Washington St

2008 Draft: Second Round Gems

Jason Brubaker — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:29:15 -0700

They don't get to shake David Stern's hand. They don't get to show off new suits, try on their team hats, or get interviewed by Stephen A. Smith. Occasionally, the television audience has to wait until the commercial break ends to see who was selected. They only get to listen to the analysts talk about them for about two minutes before they move onto the next pick. Yes...the life of a second-rounder isn't easy.

But every year, it seems there's a few picks who not only stick in the league, but make a name for themselves. Stars like Gilbert Arenas, Carlos Boozer, Manu Ginobili, Monta Ellis and Michael Redd all had to wait until the second round to hear their names called. Last year, second-rounders Carl Landry, Glen Davis and Ramon Sessions all showed some promise, and should be around for a while.

So who are this year's diamonds in the rough. Here's some second-rounders who you might be hearing about this coming season.

Mario Chalmers (34 - Minnesota, traded to Miami): The hero of the national championship game, Chalmers was thought to be on the first-round bubble, meaning the Heat got great value by acquiring him in the second round. Chalmers isn't a pure point guard, but he has some play-making skills, a high basketball IQ, is a willing defender and can knock down shots. He brings a winning attitude, and is mature enough to come and compete for playing time right away. Chalmers reminds me a little of Chris Duhon in that he plays well within his own abilities, although I think Chalmers will be a better player. Look for him to earn plenty of minutes this season alongside Dwyane Wade in the backcourt.

DeAndre Jordan (35 - LA Clippers): Now I've spent plenty of time ripping Jordan for coming out when he clearly wasn't ready, but at the 35^th pick, he could prove to be a great value. Jordan has great size and is incredibly athletic, and if he ever puts it together, he could be a very good player. In the lottery, where teams are looking for immediate help, he would have been a reach. But picking him here, the Clippers take very little risk, and they can sit him on the bench for a couple years to let him develop. Check back in about two years on him.

Kyle Weaver (38 - Charlotte): Weaver should be a great fit in Larry Brown's system. Weaver has the size to play off the ball, but also possesses enough playmaking ability to run the point on occasion. He's a great defender, and is willing to do the little things to help the team. He isn't a great shooter, and isn't always aggressive on the offensive end, but his defensive prowess and toughness could earn him a place in the Bobcats rotation by season's end.

Chris Douglas-Roberts (40 - New Jersey): CDR may prove to be the steal of the draft in the second-round. How does a first-team All-American who helped lead his team to the national title game fall this far? Questions about his outside shot, athleticism and unorthodox style may have hurt him, but I think the Nets will love him. He's similar to Rip Hamilton in build, wiry strong with long arms that help him on defense. He has a great mid-range game, and while it's not always pretty, it is effective. He brings a winning mentality, and he's not afraid to take big shots. Only time will tell, but I think CDR could make a lot of teams regret passing on him.

Bill Walker (47 - Washington, traded to Boston): Walker has first-round talent, but his injury history held him back. If healthy, he will be as explosive as anyone in the league, capable of rising up at any time for a vicious dunk. He has an improving shot, and is a solid defender when he chooses to put forth the effort. He's a bit of a hot-head, but going to a veteran locker room like the Celtics should help him mature. He may not see much time early in his career, but there's no question he has the talent to stick around for quite a while.

Richard Hendrix (49 - Golden State): Hendrix is a little undersized for power forward, but he's a productive player who crashes the glass hard. The Warriors are always looking for big guys who can help them down low, and getting Hendrix here is a great pick. He brings a lot of physical toughness, something the Warriors need in the paint. Coach Don Nelson is notoriously tough on rookies, so he may not see a lot of time this season, but he should be a solid role player for many years.

