Cougars Face Bulldogs at Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off

WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (2-0) VS MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS (3-0)
Saturday, Nov. 18 at 9 a.m. PT
Uncasville, Conn.
Mohegan Sun // 8,300
Radio Coverage

Luke Hallett & Craig Ehlo
WSU Learfield Network
Television Coverage
ESPN+

Derek Jones & Chris Spatola

OPENING FIVE

1. The Washington State Cougars hit the road for the first time during the 2023-24 season, traveling to Uncasville, Connecticut, for the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off at Mohegan Sun Arena beginning Saturday at 9 a.m. PT

2. Myles Rice continued his strong freshman start, scoring in double figures both games in Week 1, dishing out five assists in the win over PVAM and averaging 14 points over two games

3. Wazzu has three former Washington 4A State Player of the Year recipients on its roster – Jabe Mullins (2020), Dylan Darling (2022), and Parker Gerrits (2023) and boasts six student-athletes in total from the Evergreen State (Jones, Olesen, Watts)

4. Isaac Jones recorded his first double-double as a Coug, last Friday with 11 rebounds and 18 points…Jones is second in Pac-12 with 10.0 rebounds per game and 10th in the Conference with 64.7 fg percentage

5. Oscar Cluff is currently second in Pac-12 with a 75% shooting average…against Prairie View, Cluff scored 17 points, including 5 of 5 from the floor and 7 of 8 from the free throw line

LAST TIME VS MISSISSIPPI STATE

The Cougars met the Bulldogs at the 2010 Diamondhead Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Cougars, led by Klay Thompson, beat MSU by double-digits in the opening round, before knocking off No. 15 Baylor and advancing to the MTE title game. Thompson finished the game against the Bulldogs with 28 points, as Wazzu outscored MSU 44-17 in the second half for the win.

COUGARS VS BULLDOGS

The Washington State Cougars travel to Uncasville, Connecticut, for the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off event, beginning Saturday, Nov. 18 against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Cougars have faced the Bulldogs twice in the programs’ histories, both in neutral site MTEs in the last 15 years. Wazzu won both matchups by double digits. WSU Head Coach Kyle Smith has never coached against the Mississippi State side in 14 years of coaching. In the last meeting between WSU and MSU, then junior Klay Thompson dropped 28 points in an opening round win at the 2010 Diamondhead Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.

LAST TIME OUT // VS PRAIRIE…