Cougar Basketball: A Year to Remember

This is where it all began. The Beasley performing arts Coliseum in Washington state would win 14 games here this season the first time a Washington State basketball team had gone undefeated at home in the school's history. There was a season full of nip and tuck contests. In fact 16 of Washington State's 28 games were decided by four points or less as were 10 of their 14 conference wins. They quickly became known as the cardiac cougars the Cougars finished the preseason with an 18 to record those two losses on the road to Idaho and Montana. Guy Williams was a standout in favorite of the fans during the non-conference season leading the cougars and scoring in capping off the preseason with a school record forty three points against Idaho state as the Cougars hit the century mark for the only time during the season. A one hundred eighty three victory over the Bengals. Despite the promising early start many felt the Cougars would struggle during Pakhtun play because some felt the non-conference schedule was extremely weak.

I don't know apologies for our pre-season schedule I think our pre-season schedule was ideal preparation for the conference race especially in view of the fact that we had five brand new people coming in the program trying to achieve at this level for the first time and I think that you first of all have to schedule some games that are down to have some degree of experimentation and second of all I think it has to allow you to give some of the younger players an opportunity to play. And so while perhaps maybe we didn't play the Northlanders and Kentucky's in the end as in preseason we did accomplish what we had to accomplish to place ourselves in the position that we've arrived at today. And payoff it did in the form of developing youth. Ricky Brown the freshman from Dublin Georgia would become a force behind WSU success. Los Angeles freshman Keith Morrison sharpened his skills during the preseason and read more Brian Pollard would acquire valuable playing time. It was now time for the Cougars to prove their

preseason critics wrong. The first game set a tone for conference play. The Washington Huskies came to an end behind the fine shooting of senior guard Brad Watson kept the Cougars backs to the wall. Chris Winkler and Greg Aiello created havoc with the husky guys. But down the stretch. No one not even the court fans could do anything about Watson. Washington state forced it into one overtime and Watson forced it into a second. It was the first in a season of cliffhangers the Cougars usually found a way to win. Arizona State presented a similar problem in the league's leading scorer Byron Scott

came in averaging just under 20 points a game and scored 19 against the fielders but was forced to shoot from long range. It was still not playing it 100 percent who put on the show 10 for 16 from the field 12 for 14 from a line at a career high 32 points with a senior from Compton California plus seven rebounds a Chris Winkler jumper gave the Cougars a seven point lead with 231 to play but scoring six quick points and the Cougars held on to win by just one 75 74. The Arizona Wildcats under first year head coach Ben Lindsey came to play and they left the Cougars dismantled the grief torn Wildcats who had two players quit the club on the road trip north of 86 64 was the final count Steve threw in 13 points for the Cougars and 11 rebounds and for

his efforts in the first week of conference play he was named player of the week. The Cougars then traveled to Corvallis to meet an Oregon State team with an uncharacteristic league record one and three. Gill Coliseum is never an enjoyable place to play but crowded with a host of angry Bieber fans it's a place unfit for man or beast. The Cougars responded with what raveling called their best performance of the year. Guy Williams played perhaps the most complete game of his collegiate career scoring 25 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Steve Perry Ellis showed no signs of letting up from his Arizona weekend with 23 points of his own. And this game was especially important for the emergence of freshman Ricky Brown playing head to head against Charley said Brown drew the all packed 10 player into his fifth foul and made it easier for the Cougars to come away with a decisive

