conference
4 stories filed under conference on Wazzu. The newest of them: “Kamie Ethridge and the Cougs break down 2026 WBB at Media Day”, “Cougs get their tip times for Pac-12 women's hoops slate”, and “Pac-12 power rankings leave little doubt about the gap ahead of WSU”. Kamie Ethridge stood at the podium at Media Day and talked about the 2026 team like someone who has seen enough to know what she has. Tip times are out. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every conference story on Wazzu, newest first.
Kamie Ethridge and the Cougs break down 2026 WBB at Media Day
Kamie Ethridge stood at the podium at Media Day and talked about the 2026 team like someone who has seen enough to know what she has. That is the part that sticks. Not the hype. The honesty. She broke down where the Coug women are, and where they need to go, and she did not waste words doing it. This is a team that has earned the right to be direct. They have held steady at No. 13 in the national rankings, still the top of the West. That is not an accident. That is a program that has built something real in Pullman, the kind of thing you feel when you walk into Beasley and see the same faces in the stands year after year. Ethridge is not selling anything. She is telling you what she sees. That is the difference between a press conference and a conversation with another Coug. If you want to stay in the weeds on where this program sits nationally, we have you covered with "Coug Women Hold Steady at No. 13, Still Top of the West." It is a good companion piece for a long winter afternoon. For now, take Ethridge at her word. This team is not done. Go Cougs.
Cougs get their tip times for Pac-12 women's hoops slate
Tip times are out. That means we can finally start planning our February weekends around the Beasley Coliseum instead of pretending we'll get anything done on a Saturday afternoon. The Pac-12 women's hoops slate is here, and the Cougs have actual times to circle. No more guessing. No more refreshing the conference site like it's a job. We know when to show up. The schedule itself is what it is. Conference play is always a grind, and the Pac-12 is not going to hand anyone an easy path. But there's something about having the tip times locked in that makes it real. You can look at a Tuesday night in January and know exactly where you'll be. That's the stuff. That's the rhythm of a season. And sure, we've been through a lot lately. The Beavers and Cougs made their rivalry official, which still feels like the right kind of weird. There's also been plenty of talk about the new Pac-12 and who's rising while others slide. That's all fair. But for now, this is about the women's team and the road ahead. They've got a slate. We've got a calendar. The rest will sort itself out on the court. So mark the dates. Set the reminders. Grab the crew. Cougar basketball is coming back, and we know exactly when to be there. Go Cougs.
Pac-12 power rankings leave little doubt about the gap ahead of WSU
The gap between the top three and the rest of the Pac-12 is a chasm, and the power rankings make it official. Boise State, Oregon State, and Fresno State are the class of the conference. Washington State? We're sitting at No. 7, and the takeaway from the rankings is brutal but fair: we don't have enough offense to secure a bowl berth, let alone sniff the championship game. It's one week into round-robin play, and the picture is already clear. The beauty of this eight-team league is everyone plays everyone, so there are no excuses. The defining dates are set: Boise State at Fresno State, Oregon State at Fresno State, and Oregon State at Boise State. The analytics favor the Broncos to sweep. Our hunch is they do. For the Cougs, the immediate concern is finding an offensive pulse. First-year coach Kirby Moore has no answers right now, and if that doesn't change in the next 19 games, Pullman will be in the market for a new coach. That's the hard truth. We've got deeper coverage on the situation, including a look at Moore taking over playcalls and what the Cougs need against Utah State this Friday. It's a short week, and the offense is MIA. Pullman is letting them hear it. Go Cougs.
WSU and Gonzaga close league play with a Wednesday night showdown
The Cougs and the Zags will close out the new Pac-12 women's basketball regular season against each other on March 6, and it will be in Spokane at McCarthey Athletic Center. That's a Wednesday night showdown with some history behind it. The full conference schedule dropped Friday, and it's a clean 16-game slate for the eight-team league. Every team plays everyone home and away. Washington State opens league play at home against Texas State on Jan. 9. Gonzaga starts earlier, hosting Oregon State on Jan. 6. Times and TV are still TBD, which is the standard dance this time of year. The head-to-head numbers are what they are. Gonzaga leads the all-time series 14-7, and they swept all four meetings when these two shared the West Coast Conference the last two seasons. That stings. But this is a new league and a new chapter. The Cougs get one more shot at the Zags to close things out, and there's something fitting about that. For more on what's happening around the program, check out the update on Trey Leckner healing up fast and maybe finally seeing the field. Tight end room could use the help. Go Cougs.