Sunday's NCAA game of the day tips off at 8 p.m. ET in Pullman, Wash., as the No. 8 Washington State Cougars (15-1) host Oregon
History is against the Cougars as they have dropped 13 consecutive games to the Ducks, who nonetheless are 9-point underdogs on WagerWeb.com. Even with last year's 26-win team, Washington State dropped both contests to Oregon, including a 77-74 overtime defeat at home. The Cougars' last win in the series came Feb. 15, 2001.
"We've been lucky," said Ernie Kent, the Oregon coach who is a whopping 20-1 against WSU.
"This is definitely a game we've been waiting for," said WSU guard Taylor Rochestie. "It's come down to the wire the last couple of years. This time, we've gotta come out with a win."
No member of this season's Cougar team or coaching staff has defeated Oregon as part of the Washington State program.
"I want to beat them so bad," said Derrick Low, whose 15 points Thursday made him the 28th player in school history to surpass 1,000.
However, Wazzu has won nine straight games in Pullman, last losing on its home court March 1, 2007.
And the Cougars boast the nation's best defense, allowing only 52.1 points per game. They held Oregon State to 46 in a big win on Thursday, which was Washington State's first game since a loss to then-No. 5 UCLA on Jan. 12.Low leads the Cougars with 13.6 points per game while Aron Baynes (12.1) and Kyle Weaver (10.9) are their other double-digit scorers.
Oregon leads the Pac-10 in scoring (81.6 ppg) and 3-point field goals made (8.2). But the Ducks have failed to score 80 points in three consecutive outings, the longest such streak of the season.
The Ducks had a three-game win streak snapped Thursday with a 78-70 loss at Washington. Maarty Leunen scored 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting for the Ducks, who beat ranked teams Arizona and Stanford during the streak.
They also beat then-No. 25 Kansas State on Nov. 29, giving Oregon four consecutive wins against Top 25 teams.
Five Oregon players have double-figure scoring averages, led by Malik Hairston (18.3). Leunen adds 15.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, and he is among the nation's leaders with 10 double-doubles.
However, the Ducks miss Joevan Catron. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound sophomore forward, who has missed all five Pac-10 games with a partial tear in the plantar fascia in his right foot, is the Ducks' only wide body.
His absence showed in Thursday's loss to Washington as Oregon was outrebounded 45-33. Catron, who is averaging 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, was in uniform at Washington but did not play and isn't expected to tonight. (12-5) in a Pac-10 matchup.
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