76 64 win. Washington state had won nine in a row including the important back 10 road victory over Oregon State University when they prepared for their yearly visit to Eugene. The Cougars would come away with a victory over the University of Oregon Ducks but it was on this night in January the Cougars lost possibly their finest players 6 9 senior forward Guy Williams a knee injury felled Williams eight minutes into the first half and immediately a shadow of doubt was cast upon the remainder of the cougar season closer together. Everybody took up a little bit of this. You know that's one of the people we we don't give up on us. We kind of proved some people have suggested that maybe we were a better team without. I find some degree of difficulty with that because it seems to infer that it was a selfish

player and it was anything but a selfish player. But I think that perhaps maybe what some people are saying when Guy left it forced everybody to join hands together keep those hands together and work in what was a common cause and I think as that process took place I think that each individual began to discover new facets of it that he hadn't used previously. If you get to become more confident and those features and the user rise are more intelligently instead of folding the tent and going home. The Washington State cougars rally wearing wrist bands symbolic of Guy's absence. The Bay Area Schools were next. The bear is from California and the cardinal Stanford game now without Williams was turning into a trial by fire for the Cougars. Everyone was watching and waiting. One would think the last one with the quickness the shooting and the rebounding contribution of the injured missed.

Taking with them a 12 game winning streak in a 7 and 10 record. The Cougars stepped onto the poly pavilion floor a place they had never won although they led UCLA by a half game of national recognition had largely escaped them. One poll had recently rated them as high as 15 but it was clear that Pauley Pavilion would be the proving ground. Could they stay with the Bruins and Polly. Hustling scrapping cougar team knew the answer and they were out to prove it. The Bruins came out fast in the second half. They lead by 10 points but Washington State chipped away Chris Winkler and crazy low hitting from the outside Aaron Haskins and Steve Perry all from the inside. Once again it looked as if they were finding a way to win. But this time they fell short. At the end of regulation play rolled out and sent the game into overtime. The

Bruins took a quick lead seemed in command and the rest of the Cougars searched for yet another way to win. And it nearly worked until the three point play to the victory for the Bruins. Following the disappointing loss to UCLA. It was time to travel across town the Southern California Trojans were the Cougars next. And as Stan Morrison said following the game it appeared as if Washington state had left its intensity at Pauley Pavilion. Morrison proved to be a prophet the second straight game of 56 49 loss to Southern Cal on regional television. Saturday afternoon television games became the demise of the cougar. Three of their four losses would come on Saturday afternoons including a 90 to 78 set back to

Arizona State. The only time the Cougars were left on the court the next three games when we didn't perform well we just lost and it was one of those moods. So I guess you could say this is such big hearts desire to win. We can come out of those slumps like we did throughout the midseason slump George Raveling remains calm on the bench. At least that's what he showed on the outside. Just something that I change this year. I've tried to be less demonstrative run the bench this year I've tried a lot of players that play within a given framework I've given them some parameters by which I want to operate and then I allowed him to just go out and play the game and showed him that I have enough Capas and that they can implement this offensive and defensive philosophies

that we we feel are best that give us a good chance to win. As far as the positive approach is concerned I really have done that in mentally to sheer number of times where Winkler missed a couple of shots I've called them over and told the keep shooting one game I tell him if we didn't keep shoot I was going to take them out. And so I've tried that when when times are going bad I try to end that to get the player or players aside and try to breathe new confidence in the let them know hey we still rob you just keep doing a job everything's going to work out OK. And I tried it as hard as possible to give them as much positive reinforcement as I possibly could and I think that they've responded to it and responded to it in an in a very strong man. George may make his best efforts to remain in that even keel. But when you're coaching in NC Double-A playoff bound team it's tough to escape the pressure. After losing two out of their last three there were voices around the league suggesting Washington

state's early charm had worn off. But as George Raveling prepared his team for the invasion of the Oregon schools he must have told them something very different. Against the Oregon Ducks Ricky Brown came up with the big plays to boost the Cougars to a

slim three point victory. Brown scored 13 points pulled down a couple of crucial rebounds and it was this block shot that put the game away for the Cougars. That set the stage for the next game against the Oregon State Beavers a team with revenge on their minds. Not since 1969 the Cougars swept the beavers in league play. Charlie sit in an A.C. Green Oregon states to our PAC 10 players scored 17 and 16 points respectively. But on this night they were overshadowed by the play of one cougar player who decided the season was not over. It was on this night. Crikey Lowe took flight. He last performance backed by a solid defensive effort from Aaron Haskins took the

