Tourney Time: Cougs Round 2

They Couged it! The magical season has come to an end. Eight minutes into the second half WSU held the lead at 51-43. They seemed poised to lock down the clamps on Vanderbilt's offense and breeze into the sweet 16. Unfortunately, Southeastern Conference player of the year, Derrick Byars didn't get the memo. With defensive specialist Kyle Weaver guarding him, Byars hit three long range buckets in next six possesions to give Vandy the lead at 52-51. That began the monumental collapse. Weaver had turnovers on three of the next four possesions and finished the game with a season high eight turns. The Seattle Times reported it like this:

"The second (turnover) was a killer, out on top, where Foster picked it, raced the floor and dunked to make it 75-71, Vanderbilt. Then Weaver forced a jumper and finally, Bennett pulled him out of the game.

Maybe he was simply bushed, after 48 grueling minutes. He hinted at that, saying, "I was trying to get guys open shots, I tried to penetrate, and defensively, I was chasing Byars around as well. It was tough."

Excuses. Excuses. Weaver was named to the First Team All-Pac 10 squad this year. He's expected to step up and lead the Cougs. The way he played in the second half, he couldn't even lead a team at my local YMCA. Thirty plus games this year and now he gets tired? Bull shit. He played terrible and should be man enough to take responsibility.

Tourney Time: Cougs Round 1

Oral Roberts put up a tough fight in the first half. But the suffocating defense of the Cougs took over in the second half. Ivory Clark was a beast swatting away 5 shots along with a couple monster dunks. I knew the Cougs were looking good at halftime only trailing by 2 when they shot 30%. They started making shots in the second half and cruised to the victory. It looks like Vandy will be the next opponent as they are crushing GW currently. From the Seattle Times:

Clark punctuated the victory with a tip-in at 2:05 left to put the Cougars ahead 67-52, throwing up his arms in triumph as the ball fell through the hoop.

The game ended with Clark cradling the ball, then tossing it to the air to celebrate WSU's first NCAA tournament win since beating Weber State in the first round in 1983.

It was WSU's first NCAA tournament appearance since 1994, a first-round loss to Boston College in Washington D.C.

Vandy looked pretty athletic but I still think the Cougs defense will shut them down.

Preparing to Coug it with Bennett

WSU is already trying to prevent national coach of the year Tony Bennett from leaving the farm down in the palouse. According to the Seattle Times:

Some influential Washington State alumni concerned about retaining national coach of the year Tony Bennett have launched a drive to raise money to try to entice Bennett to remain at WSU. Cougars athletic director Jim Sterk said Tuesday an e-mail campaign to alumni in recent weeks has raised "pledges of upwards of a quarter-million dollars."

Only a quarter million bucks? Thats not gonna keep him there. He's in a contract right now that pays him two million over five years. He's gonna get at least one million a year from a "big time" program. My guess is that he'll go to a Big 10 program like Michigan or Minnesota and get the hell out of Pullman.