Pac-10 Tournament Game Two

PAC-10 TOURNAMENT -- GAME 2

OREGON vs. WASHINGTON STATE

WHEN/WHERE: 8:30 tonight, Staples Center

TV: FSN

OREGON (8-22, 2-16 Pac-10)

Ducks starting lineup Pts. Reb. Ast.
G Tajuan Porter (Jr.) 15.2 2.5 1.8
G LeKendric Longmore (So.) 10.2 3.8 0.8
G Garret Sim (Fr.) 6.8 1.8 2.1
F Joevan Catron (Jr.) 7.3 6.8 2.3
C Michael Dunigan (Fr.) 8.6 4.8 0.5

WASHINGTON STATE (16-14, 8-10)

Cougars starting lineup Pts. Reb. Ast.
G Taylor Rochestie (Sr.) 13.6 3.6 4.7
G Marcus Capers (Fr.) 1.4 2.2 1.2
G Klay Thompson (Fr.) 13.1 4.0 1.8
F Caleb Forrest (Sr.) 6.6 3.2 0.9
C Aron Baynes (Sr.) 12.0 7.4 0.7


WHAT TO KNOW: There is no more dangerous team in this tournament than the Cougars, who beat Arizona and Arizona State in their final home weekend and pushed arch rival Washington to the final minutes before losing 67-60 last weekend in Seattle. Rochestie is the team leader while Thompson could have easily won conference freshman of the year award and Baynes is a burly center with a decent shooting touch. WSU is first in the nation on points allowed per game (55.3) and its methodical style frustrates opponents. A win Wednesday puts the Cougars against UCLA, which they beat in Los Angeles last month. ... Don't sleep in Oregon. The Ducks have finally shown improvement and played respectable basketball after dropping their first 14 conference games. If Oregon's young kids can play a complete game and the Porter, an Allen Iverson-type of shooting guard, can get hot, then the Ducks can easily make it competitive. Coach Ernie Kent is likely safe because Oregon has eight freshman and two seniors, neither of whom are in the regular rotation. Oregon is a team to watch for 2010.

WHO TO WATCH: Rochestie has had an roller-coaster season but it ended on a major upswing with brilliant games against Arizona and Arizona State. The win over the Sun Devils ended with a 26-footer from Rochestie in the final seconds on Senior Day. His matchup with Porter should be interesting.


HEAD TO HEAD: This is the third meeting between the two clubs and Washington State has won the previous two meetings. The Cougars won 74-62 in Eugene on Jan. 17 and 67-38 on Feb. 12 in Pullman. Rochestie scored a combined 46 points in the two games.