LAS VEGAS – They peaked in the desert nearly a month ago, beating Arizona State and Arizona with fluid ball movement, consistent shot-making from almost everyone in the rotation and sturdy defense.
Wednesday, it was a different type of desert and a much different fate for the 11th-seeded Cougars, who wilted the same way they have much of this Pac-12 basketball season, and withered away in the first round of the conference tournament for the 10th straight season with an 84-51 loss to sixth-seeded Oregon at T-Mobile Arena.
WSU finishes the 2018-19 basketball season with just 11 wins – exactly as many as Mike Leach’s Alamo Bowl-winning football team – and 20 losses.