5:20 p.m. today; East Regional
No. 4 Cougars: 24-8, 11-7 Pac-10 No. 13 Eagles: 22-11, 10-4 Big South
Key matchup.
Washington’s State Kyle Weaver vs. Winthrop’s Michael Jenkins. Winthrop’s top scorer, the 6-foot-3 Jenkins, expects to see a lot of 6-6 Weaver — in his face. Jenkins hopes to beat the Cougars’ physical backcourt downcourt rather than engage in one-on-one battles. Weaver knows what to expect: “We will try to get back and make them play over us.”
Up high.
Both teams employ at least three guards in the lineup. Winthrop has a jet of a point guard in 5-10 Chris Gaynor, who wants to get the Eagles running. But Gaynor knows the 6-6 Weaver, 6-2 Derrick Low and 6-1 Taylor Rochestie will try to get in his way.
Down low.
The biggest player in the Eagles’ starting lineup, 6-7, 227-pound Taj McCullough, spends as much time on the perimeter as he does along the baseline. Washington State has size up front in 6-10 Aron Baynes and 6-10 Robbie Cowgill.
Quote.
“I think a good way to put it is, last year when we won a game, people would say, ‘How did that happen?’ And this year whenever we lost a game, people would say, ‘How did that happen?’ That’s a big difference.”
Tony Bennett, Washington State coach
Tom Kensler’s pick: Washington State
