Washington State Cougars men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The Washington State Cougars Men's Basketball team represents Washington State University
and competes in the Pacific-12 Conference (Pac-12) of NCAA Division I. The Cougars play their home games at Beasley Coliseum
, which has a capacity of 11,566.
Men's basketball is the second-most popular sport at Washington State
, although its popularity is rapidly increasing after the 2006-2007 season
.
by the Helms Athletic Foundation
. The team played to large crowds in the late-1970s when George Raveling
was head coach.
For the better part of seven decades, the Cougars were a consistent contender in the Pac-10 and its predecessor, the Pacific Coast Conference
. However, after Kelvin Sampson
left for Oklahoma
in 1994, the program floundered for most of the rest of the 1990s and the early part of the 21st century. However, there was the beginning of a resurgence under coach Dick Bennett
. The 2004-05 season saw a large increase in student support as the team finished within a few wins of a .500 record (along with a stunning upset win against eventual Elite Eight
team Arizona
). Bennett retired at the end of the 2005-06 season and was replaced by his son, Tony. Before becoming head coach, Tony Bennett spent three seasons as an assistant to his father, the last three seasons as head coach before leaving for the University of Virginia
.
and beat Oral Roberts
70–54 in the first round. The Cougars then lost to Vanderbilt in the second round 78–74 in double overtime. Their final record was 13–5 in the Pac-10 and 26–8 overall, which tied the school record for most wins in a season. During the 2006–07 season, the Cougars swept rival Washington, Arizona
, Arizona State, USC, Oregon State
, and California. In the tournament, the coaching staff wore a pin saying TAY, which stood for Turn-Around Year. After the season, Coach Tony Bennett received the Naismith Coach of the Year award, the highest honor for a college basketball coach.
. The Cougars earned a #4 seed and were matched up against #13 seed Winthrop University
. The Cougars dominated in the second half after a 29–29 tie in the first half to finish 71–40, far beyond the 9 point margin they were favored by.
The second round put them up against #5 seed Notre Dame who was favored by 2.5 points. The Cougars surprised the media and viewers nationwide. The Cougars were in control throughout the contest and ended the game with a 61-41 victory. Held to 41 points, the Fighting Irish finished their final game well below their points per game average.
After two straight victories in the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars headed to the Sweet Sixteen
for the second time in school history. In the Sweet Sixteen, Washington State was matched against the #1 overall seed North Carolina. During the first half, both teams seem evenly matched, but North Carolina took control in the second half and ended up winning by a score of 68–47. The Cougars finished the 2007–08 season with a record of 26–9.
announced that he was leaving Washington State to take the head coaching job at Virginia
following the 2008-09 season. Bennett, who became head coach after his father Dick Bennett
's retirement, finished the season with a 17-16 record. The previous years, he led the Cougars to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. Both the father and son coached for three years at the school.
John B. Evans (1902–03)
James N. Ashmore (1904–05)
Everett M. Sweeley (1906–07)
John R. Bender (1908)
J. Fred Bohler (1909–26)
Karl Schlademan (1927–28)
Jack Friel (1929–58)
Marv Harshman (1959–71)
Bob Greenwood (1972)
George Raveling (1973–83)
Len Stevens (1984–87)
Kelvin Sampson (1988–94)
Kevin Eastman (1995–99)
Paul Graham (2000–03)
Dick Bennett (2003–06)
Tony Bennett (2006–09)
Ken Bone (2009- )
s. Their combined record is 6–6.
s. Their combined record is 7–5.
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
and competes in the Pacific-12 Conference (Pac-12) of NCAA Division I. The Cougars play their home games at Beasley Coliseum
Beasley Coliseum
Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena, in Pullman, Washington, on the campus of Washington State University. The arena opened in 1973 and is named for Wallis Beasley, a long-time WSU sociology professor, executive vice president and interim president. Beasley was also WSU's...
, which has a capacity of 11,566.
