Washington State VS Utah: Struggles Continue
By James Loss
Overall it was Washington States careless ball handling and poor defense that brought on their 4th straight defeat.
In Thursday’s game against Utah, Washington State was out scored and out performed once again. The Cougars seemed helpless from the start. Utah continuously recovered offensive rebounds as Josh Hawkinson had an uncharacteristic night of only 8 rebounds.
Utah shot 55% from the field, as well as 50% from beyond the 3-point marker. Jordan Loveridge and Brandon Taylor both posted 20+ points and the team had an overall 4 players above 10 points. The Utes picked apart Wazzu’s defense by passing the ball down low, inciting a double team and then kicking it out to the arc to a wide open shooter. Even if the shot was no good, chances are Utah came down with the rebound and an easy put-back. Totaling 34 rebounds, (9 offensively) Utah won the game down low and from the field.
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While Washington State had 2 scorers above 15 points, Que Johnson and Josh Hawkinson, the rest of the team was seemingly non-existent. Once again, ball movement was very scarce for Washington State and it reflected in the final score. I’m not sure if the Cougars should push for more ball movement, or try to pass as little as possible, because 13 turnovers proves they have a hard time controlling the ball. The list of problems runs long for the Cougars and no one really knows where to start fixing it.
The Colorado University Buffaloes will be coming to Pullman to play at Friel Court on January 23rd. Smart offensive possessions and tough defense are the keys to the game tomorrow for the Cougs. Washington State must find their own way out of this slump and snap the losing streak. March Madness may be out of reach, but a solid finish to the season would raise hopes for this developing team.