WSU system can't trump Tar Heels' talent

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Fifteen minutes after this rotten ending, Tony Bennett looked at Derrick Low with a toddler's curiosity.

"How fast is he?" Bennett asked Low.

The Washington State coach was referring to Ty Lawson, the North Carolina point guard with NASCAR-caliber speed. Low couldn't offer Bennett a worthy description.

When it was over — the game, the season and the magnificent era — the Cougars were left to admire college basketball's most talented team. Reluctantly, they admitted that, sometimes, their system can't trump extreme talent.

For two mesmerizing seasons, they schooled teams with better athletes, outwitting their foes with textbook defense and precise offense. They weren't just good. They were shockingly good, and they took great satisfaction in their ability to baffle. They came to trust that the Cougar Way would give them the opportunity to beat anyone. They knew games weren't won on vertical-leap measurements.

Their success seemed like a fairy tale because they challenged the accepted beliefs of new-school hoops. With incredible charm, the Cougars climbed higher than the program had in 67 years.

And then came this game, the forced ending, so unlikely and unsatisfying. For once, all of the Cougars' strategies and beliefs fizzled when tested against the powerful Tar Heels.

Washington State suffered its worst loss since Bennett took over for his father. North Carolina won 68-47 in this Sweet 16 matchup, leaving the Cougars to lament reality.

"We've always said that our coaches are grooming us to compete against the best," senior forward Robbie Cowgill said. "Our system, our principles, the different way we do things — they're all about preparing us for the best. We always thought, if we just competed, we could play with anybody.

"I don't want to say we didn't compete. We battled our hearts out. But as the game went on, we were not as competitive. You want to go out on top with a win. If you lose, you want to go out with a great performance. We didn't have a great performance tonight. It's very frustrating."

It goes to show that, as much as the Cougars proved these past two seasons, there's another level of basketball to discover. Though it shouldn't detract from their accomplishments, the Cougars arrived at the basketball equivalent of the Peter Principle on Thursday night.

Now the question is whether they can build upon this success and rise into the top tier of college hoops. Right now, however, the Cougars must come to terms with maxing out.

It's nothing to be ashamed of; in fact, that should be the goal for every team. Still, for a team galvanized by a no-limits attitude, this ending hurts.

"I feel bad," Bennett said. "I didn't feel like we represented the Pac-10 the way we should."

After their defense frustrated Winthrop and Notre Dame in the opening round, the Cougars found themselves in offensive disarray in this game. They shot only 31.6 percent. Their trio of revolutionary seniors — Cowgill, Low and Kyle Weaver — was a combined 10 of 36 from the field.

And while the Cougars stopped All-American forward Tyler Hansbrough for a half, the Tar Heels responded with fantastic perimeter play. Lawson pushed the pace beyond the Cougars' comfort level, Wayne Ellington made open jumpers early, and Danny Green scored a smooth 15 points off the bench.

The Cougars are so used to opponents playing their way. They're so used to turning the game into a physical, methodical grind. They're so used to outsmarting the competition.

For stretches of this game, however, the Tar Heels imposed their will. They made Washington State play too fast at times, just long enough to pull away.

"They're very good," Cowgill said. "How they play, it's different. I don't really know how to explain it. It feels like they're coming down on you the whole game."

The Tar Heels out-rebounded the Cougars by 14. They had five athletic blocks, three by center Alex Stepheson. They watched as the Cougars let potential layups fly wildly out of their hands.

It was a beating, a blowout, a bad ending to a great story. The Cougars may never have it this good again, and even if they do, it won't feel the same. Cowgill, Low and Weaver won't be there. You always have a special affinity for trendsetters.

"They'll be remembered forever in Pullman, Wash.," Bennett said. "I promise you that."

What he can't promise, however, is that this system will ever be able to top the truly elite when the games matter most. He won't abandon it, however. This program is built on a clear philosophy, and when those ideals come to life, it's quite intriguing.

But the Cougars must improve greatly to reach the next tier. Bennett knows this better than anyone. It's time to sweep away the pixie dust and start the refurbishing.

Maybe this isn't an ending, after all.

Jerry Brewer: 206-464-2277 or jbrewer@seattletimes.com. For more columns and the Extra Points blog, visit seattletimes.com/sports