much improved beavers into overtime. With certain green and Darrell flowers having battled out the Cougars won by two 63 61. Always named the Pac 10 player of the week. A big reason Washington State enjoyed success against Oregon State and all of their home games might well have been because of an unfair advantage. George Raveling had said all along that his cougars were playing with six men. The extra player was the WSU student body. Our players began to feel that they could not lose and perform the. Mental fatigue and physical fatigue began it become a factor in the game. The fans would lift them about that and carry him onto it to the next level of energy and they continued to play hard and that sometimes when the crowd is really behind your you it's amazing what you can find

those extra spurts of energy that allow you to do that to maintain a level of excellence that you have often simply in the sense of what we have said before it was a season full of close games. When Southern Cal came to Coleman the Cougars made their very best effort to make it a close game. The youngsters did the work. Sophomore Bryan Pollard starting just his fourth game of the year hopped in a career high 21 points and freshman Ricky Brown canned a career high 17 the Cougars lead by 15 midway through the second half but had to fight off the stubborn charges of Coach Stan Morrison 88 83 the final score. George Raveling said the crowd was complacent they were waiting for Monday night's. Real court with the side of possibly the most exciting game in college basketball this season. Students waited more than 36 hours for their seat and became part of a record

crowd. Already so you could be in East L.A. going to comparing this never again. The Bruins were on the UCLA Bruins were the only team Washington state had not defeated in conference play. But on this Monday night in March the Cougars had their finest hour. The stage was set for the last home game of the year and a visit from the boys from Westwood. The UCLA Bruins March 7 1983 is a date Cougar fans will remember for a long long time. It was as if a tiny community in the polluted hills were lying in wait for the Bruins just like a hungry cougar. UCLA takes drama with them wherever they go. But this time they brought along a script especially written for the occasion when the teams warmed up before the game. There seemed to be promises in the air. The play would be better. The fans would be louder and Brian Pollard and George Raveling would jump higher than ever before. Once again it was Brian

Pollard with 19 second half points none bigger than this. And this time it fell. On the shoulders. With a chance to win it a little. OK it's not just like you see on the x rays ETCS are $50 court. UCLA one of the over time in Los Angeles it probably. Covers a ton of people. You know. All right now we're ready. It will start in the right corner of the ocean. Stay for. Three seconds to. Get a shot. You know down to the feet. Quarter. Full screens are set in the corner. Can.

I am. That. I am actually a person or. The sort of. The only vocal could. Have put this question on the reporter a poet to pick up so I am going to school when I have. Ever used to over. The seven day. Use her. Sixth a and. The open. So to say several seconds. I am going to a PEP. Talk what is going to put the son of the first the old A and kiss her own. September speech. You assume you would. Be an open book test for school. At the troopers were. Shot at at. 16 I am so old. It's. Very. Disappointing to cast its

shadow on the cougars in their final packed an outing the Washington Huskies more specifically Brad Watson shattered the Cougars hopes of capturing a share of the Pac 10 title. Heck it means a billion was filled with Cougar fans. But the Huskies got the last year. Watson had 29 points to lead Washington but craggy low almost single handedly turned a runaway ballgame into a contest. Thirty seven points for a low. A career best as he led a brilliant comeback which would fall but one point short. It was finally time for the rewards. The Cougars had finished second in the Pac 10 Conference at least three places higher than most preseason prognosticators had expected. We feel so good about it because it's our way of being able to say to our student body and our fans and ministration Thanks for all the support that you've given us thanks for whatever frustrations you went through in the years and waiting to this moment when all these things galvanized together the places in the position where

we could help represent the West Coast in the Pacific Ten Conference and general and the ANC to a playoffs I think that will go away and that will play very well I think that we have an outstanding chance to advance further along in the tournament and a lot of people think that we we. Well and I can assure all of our fans. One thing that when Rosa draw the Cougars are to give it their best shot. I am.

Going to be above. The area. Of. The beach. The.