Men's basketball is the second-most popular sport at Washington State
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
, although its popularity is rapidly increasing after the 2006-2007 season
2006-07 Washington State Cougars men's basketball team
The 2006–07 Washington State Cougars men's basketball team represented Washington State University for the 2006–2007 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Tony Bennett...
.
History
In 1936, the Cougars were retroactively awarded the 1917 National ChampionshipMythical National Championship
A mythical national championship is a colloquial term used to question the validity of national championship recognition that is not explicitly competitive...
by the Helms Athletic Foundation
Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...
. The team played to large crowds in the late-1970s when George Raveling
George Raveling
George Raveling is a former college men's basketball coach and FOX Sports Net color commentator. He was the head coach at Washington State University , the University of Iowa , and the University of Southern California . The Washington, D.C. native attended St...
was head coach.
For the better part of seven decades, the Cougars were a consistent contender in the Pac-10 and its predecessor, the Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
. However, after Kelvin Sampson
Kelvin Sampson
Kelvin Sampson is an assistant coach of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He previously was a men's college basketball coach at Montana Tech , Washington State University , the University of Oklahoma and Indiana University .-Early life and coaching:Sampson was born in the...
left for Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
in 1994, the program floundered for most of the rest of the 1990s and the early part of the 21st century. However, there was the beginning of a resurgence under coach Dick Bennett
Dick Bennett
Dick Bennett is an American college basketball coach who is best known for revitalizing the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program...
. The 2004-05 season saw a large increase in student support as the team finished within a few wins of a .500 record (along with a stunning upset win against eventual Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
team Arizona
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
). Bennett retired at the end of the 2005-06 season and was replaced by his son, Tony. Before becoming head coach, Tony Bennett spent three seasons as an assistant to his father, the last three seasons as head coach before leaving for the University of Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball
The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program represents the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA's Division I. The team is coached by Tony Bennett.-Statistics:-Retired numbers:-Retired jerseys:...
.
2006-07
In 2007, following a win against then No. 7 Arizona, the Cougars appeared in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since 1983. Picked to finish last in the Pac-10 in a pre-season media poll, the Cougars surprised everyone by finishing second in the conference and peaking with a No. 9 ranking. The Cougars earned a #3 seed in the NCAA Tournament2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
and beat Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles men's basketball
The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Basketball team is the basketball team that represent Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The school's team currently competes in The Summit League. The team earned an automatic berth in the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. It was their third...
70–54 in the first round. The Cougars then lost to Vanderbilt in the second round 78–74 in double overtime. Their final record was 13–5 in the Pac-10 and 26–8 overall, which tied the school record for most wins in a season. During the 2006–07 season, the Cougars swept rival Washington, Arizona
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
, Arizona State, USC, Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers men's basketball
The Oregon State Beavers men's basketball program, established in 1901, is the intercollegiate men's basketball program of the Oregon State University Beavers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference. The team is coached by Craig...
, and California. In the tournament, the coaching staff wore a pin saying TAY, which stood for Turn-Around Year. After the season, Coach Tony Bennett received the Naismith Coach of the Year award, the highest honor for a college basketball coach.
2007-08
In 2008, the Cougars returned to the NCAA Tournament2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
. The Cougars earned a #4 seed and were matched up against #13 seed Winthrop University
Winthrop Eagles men's basketball
The Winthrop Eagles basketball team represents Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina and competes in the Big South Conference. The Eagles are currently coached by Randy Peele and play their home games in the 6,100 seat Winthrop Coliseum. Winthrop has appeared in nine NCAA Tournaments...
. The Cougars dominated in the second half after a 29–29 tie in the first half to finish 71–40, far beyond the 9 point margin they were favored by.
The second round put them up against #5 seed Notre Dame who was favored by 2.5 points. The Cougars surprised the media and viewers nationwide. The Cougars were in control throughout the contest and ended the game with a 61-41 victory. Held to 41 points, the Fighting Irish finished their final game well below their points per game average.
