Washington State University (24-9) is competing in March Madness for the first time since 2008. The Cougars will face the Drake Bulldogs (28-6) at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday, March 21.
“We get to play another post season, and it’s a blessing to do that,” Isaac Jones said after Washington State’s semifinal loss in the PAC-12 Tournament. “We give all the glory to God, keep our heads on straight and lock in for the next game.”
WSU, a seven seed, enters the game as the 25th-ranked team in the country. Drake comes in as a 10 seed after beating Indiana State 84-80 in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
The Cougs’ 74.3 points per game make them the 154th best scoring offense in the country. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs hold the 34th best scoring offense with 80.5 points per game.
On the other side of the ball, WSU’s 66.9 points allowed per game make them the 44th best defense in the NCAA. Drake lets up 70.5 points per game, making its defense 126th.
Both teams had multiple players land on all-conference teams, and each had one player win an individual award.
Junior guard/forward Tucker DeVries was named First Team All-Missouri Valley and won the Larry Bird Trophy (the MVP award for the MVC). Drake also saw graduate student forward Darnell Brodie named as a first team member.
The Cougs saw Myles Rice win PAC-12 Freshman of the Year behind 15.3 ppg, 3.9 assists per game and 1.5 steals per game. A former Vandal, fifth-year guard Isaac Jones, joined Rice on the All-PAC-12 first team while junior forward Jaylen Wells received an honorable mention.
On top of the player awards, Kyle Smith, the head coach at WSU, received the John R. Wooden PAC-12 Coach of the Year award in his fifth year with the Cougs.
This comes after he became the first coach in WSU history to boast a .500 or better record in his first four, now five, seasons.
“This is the most fun season I’ve ever had… but this is also the most competitive season I’ve had in my life,” Jones said when asked what it’s been like to play under Smith.
After WSU finished 11-9 and sixth in the PAC-12 last season, it was projected to finish tenth this year. The Cougs also didn’t have a single player on the preseason all-conference teams. The scenario for Drake was vastly different.
The Bulldogs were projected to finish at the top of the MVC with 24 first-place votes in the preseason poll. DeVries and Brodie were also selected to preseason all-conference teams, and DeVries was projected to win Player of the Year.
With the two very different sets of expectations, this game could be one of the best in the first round, especially if history, and Vegas, have their way.
James Taurman-Aldrich can be reached at [email protected] or on X @jamesaldrich25