James Gist (57 - San Antonio): This one may surprise people, but I was pretty high on Gist coming into the draft. He's still more of an athlete than a basketball player, but give me a 6'9" guy with a 35+ inch vertical any day. If he makes the team, he'll be able to learn from one of the best coaches in the league, not to mention arguably the best power forward of all time in Tim Duncan. Gist likely will never be more than a role player, but he has the potential to bring some energy, defense and rebounding off the bench. I wouldn't be surprised to see him stick in the league for awhile, even if it's not with the Spurs.

Kyle Weaver: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:11:26 -0700

Kyle Weaver

College: Washington State

Class: Senior

Position: PG/SG

Height: 6’6”

Weight: 201lbs

Accolades: Honorable Mention All-American – CHN (08), First Team All-Pac-10 (08), Pac-10 All-Defensive Team (08), First Team All-Pac-10 (07).

Scouting Report: A great defender capable of playing either backcourt positions.

Strengths: Versatile – can play either backcourt positions. Great defender. Quick. Very good beating man off the dribble – nice crossover. Good at getting to the hoop and scoring or dishing to teammates. Good wingspan. Good athlete. Fantastic rebounder for a guard. Smart player. Great passer/assist man.

Weaknesses: Thin – needs to get stronger. Bad form on jump shot. Not very explosive. Wasn’t the team’s primary ball handler. Not much of an outside shooter – needs to develop a three-point shot to keep defenders from sagging off him. Inconsistent. Not able to fully show offensive skills in Washington State’s system.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Early to mid second round pick.

Consensus: While he doesn’t project to be a NBA star, Weaver could turn out to be a very solid pro at both ends of the floor. Definitely would be worth a team using their second round pick on him and seeing if he can develop into a solid bench player at both guard positions.

Stats: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=22493

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Poll: What Will be Tonight's Sweet 16 Upset?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:20:31 -0700

Cheerleader of the Day: Washington State

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:57:41 -0700

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, we now have access to thousands of great college basketball photos to use on the site. Each day, along with our Picture of the Day, we'll be featuring a Cheerleader of the Day. We'll be mixing up the schools & cheerleader so check back daily!

Washington State

- Check out past Cheerleaders of the Day!

- Also check out the Picture of the Day!

Poll: Who Will the East Region?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:41:34 -0700

2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule: Washington State

Joel Welser — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:47:34 -0700

Washington State

Pac-10

by Joel Welser

Last NCAA Appearance: 2007, Second Round loss to Vanderbilt

Coach: Tony Bennett (1-1 in 1 NCAA appearance)

Probable Starters:

Taylor Rochestie, Junior, Guard

Derrick Low, Senior, Guard

Kyle Weaver, Senior, Guard

Robbie Cowgill, Senior, Forward

Aron Baynes, Junior, Center

Key Roleplayers:

Nikola Koprivica, Sophomore, Guard

Daven Harmeling, Junior, Forward

Caleb Forrest, Junior, Forward

Why They Can Surprise:

You can never argue against the system. Coach Tony Bennett has continued the recent success in Pullman this year by sharing the ball and, more importantly, taking care of the ball. Last year the NCAA Tournament was a new experience for everybody at Washington State. This year they have all been there before.

The tremendous ball control and the meager 10.3 turnovers per game can be credited to the backcourt of Kyle Weaver, Derrick Low and Taylor Rochestie. Weaver will do a bit of everything and is second on the team in assists and rebounding and is the best defender on the squad. He is not the greatest outside shooter on the team, although that has improved a little bit this year, but he can still score by getting to the basket. Low is the team’s leading scorer and best outside shooter and Rochestie has gone from being a spark off the bench to having one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the nation.

Why They Can Disappoint:

The Cougars can have some trouble on the glass and will get outrebounded once they advance a game or two in the tournament. But that is all part of the system. It is more important to get back on defense than go for an offensive rebound, so at least it is something they are used to dealing with. The lack of depth in the backcourt is a bigger cause for concern. Weaver, Low and Rochestie all average at least 32 minutes per game and that will start to wear on them sooner or later.

