Washington State's basketball program dates to 1902, and the Pullman-based school has been a competitive presence in the Pac-12 (now WCC). Coach Tony Bennett built the Cougars into a national contender in the mid-2000s before leaving for Virginia.
The Cougars name was adopted in 1919, chosen after the cougars (mountain lions) that roamed the Palouse region of eastern Washington.
Tony Bennett's 2006-08 run, including a 26-8 season in 2007 and Sweet Sixteen appearance, the program's best stretch in modern history.
Dick Bennett brought his famous "pack line" defense to Washington State, where his son Tony ran the system before perfecting it at Virginia and winning a national championship — making WSU a key stop in the rise of one of basketball's most influential modern defenses.
The Washington State Cougars compete in the WCC and hold an all-time record of 1718–1633 (.513 winning percentage) across 123 recorded seasons dating back to 1901-02. The program has reached 1 Final Four.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 12-20 | 7-11 (WCC) | David Riley | |
| 2024-25 | 19-15 | 8-10 (WCC) | David Riley | |
| 2023-24 | 25-10 | 14-6 (Pac-12) | Kyle Smith | AP #18 |
| 2022-23 | 17-17 | 11-9 (Pac-12) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2021-22 | 22-15 | 11-9 (Pac-12) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2020-21 | 14-13 | 7-12 (Pac-12) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2019-20 | 16-16 | 6-12 (Pac-12) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2018-19 | 11-21 | 4-14 (Pac-12) | Ernie Kent | |
| 2017-18 | 12-19 | 4-14 (Pac-12) | Ernie Kent | |
| 2016-17 | 13-18 | 6-12 (Pac-12) | Ernie Kent | |
| 2015-16 | 9-22 | 1-17 (Pac-12) | Ernie Kent | |
| 2014-15 | 13-18 | 7-11 (Pac-12) | Ernie Kent | |
| 2013-14 | 10-21 | 3-15 (Pac-12) | Ken Bone | |
| 2012-13 | 13-19 | 4-14 (Pac-12) | Ken Bone | |
| 2011-12 | 19-18 | 7-11 (Pac-12) | Ken Bone | |
| 2010-11 | 22-13 | 9-9 (Pac-10) | Ken Bone | |
| 2009-10 | 16-15 | 6-12 (Pac-10) | Ken Bone | |
| 2008-09 | 17-16 | 8-10 (Pac-10) | Tony Bennett | |
| 2007-08 | 26-9 | 11-7 (Pac-10) | Tony Bennett | AP #4 |
| 2006-07 | 26-8 | 13-5 (Pac-10) | Tony Bennett | AP #9 |
| 2005-06 | 11-17 | 4-14 (Pac-10) | Dick Bennett | |
| 2004-05 | 12-16 | 7-11 (Pac-10) | Dick Bennett | |
| 2003-04 | 13-16 | 7-11 (Pac-10) | Dick Bennett | |
| 2002-03 | 7-20 | 2-16 (Pac-10) | Paul Graham | |
| 2001-02 | 6-21 | 1-17 (Pac-10) | Paul Graham | |
| 2000-01 | 12-16 | 5-13 (Pac-10) | Paul Graham | |
| 1999-00 | 6-22 | 1-17 (Pac-10) | Paul Graham | |
| 1998-99 | 10-19 | 4-14 (Pac-10) | Kevin Eastman | |
| 1997-98 | 10-19 | 3-15 (Pac-10) | Kevin Eastman | |
| 1996-97 | 13-17 | 5-13 (Pac-10) | Kevin Eastman | |
| 1994-95 | 18-12 | 10-8 (Pac-10) | Kevin Eastman | |
| 1993-94 | 20-11 | 10-8 (Pac-10) | Kelvin Sampson | |
| 1992-93 | 15-12 | 9-9 (Pac-10) | Kelvin Sampson | |
| 1991-92 | 22-11 | 9-9 (Pac-10) | Kelvin Sampson | |
| 1990-91 | 16-12 | 8-10 (Pac-10) | Kelvin Sampson | |
| 1989-90 | 7-22 | 1-17 (Pac-10) | Kelvin Sampson | |
| 1988-89 | 10-19 | 4-14 (Pac-10) | Kelvin Sampson | |
| 1987-88 | 13-16 | 7-11 (Pac-10) | Kelvin Sampson | |
| 1986-87 | 10-18 | 6-12 (Pac-10) | Len Stevens | |
| 1985-86 | 15-16 | 8-10 (Pac-10) | Len Stevens | |
| 1984-85 | 13-15 | 5-13 (Pac-10) | Len Stevens | |
| 1983-84 | 10-18 | 4-14 (Pac-10) | Len Stevens | |
| 1982-83 | 23-7 | 14-4 (Pac-10) | George Raveling | AP #18 |
| 1981-82 | 16-14 | 10-8 (Pac-10) | George Raveling | |
| 1980-81 | 10-17 | 3-15 (Pac-10) | George Raveling | |
| 1979-80 | 22-6 | 14-4 (Pac-10) | George Raveling | AP #20 |
| 1978-79 | 18-9 | 10-8 (Pac-10) | George Raveling | |
| 1977-78 | 16-11 | 7-7 (Pac-8) | George Raveling | |
| 1976-77 | 19-8 | 8-6 (Pac-8) | George Raveling | |
| 1974-75 | 10-16 | 1-13 (Pac-8) | George Raveling | |
| 1973-74 | 8-21 | 3-11 (Pac-8) | George Raveling | |
| 1972-73 | 6-20 | 2-12 (Pac-8) | George Raveling | |
| 1971-72 | 11-15 | 3-11 (Pac-8) | Bob Greenwood | |
| 1970-71 | 12-14 | 2-12 (Pac-8) | Marv Harshman | |
| 1969-70 | 19-7 | 9-5 (Pac-8) | Marv Harshman | |
| 1968-69 | 18-8 | 11-3 (Pac-8) | Marv Harshman | |
| 1967-68 | 16-9 | 8-6 (AAWU) | Marv Harshman | |
| 1966-67 | 15-11 | 8-6 (AAWU) | Marv Harshman | |
| 1965-66 | 15-11 | 6-8 (AAWU) | Marv Harshman | |
| 1964-65 | 9-17 | 6-8 (AAWU) | Marv Harshman | |
| 1963-64 | 5-21 | 2-13 (AAWU) | Marv Harshman | |
| 1962-63 | 5-20 | Ind | Marv Harshman | |
| 1961-62 | 8-18 | Ind | Marv Harshman | |
