Washington State’s first Pac-12 men’s basketball schedule in the rebuilt league comes with a familiar headache: awkward timing.
The Cougars’ most eye-catching home date is a Jan. 6 meeting with Gonzaga, set for a Wednesday night in the middle of winter break. For a fan base that has long dealt with games before students are back in Pullman, this one stands out even more because it’s not just any home game - it’s the biggest one on the home slate. And with classes still out, there’s at least the possibility that Gonzaga fans could be the louder presence in the building.
There was an obvious alternative. WSU could have opened on the road that week, played at Gonzaga on Jan. 6, and then hosted the return game on Feb. 17 when the Cougars travel to Spokane.
Instead, both Gonzaga games landed on Wednesdays, just like both games with Oregon State. Those matchups feel like the kind that would make more sense on a Saturday, when the crowd could be larger.
The schedule, though, seems built around a different priority. Wednesday and Saturday are the backbone of the Pac-12 slate, with a few Thursday and Sunday games mixed in. The guess here is that the league wants to avoid getting swallowed up by the Power Four on Saturdays whenever it can.
WSU will also be the first Pac-12 team to begin league play. The Cougars open at Fresno State on Sunday, Jan. 3, in the only Pac-12 game scheduled that day. Game time has not been announced.
From there, the path gets busy quickly. WSU returns home for Gonzaga, then has a bye weekend and is off that Saturday.
The Cougars head to Boise State on Jan. 13, host San Diego State on Jan. 17, and then go to Colorado State on Jan. 21.
The San Diego State game is one of the few Sunday dates, while the Colorado State matchup is one of the few Thursday games.
The Cougars stay in the mountain region for a Jan. 23 trip to Utah State before coming home for a three-game stretch. Oregon State visits on Jan.
27, Fresno State comes in on Jan. 30, WSU gets Feb. 3 off, and then Texas State shows up on Feb.
After that, it’s back on the road for Oregon State on Feb. 10, followed by a home game against Colorado State on Feb. 13.
Then comes the toughest road swing on the schedule: Gonzaga on Feb. 17 and San Diego State on Feb. 20.
WSU closes league play with Boise State at home on Feb. 25, a trip to Texas State on Feb. 27, and a March 6 home game against Utah State. The Pac-12 Tournament begins March 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Here’s the full Washington State schedule:
Oct. 18 - at New Mexico (exhibition)
Oct. 25 - at Washington (exhibition)
Nov. 2 - Davidson
Nov. 7 - at High Point
Nov. 10 - at Duquesne
Nov. 14 - Northwest (NAIA school in Kirland)
Nov. 18 - vs. Hawaii (location TBD)
Nov. 21 - vs. Duke (Palm Desert)
Nov. 24 - Sam Houston State
Nov. 27 - Idaho
Nov. 30 - at Murray State
Dec. 3 - at Southern Illinois
Dec. 6 - North Dakota State
Dec. 9 - at Weber State
Dec. 12 - vs. UNLV (Henderson, Nev.)
Dec. 19 - at Seattle U
Dec. 22 - vs. Eastern Washington (509 Classic in Spokane)
Dec. 28 - at LSU
Jan. 3 - at Fresno State
Jan. 6 - Gonzaga
Jan. 13 - at Boise State
Jan. 17 - San Diego State
Jan. 21 - at Colorado State
Jan. 23 - at Utah State
Jan. 27 - Oregon State
Jan. 30 - Fresno State
Feb. 6 - Texas State
Feb. 10 - at Oregon State
Feb. 13 - Colorado State
Feb. 17 - at Gonzaga
Feb. 20 - at San Diego State
Feb. 25 - Boise State
Feb. 27 - at Texas State
March 6 - Utah State
March 9-13 - Pac-12 Tournament (MGM Grand Garden Arena)
In Other News...
WSU Needs Its Running Backs To Matter Again Against Fresno State
Washington State entered the season expecting its running back trio to be one of the more dependable parts of the offense, but that edge has faded in the recent stretch of FBS losses to Washington, Kansas State and Arizona. The ground game has been quiet enough that coach Kirby Moore has already acknowledged the need to get the backs more involved, and that could mean looking for them in the passing game as much as on handoffs.
That need becomes even more obvious with the offense stalling on third down and giving the ball away at the wrong times, the kind of problems that put extra pressure on every possession. Fresno State gives the Cougars a chance to reset in front of a home crowd, and if Washington State is going to turn its offense back into something more balanced, the backs need to become a factor again before the game script starts to drift away from them. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State's Pac-12 Opener Hinges On A Few Cougars Fixing Two Problems
Fresno State has opened the 2028 season looking like a team that can beat you in a couple different ways, with a defense that has been forcing mistakes and an offense capable of hitting quick-strike plays. That makes Saturdays Pac-12 opener a useful early test for Washington State, which will have to sort out a matchup that already appears to be shaped by a few key players, from Cougars quarterback Pinnick to defensive lineman Leaupepetele.
For Washington State, the bigger issue is less about the stage and more about the details. Fresno States turnover defense has been a problem for opponents, and the Cougars cannot afford to give away possessions if they want to control a game that could swing on one or two sequences. Add in the threat of Bulldogs running back Rayshon Luke and the expectation is clear enough: Washington State has to be cleaner with the football and sharper in a few individual battles just to give itself a real chance. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Opens Pac-12 Play With Favorite Pressure Already Building
Before the Pac-12 race even gets rolling, Boise State is already carrying the label that comes with being the favorite, and that changes the temperature around every snap from here on out. A Week 5 power ranking of the leagues eight teams puts the Broncos at the center of the conversation as conference play begins, with recent results and standout performances across the group helping shape the early pecking order.
From Washington States view, the opening stretch matters just as much because the league picture is still unsettled enough for multiple teams to believe they can make a run. Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon State and Texas State all have championship aspirations of their own, and the first wave of conference matchups should start separating the real contenders from the teams simply trying to keep pace. [Read more 🡒]