Who To Watch:

Robbie Cowgill, Aron Baynes and Daven Harmeling are not the most intimidating frontcourt in the Pac-10, but they excel in the Cougars style of play. Cowgill has some smooth moves under the basket and, like most Cougars, can step outside and hit the mid-range jumper or find an open teammate. Baynes has stepped into the starting lineup and has become the big bruising scoring threat the team desperately needed. Harmeling is more of a large, sharpshooting wing than a big man, but he can play the three or four spots and has plenty of starting experience from last season.

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Left Coast Report: Year of the Fat Boy

Jacob White — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:57:14 -0800

The Chinese New Year, the year of the rat (perhaps a good omen for Coach K), is upon us. However, on the west coast it is the year of a plumper, more rotund, creature – the fat boy. Armed with his sweaty back, gut swinging low-post drop step and point-blank lay-ins, the fat boy is all the rage in the Pac-10 and WCC.

Bryant “Big Country” Reeves, Robert “Tractor” Traylor, and most recently Glen “Big Baby” Davis, college basketball has always loved its overweight stars. Yes, big guys are great for giving nicknames (always demonstrating the lameness of nicknaming a wing or guard), but a large part of the fascination with these glandular giants is tied to our ability to relate to them.

Like a fat kid looking at Levi’s in the husky section, the fat basketball player typically finds himself alone, contemplating his stature, as his teammates fast break down the court. To ignore the taunts of childhood and the ribbing of coaches and teammates, it takes a special type of athlete, with a special type of appetite, to be an overweight superstar.

America is full of fat people, but very few of them are able to compete as top tier athletes. It is in the familiar American stature of these players that fans more easily see themselves. While the lightening quick Derrick Rose may amaze us, we can’t relate to him. And while we have next to nothing in common with a 6’8” 300 pound giant, we are able to see humanity through his gut. Sitting on our couch, or squeezing into a seat at a game, we can look to the court and see a bit of ourselves out there competing.

In the WCC the two most dominate big men are “Big” John Bryant and Omar Samhan. Bryant looks like Thurman Murman in “Bad Santa” and Samhan not only looks like the jerk kid in “Mean Creek” but has the attitude to match. NBA scouts may gossip like teenage girls over the build, athleticism and length of big men like Josh Heytvelt and Diamon Simpson but college fans should cherish the four years they get to watch their obese brethren out-work, out-hustle, and out-produce these future NBA players.

At 6’10” and 305 pounds Bryant, a junior at Santa Clara, averages a double-double in league play. He leads the league in rebounds, field goal percentage, blocks and is second in points per game.

Meanwhile, Samhan, a sophomore at Saint Mary’s, is listed at 6’11” and 265 pounds and appears to wear about a C-cup. He averages almost 13 points and eight rebounds a game, while also providing attitude and swagger to a team attempting to trump Gonzaga as the top team in the WCC. Both Samhan and Bryant have lost weight this season. But like a fat kid at a public swimming pool, both still wear undershirts to hide their physique.

It is in their self-consciousness that I find myself relating to, feeling sorry for, and eventually rooting for these young men. Even as Samhan flipped off the crowd at Gonzaga last year, I found myself smiling. It was a victory for fat kids, for the American everyman. Samhan’s gesture was immature, crass, and bush-league, but I couldn’t blame him for it. I was jealous that my favorite team, the Zags, could not summon the same anger. But how could they? How could a group of well-recruited, chiseled athletes summon the aggression of a fat kid? They couldn’t.

In the Pac-10 Kevin Love, Aaron Baynes, and John Brockman, while less fat than their WCC counterparts, are nonetheless cut from a mold that makes them questionable at the next level. Baynes looks as if he appeared from Dwight Shrute’s beet farm; Brockman while not fat, is built more like a defensive lineman than a future NBA star; and Love may be a lottery pick, but his weight will likely be mentioned as often as his outlet passing ability come draft night.

