POSTSEASON OUTLOOK
When asked about Washington State's chances of getting in the NIT during the week of the Pac-10 tournament, coach Ken Bone said he was unsure because he had never been in that event before.

However, the Cougars seem like a lock to get in the second-tier postseason tournament.

Washington State finished .500 in league play (9-9) and went 19-12 overall, so a postseason spot seems almost certain. Two wins over Washington and victories against Gonzaga and Baylor should solidify the Cougars' hopes of receiving an NIT bid.

FUTURES MARKET
Coach Ken Bone, searching for a way to level the playing field against UCLA without starters Klay Thompson and Reggie Moore, changed tactics to catch the Bruins off guard. The Cougars ran a high-post offense with frequent back-cuts to the basket, and on defense played a scramble with traps and double-teams. Bone also inserted into the lineup senior walk-on Ben Loewen, who had played just 34 minutes all season. It all added up to Washington State taking the league's second-best team into overtime.

PLAYER NOTES

--Junior G Klay Thompson, the only Pac-10 player averaging more than 20 points per game, was a first-team all-conference selection for the second year in a row. He was also a repeat selection to the National Association of Basketball Coaches all-district first team. Thompson is almost certain to lead the conference in scoring. He would be the first Cougar since Don Collins in 1979-80 to accomplish that feat.

--Junior G DeAngelo Casto was a second-team all-conference selection, and he was also named to the all-defensive team.

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