After two straight victories in the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars headed to the Sweet Sixteen
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
for the second time in school history. In the Sweet Sixteen, Washington State was matched against the #1 overall seed North Carolina. During the first half, both teams seem evenly matched, but North Carolina took control in the second half and ended up winning by a score of 68–47. The Cougars finished the 2007–08 season with a record of 26–9.
Coaches
Head coach Tony BennettTony Bennett (basketball)
Anthony "Tony" Guy Bennett is an American college basketball coach and current head coach for the University of Virginia Cavaliers men's team. Previously, he played professionally for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets and was later head coach at Washington State University...
announced that he was leaving Washington State to take the head coaching job at Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball
The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program represents the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA's Division I. The team is coached by Tony Bennett.-Statistics:-Retired numbers:-Retired jerseys:...
following the 2008-09 season. Bennett, who became head coach after his father Dick Bennett
Dick Bennett
Dick Bennett is an American college basketball coach who is best known for revitalizing the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program...
's retirement, finished the season with a 17-16 record. The previous years, he led the Cougars to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. Both the father and son coached for three years at the school.
John B. Evans (1902–03)
James N. Ashmore (1904–05)
Everett M. Sweeley (1906–07)
John R. Bender (1908)
J. Fred Bohler (1909–26)
Karl Schlademan (1927–28)
Jack Friel (1929–58)
Marv Harshman (1959–71)
Bob Greenwood (1972)
George Raveling (1973–83)
Len Stevens (1984–87)
Kelvin Sampson (1988–94)
Kevin Eastman (1995–99)
Paul Graham (2000–03)
Dick Bennett (2003–06)
Tony Bennett (2006–09)
Ken Bone (2009- )
NCAA Tournament
The Cougars have appeared in six NCAA TournamentNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
s. Their combined record is 6–6.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result/Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 1941 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament -External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page.-See also:* 1941 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament... |
First Round Final Four Championship Game |
Creighton Arkansas Wisconsin 1940–41 Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team The 1940–41 Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team represented the University of Wisconsin. The Head Coach was Bud Foster and was a member of the Big Ten Conference... |
W 48–39 W 64–53 L 39–34 |
| 1980 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 6, 1980, and ended with the championship game on March 24 in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
First Round | Pennsylvania | L 62–55 |
| 1983 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known... |
First Round Second Round |
Weber State Virginia |
W 62–52 L 54–49 |
| 1994 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina... |
First Round | Boston College | L 67–64 |
| 2007 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season... |
First Round Second Round |
Oral Roberts Vanderbilt |
W 70–54 L 78–74 2OT |
| 2008 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season... |
First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen |
Winthrop Notre Dame North Carolina |
W 71–40 W 61–41 L 68–47 |
NIT
The Cougars have appeared in five National Invitation TournamentNational Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
s. Their combined record is 7–5.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result/Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 1992 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Utah 81, Florida 78... |
First Round Quarterfinals |
Minnesota New Mexico |
W 72–70 L 79–71 |
| 1995 1995 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Penn State 66, Canisius 62... |
First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight |
Texas Tech 1994–95 Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team The 1994–95 Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team represented Texas Tech University in the Southwest Conference during the 1994–95 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Head Coach was James Dickey, his 4th year with the team. The Red Raiders played their home games in the Lubbock... Illinois State Canisius |
W 94–82 W 83–80 L 99–80 |
| 1996 1996 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Tulane 87, Alabama 76... |
First Round Sweet Sixteen |
Gonzaga Nebraska |
W 92–73 L 82–73 |
| 2009 2009 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals and finals:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31 and April 2* denotes each overtime played-NIT Championship:... |
First Round | Saint Mary's | L 68–57 |
| 2011 2011 National Invitation Tournament -Colorado bracket:-Boston College bracket:-Virginia Tech bracket:-NIT Final Four - NIT Semifinals and NIT Championship Game:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City-See also:* 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament... |
First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals |
Long Beach State Oklahoma State Northwestern Wichita State |
W 85–74 W 74–64 W 69–66 (OT) L 75–44 |