Love and Brockman may be the two most valuable players in the Pac-10. Baynes, while much less productive than Love and Brockman, has nonetheless surprised many in the Pac-10 with his solid play for the Washington State Cougars. Baynes looks like the portly part of a comedic duo next to his awkwardly skinny four man, Robbie Cowgill.

The fat boy is not only thrashing its way through the West, crushing pretty skinny people like the monster in “Cloverfield,” but is emerging as a force in the NBA too. Glen “Big Baby” Davis slipped in the draft due to his weight “problem” but is quickly becoming a huge contributor for the first place Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, a bigger, older, fatter man has once again dominated headlines by being traded from the worst team in the East to the best team in the West. The sports world will be following Shaq as he attempts to silence his skinny loving critics one more time and win his fifth championship ring with a third team.

I implore college basketball fat boys to not succumb to the school yard taunts of fans, teammates, and coaches. Instead, feed your hungry guts, and continue to reign like well-fed kings over the west coast, swallowing up rebounds, taking high percentage shots, and strolling up the court as your teammates waste their energy on the fast break.

Games of the Night: UCLA at Washington State

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:23:18 -0800

Games of the Night

A companion to our daily Three Stars of the Day, we present the top three Games of the Night.

#4 UCLA (20-2) at #17 Washington State (17-4)

10:30 PM FSN

Since UCLA beat WSU back on January 12th, the Bruins have continued to play well while the Cougars have gone into a little funk, losing 3 of 4 games. You'd normally think the home court advantage would be a huge factor, but UCLA hasn't lost away from Pauley while State's lost 2 in a row in Pullman. They key tonight will be Derrick Low, as the Cougars have become a bit too dependent on the senior for offense. When he gets hot from three, they play well.. when he's off, the team loses. In the three recent losses, Low is 3 for 21 (14%) from downtown, but in their last three wins he's 13 of 26 (50%). This game is so close I'd rather not pick it.

Prediction: Washington State

Rhode Island (19-3) at UMASS (14-7)

8:00 PM

UMASS had a fine non-conference season, but are just 3-4 in A10 play after losing 3 of 4 games. This puts them way down in a tie for 10th place in the deep league. Still, bracketologists like Joe Lunardi have the Minutemen either in the Field of 65 or right on the fringe at this point. But lets be serious, the committee won't take a team hovering around .500 in the A10. Rhode Island is also doing its best to stay inside the bubble, so this game has major tournament implications. A big issue for URI is the health of Will Daniels, coming off a sprained ankle. He's going to play, but the Rams need their best player to be 100%.

Prediction: UMASS

CS Northridge (15-5) at Pacific (15-6)

10:00 PM

1st and 2nd get together in an important Big West showdown. The last times these two teams met, Pacific had a lead at half until Northridge blew them away (53-30) in the second stanza. Turnovers were a major issue for the Tigers then (they had 28), and its been an issue all season. Northridge is a better overall team with more depth, but the X-factor is Pacific's Chad Troyer. If he gets hot from three, the Tigers are very dangerous.

Prediction: Pacific

Previous Game of the Night (Predictions)

February 6th - Duke at North Carolina (1-2)

February 5th - Florida at Tennessee (2-1)

February 4th - Gonzaga at SMC (1-2)

January 30th - Indiana at Wisconsin (1-2)

January 29th - VCU at George Mason (2-1)

January 28th - Louisville at UCONN (1-2)

January 27th - Duke at Maryland (2-1)

January 26th - Georgetown at West Virginia (3-0)

January 24rd - Dayton at Xavier (2-1)

January 22nd - Akron at Kent State (2-1)

January 21st - Drake at Creighton (1-2)

January 20th - Texas at Oklahoma State (3-0)

January 19th - Marquette at UCONN (2-1)

January 18th - Illinois State at Drake (2-1)

January 17th - Vanderbilt at Tennessee (2-1)

January 14th - Georgetown at Pittsburgh (2-1)

