Northwest Notes: Sept. 8, 2022
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 4 years AGO
Washington State announces
men’s hoops
nonconference slate
The Washington State men’s basketball team announced its 2022-23 nonconference schedule for the upcoming season, the program announced Wednesday. WSU will host three home games, play in seven neutral-site games, and one true road game.
“After our postseason run last year, we feel it is important for us to take on some challenges in our nonconference schedule,” Washington State coach Kyle Smith said. “This will hopefully help us prepare for Pac-12 play and enhance our chances of being selected as an NCAA Tournament at-large team if we are not the automatic qualifier. In addition, we can help the Pac-12 get back to being a 5-6 NCAA bid league.”
The Cougars begin the season Monday, Nov. 7, hosting Texas State at Beasley Coliseum in a double-header with the WSU women’s basketball team. The game will mark the return of Cougar great Bennie Seltzer to the Palouse. The former All-Pac-10 First Team selection enters his third season as the associate head coach with the Bobcats.
The WSU men will travel to Boise, Saturday, Nov. 12, for a neutral-site game at Idaho Central Arena against Boise State. The Cougars hosted BSU last season at Spokane Arena, falling 58-52, as Boise State went on to the NCAA Tournament as an automatic qualifier and No. 8 seed.
Playing a single game at Spokane Arena, the Cougars will face Eastern Washington for a rematch of last year’s contest, a 71-76 defeat for the Cougs. The 2022 matchup will continue a 68-game series that dates back to 1907, when Washington State College competed against Cheney Normal.
Washington State concludes the month with a home game against Detroit Mercy, Friday, Nov. 25 at Beasley Coliseum.
Bell Jr. joins staff
at Northern Arizona
Gary Bell Jr., a standout at Gonzaga during his playing career, was announced as an assistant coach by Northern Arizona head men’s basketball coach Shane Burcar on Wednesday.
“Coach Bell brings that winning edge that every program wants,” Burcar said. “He started for four years at Gonzaga, played professionally and he has the credibility from Coach Mark Few and Coach Tommy Lloyd. He has recommendations from two National Coach of the Years who coached two No. 1 seeds in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. I can already tell that he’s going to be a great fit with us and he opens up recruiting ties in the West Coast.”
Bell will work with the Lumberjack guards and the team’s offense.
Bell recently spent the 2021-22 season at his alma mater as the Bulldogs’ Coordinator of Basketball Administration, on Few’s staff that led Gonzaga to the Sweet 16.