Northwest Notes June 25, 2026

WSU men to face Duke for first time in November

The Washington State men’s basketball team will face the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday, Nov. 21, at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif. 

The meeting will mark the first all-time matchup between the programs.

Tickets for the Cougars and Blue Devils will go on sale Wednesday through Ticketmaster. Additional event details, including premium hospitality options, courtside seating, suites, and group sales opportunities, will be announced as they become available.

WSU's rebuilt roster for the 2026-27 season includes Sebastian Akins, the 2025 Summit League Freshman of the Year, and Lazerek Houston, a high-scoring Division II Conference Player of the Year from Central Missouri. Forward and Northwestern transfer Tyler Kropp will feature in the Cougars front court alongside returning WSU big Dominik Robinson and Oregon transfer Jamari Phillips.

Vandals bolster secondary with addition of Taylor

Idaho football coach Thomas Ford Jr. announced Monday the signing of cornerback Sha’Heem Taylor. 

Taylor (6-2, 180) played the 2024 season as a freshman at Riverside City College, appearing in three games, including a pick-six in the Tigers’ 76-16 rout of No. 21 Mt. San Jacinto in October. Riverside CC finished with an 8-1 record, tied atop the SCFA standings, and advanced to the conference championship after knocking off No. 8 San Diego Mesa. Taylor collected a career-high eight tackles, with one for loss, and a forced fumble in the title game vs. top-seeded Mt. San Antonio as RCC was narrowly edged for a berth to the 3C2A State Championship.

Earlier, Taylor played at Liberty High in Henderson, Nev.

It marks the second DB signing of the summer (Daemon Fagan) for Idaho.