January 12th - Stanford at Oregon (3-0)

January 9th - Rhode Island at Dayton (2-1)

January 8th - Florida at Alabama (2-1)

January 7th - Robert Morris at Boston College (1-2)

January 6th - North Carolina at Clemson (2-1)

January 5th - Western Kentucky at South Alabama (3-0)

January 4th - American at Brown (0-3)

January 3rd - UCLA at Stanford (3-0)

January 2nd - Houston at UMASS (2-1)

Monday Report Card: Giants Win, WSU Struggles

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:45:35 -0800

The Report Card

A new series, the Daily Report Card tells you all you need to know about the day in college hoops. From good to bad and bad to worse, I'll be laying down the law.

A - The New York Football Giants

Lack of updates on the site this weekend thanks to the Giants.. who consumed my Sunday. Most expect the National Champion to come out of UNC, Kansas, Memphis, or UCLA.. so the Giants win should give hope to all the other contenders or non-contenders out there.

B - The Big 5

Conference games can sometimes get repetitive, so its nice to see the Big 5 bring together Villanova and St. Joseph's in an important non-conference game tonight. Nova comes in reeling while the Hawks come in flying.. both teams fighting for their postseason lives. Unfortunately this game isn't on TV or it would be must watch for college hoops fans. Even though St. Joe's has been getting more respect in the polls and the computers, they still had less than exciting non-conference success. Sadly, a home win over Penn State is their best non-league performance so far, so they need a win tonight in the worst way.

C - Quentin Thomas

Ty Lawson scored the first four points in UNC's win over FSU, the Tar Heels got off to an early 8-1 lead.. and then Lawson got hurt and UNC limped to a close overtime victory. Depending on the severity of Lawson's ankle pain, Thomas will be getting extended minutes coming up.. something the senior isn't used to. Back in February of 06 was the only other time the former Top 100 prospect got at least 20 minutes of playing time. Should be interesting to see how the career 3rd-stringer fares if forced to play 30+ minutes against Duke.

D - College Basketball TV Ratings

Even during the NCAA Tournament, college basketball ratings are never that exciting. But this year, there does seem to be a lack of interest in most games, especially on network television. Part of that is simply unfortunate scheduling, as a lot of the major CBS games have been uncompetitive duds. But last weekend, the nationally televised CBS games got a 1.1 or 1.2 rating, almost 3 times less than the US Figure Skating Championships and barely half as many viewers as Friday Night Smackdown.

F - Washington State

The Cougars, who had basically been on a roll for a year and a half, suddenly look human. They've lost three of four, including back to back home losses to Stanford and Cal, and the lone win in there was by 1-point against mediocre Arizona State. They next face #5 UCLA, seeking revenge for an earlier defeat, and a bad effort will drop them to 5-5 in league play.. a record unworthy of a team that's been in the Top 10 all year. If you ask what's changed.. the answer is nothing. Its not like they've been getting blown out. Just a matter of a few baskets here and there not going their way as opposed to earlier in the year.

Previous Best / Worst

February 1st - Nevada / Penn

January 31st - Kansas State / St. John's

January 29th - Winthrop / Dyson & Wiggins

January 28th - Rutgers / Doris Burke

January 25th - Ron Hunter / Princeton Offense

January 23rd - Kentucky / Archbishop Burke

January 22nd - DJ Augustin / Scott Sutton

January 21st - New York Giants / Marquette

January 20th - Maryland / ESPN.com editors

January 18th - Cleveland State / Marquette

January 17th - Drake / HP Laptops

January 14th - Roy Hibbert / Michigan State

January 10th - Tony Bennett / Saint Louis

January 9th - DJ White / CSTV

January 8th - Robert Morris / Schedule Makers

January 7th - Wayne Ellington / Illinois

January 6th - Herb Sendek / Kentucky

Game of the Week: Washington State at Arizona State

Jeff Borzello — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:16:27 -0800

Game of the Week: No. 6 Washington State at No. 24 Arizona State (Saturday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV)

