Final
for this game
No. 12 Washington St. meets intrastate rival at Pac-10 tourney
Mar 8, 2007 - 4:35 PM Washington (19-12) vs. No. 12 Washington St (24-6) 11:30 pm ESTLOS ANGELES (Ticker) - After injecting new life in Washington State's program, coach Tony Bennett is poised to pursue bigger prizes.
The Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Bennett will look to guide the 12th-ranked Cougars to the second-highest victory total in school history Thursday when they meet Washington in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.
In his first season, Bennett coached Washington State to a 13-win improvement over 2005-2006 and a No. 2 seed in the Pac-10 Tournament. The team can win its 25th game for the third time in school history and move within one of the school record set in 1940-1941.
Bennett has stressed defense and protection of the ball as key elements in the Cougars' turnaround. They are third in the nation in fewest turnovers (10.5) and 12th in scoring defense (58.6).
Washington State has not won a Pac-10 championship since 1940-1941, when they lost in the NCAA title game. The Cougars are just 2-7 all-time in conference tournament play.
After opening February with five straight wins, Washington State has split its last four contests, including an 88-86 double-overtime triumph over Southern California. Aron Baynes his all 10 shots from the floor to score 25 points and Taylor Rochestie added 21.
Washington has not won the conference crown since taking back-to-back regular-season titles in 1984 and 1985. The Huskies lost four in a row in late February before closing the regular season with victories over USC and UCLA. They followed with Wednesday's 59-51 win over Arizona State in the first round of the tournament.
Jon Brockman scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Justin Dentmon and Spencer Hawes added 13 points apiece for Washington, which advanced to the tournament's title game twice in the past four years.
The Cougars won both regular-season matchups against the Huskies, including a 65-61 triumph February 14.
The winner faces either Stanford or Southern California.
- PAC 10 TOURNAMENT
AT LOS ANGELES
NCAA BB PAC 10 TOURNAMENT
FINAL 1ST 2ND TOTAL
--- --- -----
WASHINGTON 36 28 64
WASHINGTON ST (12) 32 42 74 FINAL
Mar 9 2:16 AM - PAC 10 TOURNAMENT
AT LOS ANGELES
NCAA BB WASHINGTON 36
WASHINGTON ST (12) 32 HALFTIME
Mar 9 1:00 AM
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