In what has been anything but a successful season for the Washington State men’s basketball team, Saturday could present an opportunity for the team to win its second conference game as they host the Pac-12’s second-worst team, the Arizona State Sun Devils.

The Cougs (9-13, 1-9 Pac-12) are now on an eight-game losing streak, and perhaps their best remaining chance to get another Pac-12 ‘W’ will be against the Sun Devils (12-11, 2-8).

A victory over ASU would at least give the Cougars some company in the conference’s cellar.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” junior guard Charles Callison said. “So we’ve gotta get that win, and then get the next one, and then keep on rolling with the wins after that.”

The last time the two teams met was Jan. 14 in Tempe, where the Cougars disappointedly gave the Sun Devils their first Pac-12 win of the season in an 84-73 affair. Despite the Cougars outshooting ASU from the field 44.6-38.3, the free throw totals became the difference in the game as the Sun Devils made 28 to the Cougars’ 17.

Sophomore guard Tra Holder led ASU in scoring with 20 points and in the process became the first Sun Devil to score 20 points in five-straight games since James Harden (2007-08).

Holder only hit two 3-pointers in the game, but they were during a 17-0 for ASU that started when they were down 13-10 and gave them the lead that would never be relinquished, a script becoming all too common on this Cougar losing streak.

WSU Head Coach Ernie Kent has said many times in the last few weeks that this losing streak is helping the team identify areas it needs to get better, and to him, the biggest area in need of improvement is mental fortitude, especially on the defensive side.

On Wednesday night, Arizona’s senior forward Ryan Anderson exploited those mental lapses on the interior of the Cougar defense to the tune of a game-high 31 points, an area the Cougars will no doubt have to patch up to slow down ASU’s talented front court, featuring senior Willie Atwood and junior Obinna Oleka.

“Your veteran teams, your experienced teams, your more talented teams, your more mentally tough teams have an ability to (do their job without having one guy break down),” Kent said. “There’s slippage throughout the game for everybody, but it’s about who has the least amount of slippage. Right now we’re having too many guys break down at the same time.”

The Cougars could be returning a physical interior presence in the form of redshirt junior center Valentine Izundu on Saturday, which would no doubt help the team defensively. After missing seven-straight games, Izundu was listed as a game-time decision by Kent for Wednesday’s matchup, and he suited-up but never got in the game.

Through the tribulations of being on this extensive skid, veteran guidance is at a premium for the Cougars, as even though there are nine juniors and seniors on the roster, Kent is always quick to remind the media seven players on his 13-man roster are in their first year at WSU.

If the Cougars are going to get out of this slump, it will be because of the on- and off-court leadership of their three captains.

“As team captains, you’ve always got to have a positive mindset,” junior forward Josh Hawkinson said. “Me, (senior forward) Junior Longrus and (junior guard) Ike (Iroegbu) have just got to continue to be vocal leaders, and we’re the ones that have been here before.”

Tipoff between the Cougars and Sun Devils is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Saturday on the Pac-12 Networks.