WSU Cougers have been playing at a "magical level" during 2006-07 season. Folks up in Palouse have been looking forward to Thursday night's game for weeks. And they are digging deep, I mean deep to find inspiration for the home team on Thursday night:
IN THIS SEASON OF basketball renaissance on the Palouse, it's only fitting that a long-distance memory of glory be rekindled. This Thursday's sold-out showdown between WSU and UCLA won't tip off until Washington State -- at long last -- hoists a banner that should have been hanging off the rafters for the last 90 years: NCAA national basketball champions. True fact. Ol' Wazzu won it all in 1917.
That team went 25-1, playing 18 games on the road. They were the first-ever basketball champion from the Pac-10, which at the time was called the Pacific Coast Conference.
Ironically, that same era produced what many observers believe should be considered Washington State's first and only national championship team in football. The 1915 WSC grid club went undefeated and won the first of the continuous Rose Bowl games over Brown in January 1916.
As for the basketballers, 1917 was an interesting time in the sport. There were no 6-foot-10 Aron Baynes' roaming the paint. WSU's star center, Roy Bohler, was all of 5-foot-11. There was no March Madness. In fact, WSU wasn't awarded the national title until four decades later, when the Helms Athletic Foundation started filling gaps in the college sports record books.
Hanging a banner from 1917 to get all fired up? Whatever it takes to get those folks fired up I guess.That team went 25-1, playing 18 games on the road. They were the first-ever basketball champion from the Pac-10, which at the time was called the Pacific Coast Conference.
Ironically, that same era produced what many observers believe should be considered Washington State's first and only national championship team in football. The 1915 WSC grid club went undefeated and won the first of the continuous Rose Bowl games over Brown in January 1916.
As for the basketballers, 1917 was an interesting time in the sport. There were no 6-foot-10 Aron Baynes' roaming the paint. WSU's star center, Roy Bohler, was all of 5-foot-11. There was no March Madness. In fact, WSU wasn't awarded the national title until four decades later, when the Helms Athletic Foundation started filling gaps in the college sports record books.
I really believe the pressure is going to be on the Cougs to win this game not Bruins. This is the game that will make their season. Then again beating UCLA makes everyone's season, otherwise people won't be rushing the courts. And even if it doesn't work out on Thursday night, Bruins will have a chance to clich the conference title outright on Saturday. No I am not conceding a loss at all. Just saying the pressure is going to be all on the Cougers. And when they are reaching back to 1917 you know they can feel it.
Anyways. Obviously we will have more on this game later this week. If the Bruins come out focused, poised, and play their brand of defense, we are going to be all right.
GO BRUINS.