into WSU’s two-sport athlete history books this weekend.
Fisher is scheduled to compete in the 60-meter dash at the
Cougar Indoor track and field meet.
Outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. tweeted on Friday he'll be in
attendance. Spurrier was the area recruiter this cycle on another speedster:
2019 running back commit Jovensly Bazile (Naples, Florida), who plans to to
play football and run track for the Cougars once he arrives in Pullman this
summer.
While at East Valley High, Fisher won 2A state titles in the
100 meters (10.49) and 200 meters (21.27).
DARRIEN MOLTON IS banking on Tracy Claeys’ base nickel defense
and man-to-man coverage sets paying dividends during WSU’s Pro Day in March,
and in NFL scouting reports.
"It will definitely help as people watch film,” Molton
told CF.C. “Seeing that we did play a lot of man-to-man while blitzing a lot of
guys, it’s a hard job for a cornerback or safety. It's a plus, and I think
everyone did well in the secondary this fall. "
A four-year starter at cornerback who never redshirted,
Molton (5-10, 190) this past season was tasked as WSU’s primary backend
coverage corner after Sean Harper Jr. (6-2, 190) went down with a season-ending
injury on Oct. 6. When WSU blitzed, it
often left Molton on a one-on-one island.
Molton moved back to southern California to prepare for the
draft following WSU’s Alamo Bowl win. He is training at Proactive Sports
Performance in Thousand Oaks.
WSU MEN’S HOOPS ought to dish out an assist to its marketing
team. To celebrate Super Bowl weekend and entice students and fans to take in
the Cougars’ 4 p.m. matchup against USC Saturday in Pullman, the athletic
department is handing out an array of giveaways that includes a 50-inch TV and
Amazon gift cards. Not sure if this
tweet is from the WSU practice floor or one of Jeff Bezos’ mansions:
It remains to be seen if the Cougars’ marketing strategy
results in less empty seats percolating in Beasley Coliseum. But the pivot
speaks to the intent to try and spice up the gameday experience for men’s hoops
games with WSU (8-13, 1-7 Pac-12) having lost 10 of its past 11 games.
WSU’s best-attended game was against crosstown rival Idaho
on Dec. 5, when 2,700 fans turned out for the annual contest. Last week’s game
at Oregon State (13-7, 5-3) in Corvallis saw the Beavers draw 5,100 fans.
Sure, the fact Oregon State is 5-3 in Pac-12 play and tied
for third in the conference standings is a good sell. But the setting inside
Gill Coliseum was electric, and played a part in fans commuting to the
Willamette Valley on a workday. The Beavers rolled out new smoke machines and
pyrotechnics for the team’s pregame introduction ceremonies, the soundboard
director alternated between hip-hop and classic rock and by celebrating “Greek
Night,” the entire student section was packed with fraternity and sorority
members within minutes of the doors opening.
The point is, there is a lesson to be learned here, one that
WSU’s marketing team appears to be keen on. Like Oregon State, WSU has a Greek
population that is the backbone of student and alumni attendance at sporting
events. I’ve covered 7 of the Cougars’ 10 home games and I’m not sure the disc
jockey has once changed up the playlist.
Create an atmosphere in the stands and give each game the
feel of a can’t-miss party. Utilize the student body and resources on campus.
Continue making small investments or tweaks to gameday operations.
Saturday’s promotions and gesture feels like a modest step
in the right direction.
A TWO-WEEK FOLLOW-UP visit to Casey Eye Institute in
Portland - I had laser eye surgery performed in January – mandated a quick trip
home (and work-related visit) to Corvallis. Naturally, this is the perfect time
to share my five-point plan on how to complete a 360-mile drive back to the
Portland in under five-and-a-half hours while not grossly speeding. I’ve done
this drive for four years now, so I think I have it down to a science.
Hit the Daily Grind on Main St for coffee. They have a
fantastic pour-over dark roast.
If needed, top off the tank at the 76 Gas Station in Colfax
before heading southwest on I-26. The prices are lower than in town.
Keep the speedometer hovering around 75 on I-26 – it is a
two-lane highway with no shoulder in open range, after all – and gradually
increase once you turn off on US-395 South.
Skip the Tri Cities completely. There’s always bound to be
traffic rolling through downtown Kennewick. Instead, refuel once you cross into
Oregon. I prefer the Pilot Flying J in Boardman off the Tower Road exit (No.
