Washington State University Athletics - Official Athletics Site
Cougs pack for Moraga after putting up their best showing of the season
What the hell was that? It is one thing to hang around for a half in a road environment. It is another to actually compress the gas pedal and not let up. That is what the Cougs did Saturday. They put together their best showing of the season, and it came just when the schedule turns nasty. The reward for this kind of effort is a bus ride to Moraga, California, where the Saint Mary's Gaels are waiting at McKeon Pavilion. That place is a problem for visitors. It is not the loudest building in the West Coast Conference, but it is the most disciplined. Every possession feels like a root canal.
The timing matters. David Riley's group just showed it can execute a full 40 minutes on both ends. If that version of the Cougs shows up in Moraga, they have a real shot. The Gaels do not beat themselves, so you cannot give them free runs at the rim. You have to make jumpers, and you have to handle their physicality on the glass. This is the kind of game that separates a feel-good win from a true step forward for the program.
For a deeper look at the rivalry foundation that runs through this program, check out "The Rock Is Real WSU and OSU Make Their Rivalry Official" on the site. It puts the current fight into perspective.
The Cougs are packing now. Go Cougs.