| 1960-61 | 10-16 | Ind | Marv Harshman | |
| 1959-60 | 13-13 | Ind | Marv Harshman | |
| 1958-59 | 10-16 | 3-13 (PCC) | Marv Harshman | |
| 1957-58 | 7-19 | 3-13 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1956-57 | 8-18 | 4-12 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1955-56 | 4-22 | 2-14 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1954-55 | 11-15 | 5-11 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1953-54 | 10-17 | 4-12 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1952-53 | 7-27 | 3-13 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1951-52 | 19-16 | 6-10 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1950-51 | 17-15 | 7-9 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1949-50 | 19-13 | 11-5 (PCC) | Jack Friel | AP #16 |
| 1948-49 | 21-9 | 8-8 (PCC) | Jack Friel | AP #14 |
| 1947-48 | 19-10 | 9-7 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1946-47 | 23-10 | 11-5 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1945-46 | 16-13 | 5-11 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1944-45 | 23-13 | 11-5 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1943-44 | 8-19 | 4-12 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1942-43 | 19-11 | 9-7 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1941-42 | 21-8 | 9-7 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1940-41 | 26-6 | 13-3 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1939-40 | 23-10 | 9-7 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1938-39 | 23-10 | 8-8 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1937-38 | 19-11 | 12-8 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1936-37 | 24-8 | 11-5 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1935-36 | 22-8 | 8-8 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1934-35 | 12-12 | 6-10 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1933-34 | 14-11 | 6-10 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1932-33 | 17-8 | 8-8 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1931-32 | 22-5 | 11-5 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1930-31 | 18-7 | 10-6 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1929-30 | 14-12 | 9-7 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1928-29 | 9-14 | 5-5 (PCC) | Jack Friel | |
| 1927-28 | 7-17 | 1-9 (PCC) | Karl Schlademan | |
| 1926-27 | 11-10 | 3-7 (PCC) | Karl Schlademan | |
| 1925-26 | 9-17 | 1-8 (PCC) | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1924-25 | 18-11 | 2-8 (PCC) | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1923-24 | 17-11 | 3-7 (PCC) | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1922-23 | 16-10 | 4-4 (PCC) | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1921-22 | 9-17 | 4-11 (PCC) | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1920-21 | 12-16 | 3-11 (PCC) | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1919-20 | 10-11 | 6-7 (PCC) | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1918-19 | 10-11 | 7-5 (PCC) | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1917-18 | 7-12 | Ind | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1916-17 | 25-1 | 8-1 (PCC) | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1915-16 | 18-3 | PCC | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1914-15 | 17-6 | Ind | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1913-14 | 13-10 | Ind | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1912-13 | 15-4 | Ind | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1911-12 | 5-12 | Ind | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1910-11 | 3-16 | Ind | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1909-10 | 12-3 | Ind | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1908-09 | 10-6 | Ind | J. Fred Bohler | |
| 1907-08 | 12-3 | Ind | John Bender | |
| 1906-07 | 5-4 | Ind | Everett Sweeley | |
| 1905-06 | 5-5 | Ind | Everett Sweeley | |
| 1904-05 | 3-2 | Ind | Jimmy Ashmore | |
| 1903-04 | 2-1 | Ind | Jimmy Ashmore | |
| 1902-03 | 2-2 | Ind | John Evans | |
| 1901-02 | 0-2 | Ind | John Evans |
Gonzaga Bulldogs · Loyola Marymount Lions · Oregon State Beavers · Pacific Tigers · Pepperdine Waves · Portland Pilots · Saint Mary's Gaels · San Diego Toreros · San Francisco Dons · Santa Clara Broncos · Seattle U Redhawks
All Division I programs · Historical rankings · Championship journeys · Hoopsipedia home
| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|