159).
Enjoy the trek through the Columbia River Gorge and take the
1-205 South exit once you hit Portland. You’ll spare yourself the headache of
downtown traffic and politically-charged protests typically found on or near
I-5,
Simply reverse the steps when driving east to Pullman.
……………..
Cougar trio headed to Indy for NFL Combine
By BRADEN JOHNSON Cougfan.com
Andre Dillard walks off the field after the Senior Bowl
(Photo: Cougfan.com/Whittney Thornton)
CALL IT A BUDDING Washington State football tradition. For
the second straight year, the Cougars are sending multiple players to the NFL
Scouting Combine. Cougar quarterback Gardner Minshew, left tackle Andre Dillard
and running back James Williams have all received invitations..
The NFL hasn't released its official list of 300-plus
participants but Minshew told CF.C on Thursday he had received his invite to
the combine, which runs from Feb. 26-March 4 in Indianapolis. Williams did not get the good news until late
Thursday and Dillard is also heading to Indy, according to the
Spokesman-Review.
WSU has sent at least one player to the NFL Combine every
year since Mike Leach took the reins in 2013.
This year's event will be the fourth time WSU has sent multiple
players to the combine since Leach's arrival in Pullman. Last year, Luke Falk, Cole Madison, Hercules
Mata’afa and Tavares Martin Jr. all trekked to Indianapolis. In 2017, WSU was represented by Shalom Luani
and Gabe Marks. Washington State sent three players to Indy in 2015: Xavier
Cooper, Vince Mayle and Connor Halliday.
According to NFLCombine.net, players will go through
physical measurements on Feb. 27 and 28, such as the 40-yard dash, shuttle run
and bench press. The last two days are reserved for position-specific drills.
The Combine’s tentative schedule has running backs and offensive linemen
working out on March 1 and quarterbacks taking the field on March 2
DILLARD, WHO DREW a host of positive reviews for his Senior
Bowl week, has seen his draft stock soar and is now being projected as a
first-round pick in several mock drafts including NFL Network and CBS Sports.
He garnered Pac-12 first team honors at left tackle in 2018 and was named to
the Associated Press All-American third team. Dillard, part of a WSU offensive
line that allowed just 13 sacks in 2018, was named Pro Football Focus' best
pass-blocking o-lineman in the nation for the 2018 regular season, allowing
only one sack, three QB hits and 11 hurries on a whopping 693 pass-blocking
snaps (most in the nation).
MINSHEW STRUGGLED IN the Senior Bowl, completing 1-of-8
passes for 4 yards in three series. That said, the prevailing school of thought
is the player's week of practices and interviews often takes precedence over
the all-star game itself and in that respect, Minshew fared far better. Minshew's combine invite was likely also
largely cemented by his play for the Cougars throughout the 2018 season. He set
a Pac-12 and WSU single-season record for passing yards (4,779) and tossed 38
touchdowns against 9 interceptions while leading the Cougars to an 11-2 record.
WILLIAMS DECIDED TO forgo his final season of eligibility
after posting the best statistical season of his WSU career. He racked up 16
total touchdowns and 1,173 all-purpose yards in 2018 and shattered a Pac-12
single-season record for receptions by a running back (83). He took home
all-conference honorable mention honors and is the first Leach-coached running
back at Wazzu to head to Indianapolis. The last WSU running back to receive a
Combine invite was Jerome Harrison in 2006.
:::::::::::::::
report estimates that nearly half of all U.S. adults h…
McCluskey family creates foundation in daughter’s honor
Effort will support college campus safety, amateur athletics
By Anthony Kuipers, Moscow Pullman Daily News Feb 2, 2019
The parents of the former Pullman High School student killed
on the University of Utah campus in October have created a foundation in their
daughter’s name to support college campus safety.
Jill and Matt McCluskey established the Lauren McCluskey
Foundation on Jan. 8. Their daughter, Lauren McCluskey, was killed by an
ex-boyfriend after she found out he lied about his age and identity and failed
to tell her he was a convicted sex offender on parole. She reported to the
police he had been harassing her in the days leading up to her death, but no
action was taken by the university or law enforcement.
The McCluskeys want the foundation to be a tool to educate
college campuses about ways of improving safety, particularly when it comes to
relationship violence.
