An Eastern Washington rivalry is brewing up once again in Pullman on Wednesday, February 19th at 6 PM PT on ESPN2.
Just like Gill Coliseum did when Gonzaga travelled down to Corvallis, Beasley Coliseum in Pullman is expected to fill up their 12,000+ seating capacity for the first time since Klay Thompson’s jersey retirement back in January of 2020. With only 77 miles separating each campus, a great deal of Gonzaga fans will be making their way onto US Route 195 to witness the highly-anticipated rematch between the two Eastern Washington foes.
This will be the 152nd all-time meeting between these two programs. The Cougars lead the all-time series at 98-53 but the Zags have won the last six games.
Losing senior guard Cedric Coward (shoulder), freshman guard Marcus Wilson (shoulder), and sophomore forward Rihards Vavers (hands) have been major losses to the Cougars who have adopted the next man up mentality. Former Eastern Washington turned Washington State coach David Riley has major depth to his roster with five double-figure scorers.
One of those players is Nate Calmese who has taken over the reins of the Washington State offense as the lead guard. The 6’2 junior is averaging 15.8 points per game (5th in the conference) on a 49.0 field goal percentage (4th in the conference), 4.1 assists per game (8th in the conference), 3.1 rebounds per game, and 1.7 steals per game (tied for 4th in the conference). Pretty much does a bit off everything for this team.
The Cougars have found their biggest identity coming on the defensive end, especially when protecting the rim. Washington State ranks No. 30 in the nation with 4.9 blocks per game. Junior forward ND Okafor is fifth in the conference in that category at 1.2 blocks per game.
Sophomore forward LeJuan Watts has brought toughness and activity on the glass each time he steps out on the floor. At 6’6, he grabs 6.9 rebounds per game which ranks him No. 10 in the conference.
Player to Watch For:
Isaiah Watts (sophomore, guard) – 12.0 PPG on 40.6 FG% and 38.5 3PT, 4.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.5 SPG (tied for seventh in the conference)
Washington State was without the Seattle native for the 88-75 loss at Gonzaga back on January 11th due to an injury to his non-shooting left hand. Watts wasn’t too thrilled with how the crowd inside the Kennel treated him and is looking for revenge on his home court.
“A lot of their fans were talking trash, saying whatever to me… I’m that type of player that enjoys playing in front of big crowds. I love to talk a little trash, so I’m gonna make sure I talk some trash tomorrow.” – Washington guard Isaiah Watts via Greg Woods, Spokesman Review
At 6’3, the combo guard brings the ability to attack the rim with force as well as to stretch out the floor. Watts has been an all-around scoring threat since coming back from injury, scoring in double-figures in his last three games.
A high-scoring affair for both teams is in order. Gonzaga’s No. 1 offense in the conference (88.0 points per game) up against Washington State’s No. 3 offense in the conference (78.0 points per game). The Cougars have had an issue taking care of the ball all season, leading the conference with 14.8 turnovers per game compared to the Zags who turn it over the least amount at 9.6 per game.
Can Gonzaga continue to find their groove from beyond the arc? In the recent 107-55 beatdown against Pepperdine, coach Mark Few’s group were firing on all cylinders from deep (12-for-26 on three-pointers which is 46.2 percent). They will need to with a tough stretch of games coming up.
The Zags have an important next two weeks to wrap up West Coast Conference play. The game at Washington State will be a Quad 2 opportunity. The second matchup with rival Saint Mary’s in Spokane will be a Quad 1 as well as will the two matchups on the Bay Area road trip against Santa Clara in the Leavey Center and San Francisco at the Chase Center.
Gonzaga sits in second place at a 20-7 overall record, 11-3 in conference with Saint Mary’s at 23-4 overall record, 13-1 in conference. The Zags trail the Gaels by two games in the conference standings with only four games left on the schedule.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on Twitter @a_cravalho