By james art 
Pullman-Nolan Hickman managed to mark the last time a ticket when Washington State filled in Beasley Coliseum, raising the weekend of Pullman during his junior season at the Eastside Catholic High School for PAC-12 against Oregon on January 18, 2020 The.
Clai Thompson returned to Pullman the other day for his retirement ceremony in Jersey, accompanied by a high -profile guest entourage, including Golden State Warriors teammate Steph Curry and Father Michal, a former NBA draft choice. WSU reported an official 10 830 attendance figure, wearing each fan in the commemorative purple and white “No. 1 ”T -shirts.
The couges did not attract the crowd or created such an environment, but Hickman and his teammates in Gonzaga have played a handful over the years.
Zags successfully traveled the hostility and noise of 20 186 fans at Historic Rupp Arena last February, completing Kentucky 89-85 for an important Quad 1 victory, which increased the resumption of its NCAA tournament.
San Diego State attracted 12,414 Viejas Arena fans earlier this season for Gonzaga’s visit in mid-November. Zags never trembled, leading the wire to the wire at 80-67.
Hikman and senior striker Ben Greg have prevailed in front of 19,000 fans in the center of Marriott on Byu; Starting Guards Ryan Nembhard and Khalif Battle have their own experience with large arenas and hostile crowds of their days in the Great East and Sek.
Gonzaga players will take advantage of all these experiences when Zags (20-7, 11-3) and Cougars (16-11, 6-8) stops at 18:00 (ESPN2) on Wednesday at Beasley Coliseum. WSU is an average of approximately 3,600 fans in home matches this season, but Gonzaga’s first visit from 2014 is expected to lure the first crowd of the school’s sale in 15 years. During the Youth season of Thompson, 11,671 fans attended a loss of 63-58 Kansas.
“It’s doping, man,” Hikman said. “I’m ready for that.”
Zags and Cougars diverted in different directions as GU surpassed WSU to win 88-75 last month at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
Gonzaga’s last nine games have led to six wins and three losses. Zags have won six of their last seven games, with the 88-77 decisive win over San Francisco last Thursday to outrun Dons second in the WCC standings.
The Flip Gonzaga record in the last nine games and you will go out with WSU. The Cougars have bounced from their loss to Gu with another wins, but continued to lose five straight matches and six of their next seven for a record of 3-8 in the last 11 games.
Throw all this out the window on Wednesday.
Gonzag’s coach Mark Few understands the influence of a strong home crowd, perhaps better than anyone at the Basketball College, while winning more than 93% of their home matches, as the kennel opened in 2004. A little awaited rivalry on Wednesday yes gave the vagr the feeling of what they can experience during the end of the season WCC glove that includes games against first Saint Mary, Santa Clara in fourth place and third place San Francisco.
“When this schedule came out, I was like, and that would be difficult for this. Here, it happens, ”said few. “We end against probably four of the best teams in the league or near it. Definitely three of the best teams, then obviously the state of Washington will be a handful down there. So I’m sure they’ll have a great crowd and they’ll be fired.
“We had a good battle with them here, in Spokan, so we just have to take them one by one and hope that our defense is now until we can rely on that traveling.”
Gonzaga’s defense was shaken, with 53.8% of the pitch when the teams last met and worsened only with losses from Oregon and Santa Clara. Since then, Zags have published a number of positive data points, holding six of their last seven opponents under 70 points.
WSU protection has been a trend in the wrong way for weeks and the couges have slipped eighth in WCC in this category, now allowing 77.9 ppg. Zags did damage to the paint, with 31 combined points by Graham Ike and Brade Hubli, and also made 10 3 3-indicatives in the last game.
“We have to win the paint game and it seems like keeping the post and having a few look at the post,” said WSU coach David Riley. “Then you keep them out of the transition.”
Riley has another offensive version of his disposal, Isaiah Watts, who missed the game last month with a hand injury. Watts, a native of Seattle and a former Seattle section, who competes against a hikman in the metro station, has an average of 13 PPG in their last three games with 11 made 3 in their last five.
“I played against him, growing up everything, so I know about him for sure,” Hikman said. “He brings many points to the team, so I think he’s back, it will be good for WSU. But yes, I don’t think it really matters how we play right now. “