Looking sweet

Here's my latest game story on Washington State's impressive win over Notre Dame ...


Cougars turn their focus to round of 16 after taking offensive strut out of Irish

By Josh Wright of the Tribune

Sunday, March 23, 2008

DENVER - The Cougars have squeezed a bushel of unforgettable moments into the last two seasons, but this was it. This was the most glorious scene any of them had experienced.
They were coasting against Notre Dame, making its high-powered offense look as feeble as a Ford Festiva. And in the background, Washington State fans were already partying.
In the midst of the merry romp, Taylor Rochestie decided to take a second to bask in the limelight. As Derrick Low launched a picture-perfect 3-pointer from the left wing, he started to backpedal. Then, with the ball sailing through the net, the junior point guard thrust two clenched fists heavenward in exultation.
Eight minutes remained, but Rochestie was sure of this much: For the first time ever, WSU was Sweet 16 bound.
Thanks to Low's dagger and a defense that operated at peak precision, the Cougars smothered the Fighting Irish 61-41 on Saturday in front of 19,299 at the Pepsi Center. The overwhelming victory came in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
"Man, it's a great feeling," Rochestie said. "... For someone like me that just dreams of coming to the tournament as it is, it's kind of indescribable."
It was even more special for the WSU seniors and coach Tony Bennett, all of whom slogged through two straight losing seasons - part of 10 in a row for the once-beleaguered program - before breaking out last year. When the game was over, Bennett took time to rejoice with his father, Dick, who started the rebuilding project in 2003.
It was a performance that left the elder Bennett beaming.
The Cougars (26-8) strangled the Irish in every conceivable way, holding a team that came in averaging 80 points per game to their lowest point total in 25 years. Notre Dame made only 13 of 53 field-goal attempts (24.5 percent), and star sophomore Luke Harangody was handcuffed into a 10-point outing on 3-of-17 shooting.
"(The defense) couldn't be any better," Dick Bennett said from the stands afterward. "They were just on top of it from start to finish."
Now it's on to the Eastern Regional semifinals, where the Cougs will meet the winner of today's North Carolina-Arkansas game. A time for Thursday's contest in Charlotte, N.C., has yet to be determined.
It seems likely WSU will match up with the top-ranked Tar Heels in their backyard. By every measure, it would be the season's stiffest test. But Notre Dame players won't be discounting the Cougs.
"They could go all the way," Irish guard Kyle McAlarney said. "... We were one of the best offensive teams in the country coming into this tournament. We believe that. I think they knew that. So the way they played us tonight, it just shows the rest of the country how good they are."
Wazzu was locked in from the start. It crafted a 32-17 lead with 11 seconds left in the first half when Low sank a fadeaway 3 - a picturesque rainbow shot with two Irish players in his face. Rob Kurz followed with a basket in the lane right before the break, but it was still by far Notre Dame's worst offensive first half of the season.
The previous low mark came against Georgetown, when it managed 25 points. And if you combine Saturday's first half with Winthrop's dreadful second half, WSU yielded a meager 30 points in 40 minutes of NCAA tournament action.
"Man, it feels like a dream right now," said Kyle Weaver, a four-year starter who rang up 15 points and nine rebounds. "I'm still, you know, trying to take all this in as we speak."
Weaver was merely one of several Cougars who put together a clutch effort. Low registered 18 points and played the best defense Tony Bennett said he had seen from the senior. Rochestie came up with seven assists and just two turnovers while Robbie Cowgill finished with 12 points.
There there was Aron Baynes, who made up for a subpar offensive game with 11 rebounds and glimmering defense on Harangody. Notre Dame's powerful 251-pound forward hauled in a career-high 22 rebounds, but he was clearly frustrated by Baynes and the constant traps on the low block.
"It was all right," the 270-pound Aussie said when asked to judge his defensive performance. "I think the team did a real good job on him. There's always room for improvement for myself, but the team defense (was) unbelievable."
Before tipoff, Bennett showed his players a picture of the blank scoreboard before last year's second-round game with Vanderbilt, which the Cougs lost in double overtime. He wanted to remind of them of what it felt like to lose in heartbreaking fashion.
"I said, 'You were in this spot last year before the game,' " Bennett recalled for the media. " 'Remember the thoughts going through your head?' I said, 'What can you do better to get us one step further? What have you learned from this experience?' "
The motivational ploy worked so well that Bennett was able to rip the picture in half in a jubilant locker room after the program's first back-to-back tourney wins in 67 years.
"It's unbelievable, man, just thinking back to last year at this time," reserve forward Daven Harmeling said. "The contrast of feelings of losing to Vandy and now this. Last year's experience makes this so much sweeter because we were right on the edge of the door and we got turned down. But today we just broke through with our defense."
NOTRE DAME (25-8)
Kurz 3-8 2-2 8, Hillesland 0-2 2-2 2, Harangody 3-17 4-4 10, Jackson 2-7 2-2 7, McAlarney 5-13 0-1 12, Nash 0-0 0-0 0, Proffitt 0-0 0-0 0, Peoples 0-0 2-2 2, Abromaitis 0-0 0-0 0, Zeller 0-2 0-0 0, Ayers 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 13-53 12-13 41.
WASHINGTON ST. (26-8)
Weaver 6-11 3-5 15, Cowgill 6-7 0-0 12, Baynes 2-7 2-4 6, Low 6-15 4-4 18, Rochestie 2-8 0-1 6, Koprivica 0-0 0-0 0, Abercrombie 0-0 0-0 0, Cross 0-1 0-0 0, Harmeling 0-1 0-0 0, Henry 0-0 0-0 0, Forrest 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 24-54 9-14 61.
Halftime-Washington St. 32-19. 3-Point Goals-Notre Dame 3-17 (McAlarney 2-8, Jackson 1-2, Harangody 0-1, Ayers 0-2, Zeller 0-2, Kurz 0-2), Washington St. 4-17 (Rochestie 2-6, Low 2-9, Weaver 0-1, Harmeling 0-1). Fouled Out-Forrest. Rebounds-Notre Dame 38 (Harangody 22), Washington St. 37 (Baynes 11). Assists-Notre Dame 7 (Harangody, Jackson 2), Washington St. 14 (Rochestie 7). Total Fouls-Notre Dame 16, Washington St. 15. A-19,299.
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Wright may be contacted at jwright@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2277.