Coach Slessinger's Comments Heading Into Saturday's Game At Washington State

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Overall thoughts on the upcoming game
"They're very good. Ernie Kent is one of the winningest coaches in Pac 12 history and does an incredible job. He's got a world-class staff with him – guys I've known forever who are really, really good. It's been a tough road trip so far. We practiced yesterday morning at 6:30, got in here at about 3:30 a.m. New Orleans time after connecting in Oakland, flying into Spokane and coming down [to Pullman]. It's beautiful here. Our guys are excited. They're not too happy with the cold weather, but we have a chance to string together three in a row. That's hard to do with the schedule that we've been playing. It will be a great challenge for us to come in and play well."
 
On the way his team has played in the last two outings
"They're playing very unselfishly. They're playing really well. It's been fun to coach them. We've been playing with great energy, and we were dynamic vocally the other night, which had a lot to do with the way things worked out. If we talk well, communicate, share the ball and rebound at a high rate, we'll be a hard out."
 
On what the Privateers have to do to come away from this game on top
"We have to be good offensively. We can't turn the ball over. We have to have great shot selection. [Washington State] is a good defensive team and we know we have to take good shots each time down the floor. We also have to contain them and rebound the ball at a high rate."
 
On the opportunity a game like this provides the UNO program
"It's a big one. Any time you go against a Power 5 school in a great facility like this, it's a big opportunity for us to take another step forward in building our program and getting another quality win."
 
On the Washington State Cougars
"They've got a really dynamic forward in [Josh] Hawkinson, who is a first-team All-Pac 12 player. He's a guy that can score a bunch of ways. He's a guy we'll see playing on TV and he's really, really special. Ernie Kent can coach. He can do a lot of things offensively. They're a team that is very dangerous. Pullman, Wash., is no easy place to get to nor is it an easy place to win."