WSU men’s basketball Head Coach Ernie Kent is poised to bring basketball on the Palouse to a place it’s never been before.

Despite a slow start to the season, Cougar football has generated a type of buzz and electricity in the region that hasn’t been experienced in almost a decade. Coming off a bowl appearance, the team has once again found a spot in the hearts of Cougar fans who were undoubtedly anxious for the start of the season.

Within the next couple years, Cougar football won’t be the only WSU sport to have Cougar fans buzzing. Men’s basketball is set to take their first step towards relevancy again. Soon Cougar fans will be able to get pumped up about basketball, much like they were in former Head Coach Tony Bennett’s era.

Kent’s hiring ignited some of that excitement, especially with his proven track record in the conference. During his 13 seasons with his alma matter, the Oregon Ducks, Kent amassed a 235-174 record, giving him the most wins as a head coach in Oregon’s history.

In addition to his solid record, Kent led the Ducks to five NCAA Tournament appearances. The Cougars have made only six tournament appearances in their history, the last two coming in 2007 and 2008 when Bennett was at the helm.

Not only did Kent lead the Ducks to multiple tournament appearances, he also led them to the Elite Eight twice, a place the Cougars haven’t been since 1941 where the first round was the Elite Eight.

Hiring a coach with a proven track record was important for Athletic Director Bill Moos’ credibility amongst the fans. After a dismal five seasons under former Head Coach Ken Bone in which the Cougars couldn’t find a formula for success, it was important for Moos to bring in a man of Kent’s stature, similar to the Leach hiring.

One of the biggest problems fans noticed from previous years’ teams was the perceived lack of confidence the team played with. Teams in recent years seem to have failed to believe they can truly win, something Kent disagrees with.

In his introductory press conference, Kent told reporters he felt confident that the current members of the team could be successful this season. That is exactly the type of encouragement the players need to hear in hopes of putting together a turnaround season.

Fans may think the Cougars have a lack of talent on the roster, but seeing the team when they play at their best clearly proves otherwise.

Despite their share of disappointing blowout losses, the Cougars have also had moments where they’ve shown what they can do when playing up to their potential. They trounced a UCLA Bruins team – that ended up advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament – 73-55 at the end of last season.

This season, the Cougars will return one of the most prolific scorers in the Pac-12 in senior guard DaVonte Lacy. Lacy averaged 19.4 points per game last season and is primed to play an even bigger role in the high-octane offense Kent employs.

The Cougars will pair Lacy with sophomore guard Que Johnson. Johnson seems poised to become Lacy’s successor as the primary scorer as he’s shown glimpses of his gifted athleticism on the wing and ability to shoot the basketball.

Kent’s offense is primed to bring out the best of his players’ offensive abilities. His system may sometimes show combinations of four guard sets, with multiple guys playing the point.

Similar to Leach’s fast-paced offense, Kent will bring in an exciting offensive system that is sure to get fans on their feet. The system is dependent on defensive stops and turnovers as the offense is at its best when it can score in transition.

The excitement is back with Cougar football, but it won’t be long until Kent has Cougar fans itching for the sight of ferocious dunks and transition threes.