9. Washington State Cougars (10-15, 3-9 Pac-12) LW: 9
The Washington State Cougars have slowly but surely transformed from an afterthought into a feisty, fierce Pac-12 pest. Their past three games have solidified this statement, bashing both Arizona and Arizona State by double digits on their home courts, respectively.
They followed up an extremely successful road trip with a rivalry matchup against the University of Washington. They battled the conference’s best to the bitter end, eventually falling 72-70.
A loss of two points against the Pac’s best could be considered a moral victory for the suddenly sneaky Cougar team. If they keep trending in this direction, they could cause late-season havoc in the conference standings.
The driving force of this late-season surge has been none other than future NBA prospect Robert Franks. His scoring ability is simply unmatched in the Pac. Sporting a smooth stroke that has seen him shoot 66 percent beyond the arc, he has been the undoubted leader offensively.
However, basketball is a two way sport – and Franks is a two-way player. Grabbing eight rebounds, swiping a steal and rejecting two shots a game, Franks has single-handedly lifted WSU into legitimacy.
Heading into this week, the Cougs will play host to Colorado and Utah, who each make their way into Washington looking to climb and solidify their spot among the conference’s top four seeds.