If you have not been paying attention to the Cougar men’s basketball team, I want you to know that I forgive you. It is okay. However, my grace only goes so far. The season is more than halfway done and the Cougs are on pace for one of their best seasons in recent memory.

It is time to tune in.

Now, as the Cougs prepare for a quick trip to Seattle for the Apple Cup, prepare yourself by getting to know the players and their storylines.

Isaac Jones

Jones transferred to WSU this offseason after playing his first four years of college hoops at Wenatchee Valley and University of Idaho. Standing at 6-foot 9-inches, Jones starts at power forward.

He is tied for the team lead in scoring with 15.6 points per game, dominating inside with athleticism and strength. Jones’ dunks, layups and hook shots make up much of the WSU offense, and he is the defensive anchor of the team.

His back-to-back 20-point double-doubles in the Cougars’ win over USC and massive upset of then-No. 8 Arizona earned him a plethora of awards earlier in the season. Those include Pac-12 Player of the Week as well as the Naismith and ESPN National Player of the Week awards.

Myles Rice

After missing last season while being treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Rice came into this year with a lot of eyes on him. To even take a floor less than a year after ringing the bell would be a tremendous achievement.

In his delayed freshman season, Rice has been whatever word exceeds tremendous. His performances against Utah and Colorado last week earned him the conference Freshman of the Week award, his fourth of the season. 

Tied with Jones at 15.6 points per game, the Rice Cooker is the lead facilitator and perimeter threat of the team. He is leading all Pac-12 freshmen in scoring, and his 35 points against the Stanford Cardinal are the most ever scored by a Cougar freshman in a game.

Rueben Chinyelu and Oscar Cluff 

Alongside Jones and Rice are the Block Towers, a pair of starting-caliber centers who both made their way to Pullman from overseas.

Freshman Rueben Chinyelu hails from Nigeria, another in a storied line of African big men at WSU. Junior Oscar Cluff came from Australia, but not before playing two years of junior college in Arizona.

The duo never see the floor at the same time, and instead have been trading starts at the five throughout the year. Together and with the help of Jones, they make up one of the most formidable interior defenses in the country.

Eleventh in the nation and first in the conference in blocks per game, the Cougs swat the ball at a rate never before seen on the Palouse. It is not just the highlight blocks, the Cougs are also 15th in the country in opponent two-point percentage.

Chinyelu has used his 6-foot-11 height and 7-foot-8 wingspan to land himself third in the conference in blocks per game with 1.6. At his current rate, he will have the WSU freshman block record by President’s Day.

Andrej Jakimovski

Jaki has been here longer than anyone, committing as part of WSU’s 2020 class. The senior from North Macedonia has done it all for Cougs, improving year over year into a steady presence on both ends at the small forward position.

He is averaging career highs in points, blocks, rebounds, assists and steals. His 10.4 points per game mark his first season in double-figures, and he has managed three efficient 20-point games this year.

While he might not put up the big stats some other players have, his presence is vital to the success of the team. There is a reason why he leads the Cougs in minutes per game with 32.9: he is a difference-maker.

Jaylen Wells

Wells transferred to WSU after a breakout year at Sonoma State, a Division II school in the California Collegiate Athletics Association. He does everything for the Cougs but his primary role is as an elite 3-and-D player, shooting the ball from outside and defending the other team’s primary wing on the other end. He has also proven himself as a good cutter and rebounder.

Wells’ most important talent, though, is his confidence.

“Sniper,” Rueben Chinyelu said about him. “Just give him the ball and he will let it fly.”

The 6-foot-8 junior has shot four or more 3-pointers in 11 of 20 games this season, and he has not scored below 11 points since 2024 began. 

Much like an actual well, once the ball falls into his hands it is not leaving without a bucket.

Wells started the season on the bench but made it clear early that he deserved a bigger role. Since Pac-12 play began, he has had it, and he has thrived. He might not ever be the main scorer, but he has the potential to lead the team in scoring on any given night.

Those are only the starters. Isaiah Watts, Kymany Houinsou and Jabe Mullins make up the bench unit, all three contributing in their own ways.

The Cougs are deep, deeper than they have been in years. The tournament is within reach so long as they keep winning, and there is no better team to beat than the Huskies.

The Apple Cup will tip off at 6 p.m. Saturday in Seattle. Fans can watch on the Pac-12 Network.