The Washington St. Cougars will tip off the 2010-11 season against some very familiar faces up highway 195 from Pullman. The Pac-12 squad will play their first big game next year against the against the West Coast Conference powerhouse Gonzaga Bulldogs. They'll be playing at the Kennel, so they might be at a huge disadvantage.
Gonzaga will have one of their strongest units in recent memory as they only lose one starter (one of their best shooters in Steven Gray) from last season. They'll be returning players like Robert Sacre, Elias Harris, and Marquis Carter to their units, which should make them quite potent as a group. Washington State, on the other hand, is in rebuilding mode, having lost their primary scorer in Klay Thompson and their best big in DeAngelo Casto, and will have to rely on younger talents like Faisal Aden and Reggie Moore.
Washington State did beat Gonzaga by 22 last season though, so it's too early to discount their chances at victory.
For more on Gonzaga basketball, go to Slipper Still Fits. For WSU basketball coverage, check out CougCenter.