University Pavilion on the Boise State campus the site of the 1983 Western sub regional. For Cougar fans the talk was of Virginia and Rob Sampson. But for the cougar team the game was against the Weavers state Wildcats a top physical team which rebounded every opponent in twenty three and seven seasons. But the big sky champs met their match in Georgia rattlings cougars who won the war on the boards thirty nine to 21. Steve Perry grabbed 12 rebounds while Aaron Haskins pulled down eight. Ah pensively it was a sluggish game for both clubs. The kind of game in which one big play at the right time might provide a spark and determine the margin of victory. And from Aaron Haskins trying to extend his Cougar career by at least one more game Washington state receives two big plays back to back. With two and a half minutes left in the first half and the Cougars leading by two Haskins drop to the hoop. First for one three point play. And then another.

We didn't pray as well as we were capable of playing against Weaver state but it was a game that I think a lot of the play as a team was mirrored in and my disposition toward the game I be frank with was I was really uptight about the game. I don't think that there was a game in the last two years that I was more nervous about I had placed a lot of pressure on myself from the standpoint that we didn't want to go in and lose that opening game again and you didn't strike that sends them over. You can't win the big ones. They were now past the game they couldn't look past. Now they turn the right to play one of the best teams in the country and the college games player of the year. The Virginia Cavaliers and their seven foot four all American Center Ralph Sampson. Errant Haskins called it a battle between David and Goliath. Virginia came into the game the number one rebounding team in the country with Rob Sampson as their main presence on both ends of the court. But Aaron Haskins analogy was fitting. There was no fear in

David's eyes as it faced this Goliath. After conceding the opening tap Washington State conceded nothing after that. One first I have casually was Steve Perry you know who went to the bench with three early fouls. But we're there and Haskins adding some key baskets to his rebounding performance and Craig warming after the ball and although Wilson the Cougars went to the locker room just five points behind. The story of the second half was one of brilliant play combined with missed opportunities for Washington State. Sampson after 13 points in the first half played the entire second period without a field goal. A credit to the Washington State deepens. But he was not without influence. Each of his four block shots led directly to Virginia baskets as Bill Wilson picked up the scoring slack. Wilson can 12 of his 14 points in the second half leading surges which kept the Cougars from taking the lead down the stretch in the second half we just weren't able to take advantage of numerous opportunities that we had that would have allowed us

to either tie to school or go to a head. I think if we ever got a head the first day no what happened is we would have had at least 80 percent of the crowd on our side and I think that then that would have created an atmosphere that was similar to playing at home in real court and that would have really got the players going. But never did the Cougars intensity Wayne. Craig yellow and Brian Pollard each had a turn at driving Sure Virginia scores and spurred repeated runs which turned the cavalier off for several minutes into a conscious non productive stall. Losing was a disappointment. The performance was won by a team expecting to win not just trying to make a good showing. The cougars out rebounded the number 1 rebounding team in the country 35 to 24. The Washington State cougars could play with the best. The 1983 Washington State basketball team did a lot of things well. It rebounded with the best played ineffective bewildering series of defenses and

had an uncanny knack for coming up with the big play under pressure. But it was something less obvious something which will stay with fans who followed the team and made the 1983 cougar special. They played with an exuberance a kind of unabashed love for the game which made watching them play a strangely personal experience. Fans became fanatics. The team's joys were their joy and the team's disappointment their disappointment the team played all out. They took risks. They welcomed challenges and they made the pressure play and they wore their emotions on their faces. No one who watched them all season could come away unchanged least of all the man closest to them. I think that this is a group that in years that Kamaal even have a greater appreciation for than I have right now. When I look now I called this group the thing I think that really starting to become a reality with me is how much they taught me. I don't

think this was a one sided affair where I destroyed them basketball. I think they taught me some new dimensions as a coach and I think I learned a little better how to how to deal with teams. I think that in the coming years the way I coach the standard for that will have been set with this with this team right here. I think they help me take a gigantic step forward in my coaching career.