“What we wanted to do is just to, first, honor Lauren’s
legacy and, second, is to just do as much good as we can to offset the enormous
tragedy,” Matt McCluskey said.
More information about the foundation can be found at
laurenmccluskey.org.
The McCluskeys say their daughter’s death could have been
prevented if not for systematic failures involving the campus police and
university officials who failed to respond appropriately when Lauren McCluskey
expressed concern for her safety.
The McCluskeys want to prevent a similar situation from
happening again in Utah and beyond.
“We really believe that campuses aren’t safe right now,
especially at the University at Utah,” Jill McCluskey said.
Matt McCluskey said administrators, housing officials,
counselors and first responders need to be educated about best practices
because they are all responsible for keeping students safe.
“It’s not just the
police,” he said. “If there’s not communication to the police about problems,
then they can’t do anything, either.”
The McCluskeys are looking to find successful safety
policies implemented by universities and bring more attention to what works.
“We want to get out
the success stories and the case studies of where things went really wrong in
order to improve everybody,” Matt McCluskey said.
Jill McCluskey said they also want to bring attention to the
Lethal Assessment Program, which is a questionnaire that can be used by police
to determine if someone is at risk of domestic violence.
The Lauren McCluskey Foundation will support other causes as
well.
It will help fund financial assistance, such as providing
college scholarships, for student track and field athletes. The McCluskeys have
also been discussing partnering with a track and field coach in Spokane who
offers money to help underprivileged regional high school athletes travel to
track meets.
Lauren McCluskey was a standout track athlete at Pullman
High School who competed for the University of Utah. Earlier this month, the
University of Idaho renamed its first indoor track meet of the season in her
honor. A University of Utah scholarship named the Lauren McCluskey Memorial
Fund has already raised $75,000 for student athletes, Jill McCluskey said.
In honor of their daughter’s love for animals, especially
cats, the Lauren McClusky Foundation will also benefit animal shelters.
Progress has already been made in that respect, as the Whitman County Humane
Society is in the process of completing the Lauren McCluskey Cat Wing that will
allow the shelter to house twice as many cats at its location. Lauren McCluskey
was a volunteer at the Whitman County Humane Society, which is receiving
donations to fund the project.
The McCluskeys say they have appreciated the kind words and
gestures from the Pullman and Moscow communities in the past months. People
have sent cards, food, gifts and even painted portraits of Lauren McCluskey as
a show of support.
“There’s a real outpouring of support in all different
ways,” Matt McCluskey said.
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WSU Track & Field Wins 11 Total Events at 2019 Cougar
Indoor
Emanuel Wells Jr. leads the way for WSU in record setting
performance in men’s competition
From WSU Sports Info 2/2/2019
PULLMAN - The Washington State University Track and Field
program hosted the Cougar Indoor Invitational from Friday through Saturday on
the campus of WSU, inside the Indoor Practice Facility.
The Cougars saw a big day on the women's side with six total
event victories at the indoor invitational. Regyn Gaffney took home first
overall in the 60m dash at 7.55, Samantha King-Shaw finished first in the 5000m
at 18:17.02, and Charisma Taylor tallied another victory this time in the 60m
hurdles with a time of 8.48. Suzy Pace record a PR in the high jump for the win
at 5-feet 8 1/2 inches, and Aoife Martin claimed the top spot in the weight
throw at 56-feet 4 1/2 inches. Chrisshnay Brown capped off the event with a win
in the shot put with a throw of 47-feet 9 inches (14.55m).
Emmanuel Wells Jr. continued to improve his 60m dash time,
running a WSU indoor facility and Cougar Indoor meet record of 6.65. Emmanuel's
time saw him move up to third all-time in WSU history in the men's 60m dash,
and tied Washington State great Anson Henry for the all-time WSU indoor 60m
dash record as well. Christapherson
Grant took home first place in the 60m hurdles with a PR of 8.02 overall, and
Troy Gingerich joined Grant in the PR club on the day in the pole vault event,
as Gingerich claimed first at 16-feet 4 3/4 inches. Peyton Fredrickson
continued to see success in the high jump, winning the event at 7-feet 1/4
inches, and Robby Flores took first overall in the triple jump at 47-feet 4 1/2
inches as well.
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