1987–88 Washington State Cougars men's basketball team

{{short description|American college basketball season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NCAA team season

|mode=Basketball

|year=1987–88

|team=Washington State Cougars

|image=

|image_size=150

|conference=Pacific-10

|division=

|short_conf=Pac-10

|CoachRank=

|APRank=

|record=13–16

|conf_record=7–11

|head_coach=Kelvin Sampson

|hc_year=1st

|asst_coach1=Dave Harshman

|asst_coach2=Kim Motta

|asst_coach3=

|stadium=Beasley Coliseum

|champion=

|bowl=

|bowl_result=

}}

{{1987–88 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball standings}}

The 1987–88 Washington State Cougars men's basketball team represented Washington State University for the 1987–88 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by first-year head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars were members of the Pacific-10 Conference and played their home games on campus at Beasley Coliseum in Pullman, Washington.

The Cougars were {{nowrap|12–15}} overall in the regular season and {{nowrap|7–11}} in conference play, sixth in the {{nowrap|standings.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UKgpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jO8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2372%2C4821697 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |title=WSU gives Arizona St. short end |date=March 7, 1988 |page=C1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TJUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8dAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6138%2C800254 |work=Idahonian |location=(Moscow) |title=WSU earns third shot at UCLA |date=March 7, 1988 }}}}

At the conference tournament's last quarterfinal, WSU upset third seed UCLA by two points.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VagpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jO8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5875%2C6949969

|work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Bergum |first=Steve |title=WSU upsets UCLA, meets Oregon State |date=March 12, 1988 |page=B1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fPJVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0uEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6931%2C2639667 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |title=Cougs edge the Bruins at tourney |date=March 12, 1988 |page=5B}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QJUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8dAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6012%2C1448257 |work=Idahonian |location=(Moscow) |title=Cougars surprise UCLA |date=March 12, 1988 |page=1D}} In the semifinal, the Cougars took second-seeded Oregon State to double overtime, but lost by six points.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ffJVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0uEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6387%2C3000363 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |last=Rosenburg |first=Kurt |title=Beavers convinced win spells N-C-A-A |date=March 13, 1988 |page=1B}}

Sampson was promoted to head coach in April 1987,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sZMrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t9AFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5632%2C1088619 |work=Idahonian |location=(Moscow) |title=Sampson accepts Cougar challenge |date=April 10, 1987 |page=1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gagpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ee8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6717%2C5546821 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Bergum |first=Steve |title=Sampson christens a new era at WSU |date=April 11, 1987 |page=B1}} and led the program for seven seasons.

Roster

{{CBB roster/Header|year=1987|team=Washington State Cougars|teamcolors=y}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=LaVar|last= Ball|num=|pos=F|ft=6|in=6|lbs= 265|class=Jr|home= California |link=y}}

{{CBB roster/Footer

|head_coach=

|asst_coach=

  • Dave Harshman
  • Kim Motta

|accessdate=

}}

Season results

{{CBB schedule start|time=|rank=|ranklink=1987-88 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings|rankyear=1987|tv=|record=yes|attend=yes}}

|-

!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|Washington State Cougars}}| Regular season

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Fri, Nov 27, 1987

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral = yes

| rank =

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1987|team=Eastern Washington Eagles|title=Eastern Washington}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium =

| site_cityst =

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 68–46

| overtime =

| record = 1–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Nov 28, 1987

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral = yes

| rank =

| opponent = Idaho

| opprank =

| site_stadium =

| site_cityst =

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 49–53

| overtime =

| record = 1–1

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Thu, Dec 3, 1987

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = BYU

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 54–60

| overtime =

| record = 1–2

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Dec 5, 1987

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1987|team=Fresno State Bulldogs|title=Fresno State}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 61–60

| overtime =

| record = 2–2

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Fri, Dec 11, 1987

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral = yes

| rank =

| opponent = Indiana State

| opprank =

| site_stadium =

| site_cityst =

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 73–61

| overtime =

| record = 3–2

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Dec 12, 1987

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Indiana

| opprank = 6

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Bloomington, Indiana

| gamename = Indiana Classic

| tv =

| score = 56–63

| overtime =

| record = 3–3

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sun, Dec 20, 1987

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1987|team=Arizona State Sun Devils|title=Arizona State}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 65–66

| overtime =

| record = 3–4

| conference = 0–1

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Tue, Dec 22, 1987

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Arizona

| opprank = 1

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 55–89

| overtime =

| record = 3–5

| conference = 0–2

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sun, Jan 3, 1988

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Wisconsin

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Wisconsin Field House

| site_cityst = Madison, Wisconsin

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 65–80

| overtime =

| attend = 6,205

| record = 3–6

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Jan 9, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Washington

