WSU hosts Rider as Cougs hope to avoid another embarrassing result

CJ Elleby has been a pleasant surprise for WSU.It’s been a rough week or so for the Washington State Cougars, starting with a mind-blowing loss to the Montana State Bobcats, then continuing with the unexpected transfer of reserve forward Arinze Chidom — the 13th such transfer from Ernie Kent’s program in his four-plus seasons.

It might not get better tonight when the Rider Broncs visit Beasley Coliseum for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Pac-12 Network.

You might be thinking to yourself: “Why on earth would a private school I’ve never heard of in Lawrence Township, NJ, with an undergraduate enrollment of 4,000, which competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, present a particular problem for WSU…