In the wake of what was unarguably the most exciting victory of the season, the Cougar men’s basketball team is heading into the final three games of the season.

In all likelihood, it will not be an easy road down the stretch as two of the three final opponents for the Cougars – No. 14 Arizona State and No. 22 Washington – are ranked in the AP Top 25 poll. WSU also will have to face off against red-hot Arizona, whose play as of late may be enough to push the team into the company of the nation’s elite.

The Cougars certainly proved they have what it takes to win these final tough matchups, especially after their performance against UCLA on Saturday. But defeating all three may not be enough to guarantee an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

In all probability, the top five teams in the Pac-10 will be playing in the tournament next month. It would take a lot of help from Oregon State, USC and Arizona, in the form of major breakdowns during their final games, for the Cougars to climb into one of those top five spots.

The Cougars have the advantage of a couple of resume-builder wins over ranked opponents on the road – taking down Arizona State in convincing fashion and now UCLA. That being the case, the Pac-10 Tournament still looks to be WSU’s best shot at making it to the Big Dance in March.

The winner of the Pac-10 Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament regardless of the team’s record, leaving a back door open for teams that may have struggled early on in the season but have developed some momentum toward the end of conference play.

In light of the fact that the Cougars’ best chance of making the playoffs is the Pac-10 Tournament, these final three games of the season are critical.

If WSU succeeds in winning out, it will mean they have either beaten or taken down to the wire every team in the Pac-10 (with the exception of California) at least once during the season. This would provide a major mental edge, both sharpening the Cougars’ mental prowess and placing doubt and uncertainty into the minds of any team they might be matched up against.

Although cracking the top five in the Pac-10 may be somewhat out of reach, securing the sixth spot may not be all that unfeasible if the Cougars can string together some victories during these next two weeks. This is essential if they are in fact pinning their playoff hopes on winning the conference tournament, as the sixth place team qualifies for a first-round bye.

Although the odds are not in their favor, the season looks far from over for the rejuvenated Cougars. The offense is finally clicking and two of the final three match-ups take place at home. The team is sure to bring intensity against the rival Huskies in Seattle, and the ball looks to be rolling defiantly for the freshman-laden team that has been frustrated by close losses all season.

The only thing that can be said for certain about these final three contests for the Cougars is they will definitely be worth watching, and no win is out of reach, as the team proved on Saturday.