The Pac-10 Tournament starts today in Los Angeles, but the Cougars don't get going until tomorrow. Washington and California get things started at 6pm (winner plays UCLA), followed by Arizona and Oregon State at 8:30pm (winner faces Stanford). Washington State already knows who they'll battle...Oregon.

Obviously, it's the third match up between the Cougars and Ducks this season. Wazzu swept the season series with a 69-60 victory in Pullman on January 20th (snapped a 13-game skid to Oregon) and a 62-53 win in Eugene on February 16th (the Cougs first win in "The Pit" in 13 years). Everyone always talks about how hard it is to beat a team three times in one year, but remember that WSU beat the Huskies three times last year. Taylor Rochestie say he expects a "dogfight."

Two factors will be on Oregon's side come Thursday...momentum and desperation. The Ducks are riding a three game win streak into the tournament (they beat Oregon State, Arizona State, and Arizona to end the regular season). Oregon is 18-12 overall, 9-9 in the conference. No Pac-10 team has ever made it to the NCAA Tournament with a .500 record. The league was so competitive this year that things will probably be different, but the Ducks could ensure a spot with a strong run through the conference tourney. Anyone who watched the Gonzaga/San Diego WCC Championship saw what can happen when one team wants to go dancing while the other already has an invitation.

Wazzu is riding some momentum of their own (maybe I should call it an emotional high). The Cougars are coming off one of their biggest regular season wins ever and they did it in exciting fashion (a 76-73 double OT thriller against the Huskies). I've watched video of their celebration over and over again. While telling his players to capture the moment at center court after the game, Tony Bennett captured the moment himself and used it as a bonding experience for his players (I've never seen anything like it before). These guys love each other (if you haven't seen the celebration we have video links on the KREM Cougar website) and they don't want this run to end.

As I've mentioned (and everyone knows anyways), the Cougars are already going to the NCAA Tournament. It's hard to say that all WSU is playing for now is seeding (because there is a tournament championship up for grabs), but every game means more than just a win or loss. It means a five or a six seed or Anaheim or Raleigh. A good showing this week/weekend could shape a long run through the NCAA's or a quick one.

P.S. Talk about East Coast bias. Last night on SportsCenter they were asking which men's basketball tournament people most want to see. The options: ACC, Big East, Big 12, Atlantic 10. Seriously? They didn't even give the Pac-10 as an option. In my mind (maybe I'm biased), the conference tourney in LA will be the best in the country.

P.S.S. Two Cougar football players are on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame. Rueben Mayes (running back from 1982-85) and William "Lone Star" Dietz (head coach from 1915-17). There are 83 candidates on the ballot including Troy Aikman, Tim Brown, Eric Dickerson and several other "big names." The HOF class will be announced May 1st.

P.S.S.S. The Cougar baseball team is 10-3 after a loss last night to Kansas State. The Cougars hit three home runs, but still lost 9-6. Jim Murphy hit his sixth homer in the last seven games. WSU plays #24 Wichita State tonight.

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