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Washington State Cougars (Last Year: 16-15, 6-12 in Pac-10)
2010-11 Projected Depth Chart:
F/C: DeAngelo Casto (Jr)/Charlie Enquist (Jr)/Steven Bjornstad (So)
F: Abe Lodwick (Jr)/Brock Motum (So)
G/F: Klay Thompson (Jr)/Patrick Simon (Fr)/Dexter Kenrich-Drew (Fr)
SG: Marcus Capers (Jr)/Faisal Aden (Jr)
PG: Reggie Moore (So)/Dre’ Winston Jr. (Fr)
Gone: F-Nikola Koprivica, G-Anthony Brown (transfer-Eastern Oregon), PG-Xavier Thames (transfer-San Diego State), SG-Mike Harthun (transfer-Portland State), PG-John Allen (transfer-Western Washington), F-James Watson (transfer-JUCO)
2010-11 Outlook:
Road losses at Kansas State and Gonzaga were the Cougars’ only non-conference blemishes a year ago. Washington State then began Pac-10 play winning four of the first six games before taking a nasty spiral downward at the end of the season, dropping 10 of their final 12.
The Cougars did lose five players to transfer since the start of last season, but still bring back their top three scorers from a year including three-point bomber Klay Thompson. He will be joined on the wing by returning starters Marcus Capers and Reggie Moore, who earned first-team All-Pac-10 Freshman Team honors after a phenomenal first-year campaign.
D’Angelo Casto anchors the interior with his non-stop motor and relentlessness on the glass. Abe Lodwick started 21 games last season, but only averaged about 12 minutes per game and will likely give Wazzu a smaller starting five.
Due to the transfers and loss of versatile Nikola Koprivicia to graduation, the bench experience is thin. Brock Motum and Charlie Enquist saw limited action a year ago and will need to play bigger roles this season off the bench. Three newcomers join the backcourt with JUCO transfer Faisal Aden and wing Patrick Simon the most likely to make an immediate impact.
The Cougars will once again be tested with home contests against Kansas State and Gonzaga, and a trip to the Diamond Head Classic. If Washington State can be competitive in those games, they should be a factor in the Pac-10 race with a chance of dancing come March.
Player to Watch: Klay Thompson, SG
Thompson is one of the better long-range shooters in the country but struggled mightily with his stroke during conference play which played a major part in Washington State’s end-of-the-year slump. Thompson will hope to bounce back and re-gain his form from his freshman year when he hit 41.2 percent of his triple tries. If he can become a more versatile scorer and not rely solely on bombing threes, Wazzu might have what it takes to earn a ticket to the Dance.
Key Non-Conference Games:
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