True, they probably have no chance of winning the Pac 10 now, but don’t stop watching the Cougars this year, especially if you plan on putting them through a few rounds in your bracket this March.

The Cougars start a home series on Thursday against UCLA, and then USC: not exactly easy going. As far as I see it, the Cougs need to win at least one of the two. Of course they will probably get into the NCAA tournament even if they do drop both games, but if they drop both games then they will most likely be seeded against Oregon or USC in the first round of the Pac 10 tournament. Should they win one of two, the lock up the second seed and would not have to face UCLA, Oregon, or USC until the title game. Considering how many quality ACC teams will probably be getting mid-level seeds come March, the last thing the Cougs need to do right now is drop two games and then lose their opener in the Staples Center.

Nope, all of you out there thinking about the Cougs as a dark horse in a month are looking a bit too far ahead, because this week, in two games, the tournament success of WSU might be set in stone. Either they win one of two and go into the tourney a high seed, or they lose potentially their next three games and get a tough ACC or Big 10 team instead of a no-name creampuff.