As we get closer to January, we are, of course, also nearing one of the most exciting times in sports – the stretch run of the college basketball season. It means plenty of things, but most of all it means there will be lots of bubble talk, conference title races, key intra-conference match-ups, and NCAA Tournament discussion. It also means important games every night between either top teams in the conference, or between two teams trying to keep pace in the at-large hunt. There is no shortage of games like that this weekend, including a Big East showdown when Georgetown heads to West Virginia, a couple of interesting SEC battles (finally), and two huge non-conference match-ups. However, the best of them all will be one between two programs that were irrelevant before last season – Washington State at Arizona State. Neither team likes to play fast-paced basketball at all; they both rank in the bottom 20 of the country in tempo. Will any team in the nation want to play either of them in March, though? Not a chance.

Washington State Team Breakdown

Washington State came out of nowhere last season to make a run at the Pac-10 title and eventually earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament before bowing out in the second round. The Cougars have continued their stellar play this season, sitting in a tie for second place at 4-2 in the conference, and 16-2 overall. They own road wins over Washington, USC, Baylor and Gonzaga and a home victory over Oregon. The only losses were on the road at UCLA and Arizona. The Cougars play outstanding defense and force teams to play at one of the slowest paces in the country. They are ranked No. 11 in defensive efficiency and No. 15 in offensive efficiency.

The Cougars are led by their outstanding backcourt of Kyle Weaver and Derrick Low. Weaver is one of the best defenders in the country and has the ability to create match-up problems at both ends of the floor with his size and length. Low has been compared by some to Steve Nash, and he is a high-energy player that always seems to be around the ball. He can create his own shot, and is also adept at finding his teammates. Taylor Rochestie also starts in a three-guard lineup. He is a very good three-point shooter and passer who doesn’t make too many mistakes. He can finish in the lane with runners and tough-to-block lay-ups. Nikola Kiprovica comes off the bench.

Up front, 6-10 junior center Aron Baynes has made a huge impact due to his vast improvement since last season. He is the team’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, and provides the Cougars with a legit inside presence that they didn’t get on a consistent basis last year. Robbie Cowgill is another efficient big man. He rebounds and defends well, and doesn’t commit unnecessary fouls. Daven Harmeling will come off the bench. He is an inside-out threat who can shoot the three consistently. Caleb Forrest also sees minutes.

Arizona State Team Breakdown

Arizona State is like this year’s version of 2007 Washington State. The Sun Devils were projected to finish near the bottom of the Pac-10, but have been one of the most improved teams in the country. They currently are in a tie for second in the conference with a 4-2 record, and an impressive 14-4 overall mark. ASU has wins over Xavier, Arizona and Oregon at home, as well as a victory over California on the road. However, one potential concern is that all four losses have come by double-figures. Like Washington State, Arizona State plays at a slow pace but is extremely efficient offensively and can control the game. The Sun Devils rank No. 19 in offensive efficiency and No. 70 in defensive efficiency.

Leading the way for the Sun Devils has been superstar freshman James Harden. The 6-5 swingman has been one of the best newcomers in the country, putting up outstanding numbers on a nightly basis. Furthermore, he has stepped up his play since conference games began, scoring at least 20 points in each of the first four Pac-10 contests. Joining him on the wing is fellow freshman Ty Abbott. He is a good three-point shooter and scorer who needs to develop some consistency as his career progresses. In the Sun Devils’ four-guard lineup, Jerren Shipp and Derek Glasser also start. Shipp does a little of everything and can knock down shots, while Glasser is a very solid point guard who takes care of the ball at an unbelievable rate. His assist-to-turnover ratio is nearly four-to-one. Christian Polk sees minutes off the bench, although he hasn’t played in three of the last four games. Jamelle McMillan backs up at the point.

