Published Mar 12, 2023
Cougars learn NIT draw
Kuria Pounds
Staff writer

Washington State's seven-game winning streak to close the regular season and through the first round of the conference tournament was not enough to push it into the NCAA tournament.

But it did earn the Cougars a chance to continue their season nonetheless.

The Cougars were selected to the NIT on Sunday as one of the four No. 4 seeds in the 32-team tournament in first region and have a matchup with No. 5 seed Eastern Washington in Pullman on Tuesday night (8 p.m. PT on ESPNU).

It's a rematch from their non-conference matchup in Spokane Arena early in the non-conference slate, which Washington State won 82-56. Jabe Mullins scored a team-high 24 points while connecting on 8 of 11 3-pointers in that win.

Coach Kyle Smith noted in his press conference on Thursday after their quarterfinal matchup with Oregon that the Cougars should receive an NIT bid, after a top 5 finish in the Pac-12 along with big wins against quality teams, and the Cougars did just that.

WSU was also a No. 4 seed last season at 19-14 in the NIT and went all the way to the semifinals in Madison Square Garden before losing to Texas A&M.

On the Cougars' run last year, they went on to beat No.5 seed Santa Clara 63-50 in the first round at home, before going on the road and defeating No. 1 seed SMU 75-63 on the road and No. 2 BYU 77-58 before their run ended.

EWU has lost its last three games heading into the NIT.

The Eagles went on an 18-game winning streak within the Big Sky Conference before losing to Idaho State late in the regular season, starting their 3-game losing skid.

Tip-off of the first round of the NIT is set for 8 p.m. Tuesday in Beasley Coliseum and will be on ESPNU. If the Cougars get the win at home, they will face the winner of the matchup between No. 1 seed Oklahoma State and No. 8 Youngstown State in the next round.

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