Washington State MBB Set To Begin West Coast Conference Play At Portland
![Washington State Cougars forward ND Okafor (22) runs back to get on defense after a basket during the first half of their game in the Acrisure Series in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. Washington State Cougars forward ND Okafor (22) runs back to get on defense after a basket during the first half of their game in the Acrisure Series in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3000,h_1687,x_0,y_120/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/washington-state-cougars-on-si/01jg4syzkf5fy2h265y3.jpg)
Washington State Cougars (10-3, 0-0 WCC) @ Portland Pilots (5-8, 0-0 WCC)
Date: Saturday, December 28
Time: 5 PM PT // 8 PM ET
Location: Chiles Center - Portland, Oregon
TV: ESPN+
For the Washington State Cougars, 2024 marks their first season as members of the West Coast Conference. That first WCC league slate will officially begin on Saturday, December 28 with a trip to the Chiles Center in Portland, Oregon.
WSU are 10-3 to start the year, bouncing back from a loss at UW with a 76-68 win over Northern Iowa last weekend. WSU point guard Nate Calmese is fifth in the WCC in scoring with 208 points, averaging 16 per game. On the defensive end, ND Okafor and Dane Erikstrup have looked great for the Cougs with 19 blocked shots each.
This week's home team, the Pilots, still appear to be finding their way to start the 2024 season. With a 5-8 record, two of those wins have come against teams that are not Division I clubs. Portland's Division I wins this season have come against Lafayette, Denver, and Long Beach State. Despite those struggles, freshman forward Austin Rapp leads the conference in three-point field goals with 33 in 12 games played.
Saturday will mark the first time since 2011 that the Cougs have played against the Pilots. WSU have won each of the previous five matchups with Portland.
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