Following the departure of nearly the entire starting lineup and every major statistical stat leader from a year ago, there were big questions as to the identity of this year’s WSU men’s basketball team. 

Some of those questions may have been answered Friday night in the Cougs win over Prairie View A&M as forward Isaac Jones and centers Isaac Cluff and Reuben Chinyelu established the new look Cougs identity.

Chinyelu made a big statement early in the game with an emphatic block on an inferiorly-sized PVAMU shooter. Later in the half, it was Jones’ turn to show off his dominance, as he took a pass and drove straight down the lane for a Micheal Jordan-like slam over a defender.

“It was kind of weird because I didn’t even expect to get the ball because I was trying to figure out what we were running. And then the ball was just in my lap and I look up and there’s nobody there, it’s just me and him. So I was like: ‘alright, it’s his funeral,’” Jones said. “That’s my favorite style of playing, I love playing above the rim.”

Jones dominated all night long in the paint recording 18 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double as a Cougar. Cluff on the other hand also had his best showing as a Coug recording 17 points and five rebounds, with seven of his points coming from the free-throw line.

After shooting just above 51% from the line against Idaho the Cougs shot 67.9% Friday with Cluff hitting seven of eight from the stripe and Jones hitting six of nine. Being able to knock down free throws will be a key for WSU as they continue to work inside.

“We’re looking to get fouled inside, so free throws are going to be huge this year. So we got to continue to get better at that, and as we do it’s gonna be good,” Cluff said.

The combo of Jones, Cluff and Chinyelu recorded six blocks on the night as well, establishing themselves inside early and often. It was a key to the gameplan having faced a PVAMU squad whose tallest player is listed at just 6 feet, 8 inches tall. The key now is going to be continuing to get it done inside from here on out.

“We need to be there,” WSU head coach Kyle Smith said postgame. “Every game we get where we get to feel more comfortable playing that way is valuable. And sometimes it’s as simple as: get it to Oscar even when he’s off the block because I mean, he threw one behind a guy’s ear to Isaac when he cut and it’s fun to watch.”

The new Cougar front court provides a far different, more physical skillset to the team than last year with a team more focused on spacing the floor with thinner, more athletic bigs. This year the goal is to work it inside and be physical on the low block on both ends.

The Cougs have eight days to work out the kinks they see in the film before their first real test of the new style Nov. 18 against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs not only are a consistent NCAA Tournament contender that convincingly defeated Arizona State earlier this year but possess a physically imposing big in Jimmy Bell Jr., who had 13 points and nine rebounds in game one.

Like anything newly introduced, the Cougs will need to show they stick to this game plan and can work it consistently. But if they can keep hitting their free throws and posterizing the opposition, it will be one physical year of Cougar basketball.