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Hec Edmundson Pavilion

| site_cityst = Seattle, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 70–63

| overtime =

| record = 4–6

| conference = 1–2

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Thu, Jan 14, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1987|team=California Golden Bears|title=California}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Harmon Gym

| site_cityst = Berkeley, California

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 59–37

| overtime =

| record = 5–6

| conference = 2–2

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Jan 16, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1987|team=Stanford Cardinal|title=Stanford}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion

| site_cityst = Stanford, California

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 70–68

| overtime =

| record = 6–6

| conference = 3–2

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Thu, Jan 21, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1987|team=Oregon Ducks|title=Oregon}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 46–67

| overtime =

| record = 6–7

| conference = 3–3

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Jan 23, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Oregon State

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 56–49

| overtime =

| record = 7–7

| conference = 4–3

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Thu, Jan 28, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = UCLA

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Pauley Pavilion

| site_cityst = Los Angeles, California

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 63–88

| overtime =

| attend = 6,583

| record = 7–8

| conference = 4–4

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Jan 30, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1987|team=USC Trojans|title=USC}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Los Angeles Sports Arena

| site_cityst = Los Angeles, California

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 60–65

| overtime =

| record = 7–9

| conference = 4–5

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Tue, Feb 2, 1988

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Idaho

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 56–43

| overtime =

| record = 8–9

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Feb 6, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Washington

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 61–52

| overtime =

| record = 9–9

| conference = 5–5

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Mon, Feb 8, 1988

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1987|team=Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns|title=Southwestern Louisiana}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 60–48

| overtime =

| record = 10–9

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Thu, Feb 11, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Stanford

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 50–51

| overtime =

| record = 10–10

| conference = 5–6

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Feb 13, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = California

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 76–82

| overtime =

| record = 10–11

| conference = 5–7

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Thu, Feb 18, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Oregon State

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum

| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 48–62

| overtime =

| record = 10–12

| conference = 5–8

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sun, Feb 21, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Oregon

| opprank =

| site_stadium = McArthur Court

| site_cityst = Eugene, Oregon

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 66–73

| overtime =

| record = 10–13

| conference = 5–9

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Thu, Feb 25, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = USC

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 67–57

| overtime =

| record = 11–13

| conference = 6–9

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, Feb 27, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = UCLA

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Friel Court

| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 55–62

| overtime =

| attend = 5,475

| record = 11–14

| conference = 6–10

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Thu, Mar 3, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Arizona

| opprank = 3

| site_stadium = McKale Center

| site_cityst = Tucson, Arizona

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 41–79

| overtime =

| record = 11–15

| conference = 6–11

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sun, Mar 6, 1988

| time =

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Arizona State

| opprank =

| site_stadium = ASU Activity Center

| site_cityst = Tempe, Arizona

| gamename =

| tv =

| score = 70–66

| overtime =

| record = 12–15

| conference = 7–11

}}

|-

!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|Washington State Cougars}}| 1988 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Fri, March 11, 1988

| time = 9:00 pm

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral = yes

| rank =

| seed = 6

| opponent = UCLA

| opprank =

| oppseed = 3

| site_stadium = McKale Center

| site_cityst = Tucson, Arizona

| gamename = Quarterfinal

| tv = ESPN

| score = 73–71

| overtime =

| record = 13–15

| attend = 13,061

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Sat, March 12, 1988

| time = 3:00 pm

| nonconf =

| homecoming =

| away =

| neutral = yes

| rank =

| seed =6

| opponent = Oregon State

| opprank =

| oppseed = 2

| site_stadium = McKale Center

| site_cityst = Tucson, Arizona

| gamename = Semifinal

| tv =

| score = 68–74

| overtime = 2OT

| record = 13–16

| attend = 13,549

}}

{{CBB schedule end|rank=|poll=AP poll|timezone=Pacific time}}

References

{{reflist|2}}