Arizona State usually utilizes four perimeter players and one big man on the floor. Luckily for the Sun Devils, their big man is one of the best in the conference. Jeff Pendergraph is one of the most efficient post players in the country and is an outstanding offensive rebounder. Furthermore, he makes an impact defensively, blocking shots on a consistent basis. Prior to a disappointing performance against Stanford because of foul trouble, Pendergraph was averaging 19.6 points and 8.1rebounds in his previous seven games. Former Duke transfer Erik Boateng backs him up inside. He provides decent production at both ends of the floor.

Game Analysis and Prediction

If you like scoring, this game isn’t for you. As mentioned before, both teams love to slow the game down and play in the half-court. Therefore, expect both teams to take care of the ball and limit mistakes, and the final result will likely be in the 50s or low 60s. Arizona State has allowed more than 65 points just five times this season, while Washington State has given up more than 65 points on only three occasions all season. Both teams have plenty of solid perimeter players and a go-to-guy down low, and rely on terrific balance and offensive execution to get their points. One of the best individual match-ups in the Pac-10 will also be on display in Tempe on Saturday night as ASU’s James Harden, an outstanding scorer who can get points against anyone, will be defended by Washington State’s Kyle Weaver, one of the best defensive players in the country. Keep an eye on the last few minutes – that’s when the game will be decided.

If Washington State is to continue its winning ways, the Cougars will need to play a lot better than they did in their last road game, when they looked very average at UCLA. Of course, many teams look average against the Bruins, so for their sake, let’s hope it was an anomaly. First, they’re going to have to contain either Harden or Jeff Pendergraph. Pendergraph got into foul trouble against Stanford, so the Cardinal were able to focus on Harden and essentially shut him down in the second half. The other options for the Sun Devils (i.e. Ty Abbott, Jerren Shipp) are not good enough to carry the offense on their own. Secondly, they have to keep Pendergraph off the offensive glass. As a whole, the Sun Devils aren’t a great offensive rebounding team but Pendergraph is one of the best in the country in that area. They can’t make it easy on the Sun Devils’ offense to score. Offensively, Washington State needs to knock down its shots. ASU allows its opposition a lot of three-point shots, so the Cougars will get opportunities. Taylor Rochestie and Daven Harmeling are consistent from outside the arc, so they will be huge factors.

On the other side, Arizona State could really make a splash on the national state with a win over the top-10 Cougars. The Sun Devils don’t really have a lot of winning experience and two of their three leading scorers are freshmen, so they could play tight early on – they will have to shake that off quickly in order to win. Specifically, Arizona State will need to take good shots when it is on offense. Washington State doesn’t force a lot of turnovers or block a lot of shots, but they force teams to take difficult and contested shots throughout the game. A couple of quick shots by ASU with no one underneath to rebound could lead to a big run from WSU, which is exactly what the Sun Devils don’t need. Secondly, the Sun Devils’ secondary options are going to have to step-up. Washington State does a great job of taking away teams’ primary scoring threats (Harden and Pendergraph), so guys like Ty Abbott, Jerren Shipp and Derek Glasser will need to score if given the opportunity. Defensively, Arizona State has to be patient and not commit unnecessary fouls. Washington State will milk the shot-clock if that’s what it takes to get an open shot in its offense. WSU has a variety of scoring options so ASU can’t really key-in on anyone in particular. The Cougars are also phenomenal from the free-throw line so ASU will have to be careful not to reach-in or bail them out with a late foul.

This could be one of the best games of the early Pac-10 season. Neither team is overly explosive offensively but both teams are lock-down defensive groups who won’t give up an easy shot all night. WSU has more experience in these types of games than Arizona State, but the game will be in Tempe, which gives the Sun Devils an immediate advantage. The difference is going to be the presence of Pendergraph down low and the ability of Harden to get into the lane and make plays. Expect a tightly-contested game that goes down to the final minutes – and possibly the final possession.

Prediction: Arizona State 62, Washington State 59