Washington State Basketball GameDay Huddle: Oregon State Beavers

It seems like our coaching staff has come under a lot of fire lately… oh heck let’s just say it, Coug fans are up in arms right now about the way the coaching staff has performed with this team. I do realize that it can’t all be laid at their feet, the team itself has also had chances to win and they just aren’t doing it. So today, no matter what happens, I’m focusing on the players themselves.

Players have to take some responsibility and show some pride at some point. Oregon was step one of that, in my opinion, even though they failed to close it out. Remembering the last two times we were on Matt Court in that arena, we got absolutely obliterated and this game was supposed to be worse. The Ducks are the best they’ve been in several years and now in the record books they are the best starting Duck team in history.

Yet we hung in and actually controlled the game for about 30 minutes. So today we need to see that again! Except you gotta close the Beavs out, you just have to. There’s no if’s, and’s or but’s about it, this is one of those character contests that won’t have anything to do with the coaching staff. It comes down to the Cougs going in and playing well on a day (Saturday) when they’ve been playing atrociously.

While they are 1-5 in conference play, OSU is coming off of an uplifting 74-66 victory over the Mutts, so the Cougs might have to bring a little extra. The last time these two met in Corvallis the Cougs ran away with a 72-55 victory in the CBI tourney to end the Beavers’ season, so it’s not like we’ll be intimidated. Also, Bone’s Cougar teams are 6-2 against OSU.

Show some heart Cougs! Pick up a victory today against this team. Coug Nation needs something to cheer about this weekend!

Go Cougs!