PULLMAN — David Riley is not normally the type of coach to repeatedly talk about how a loss is his fault. He will always lament things he can do better, but after the Cougars fell 80-75 to St. Mary’s on Saturday, Riley expressed disappointment in his own coaching. Riley was asked about consistently going up against coaches who have been head coaches since he was in junior high, and he said that facing the likes of Randy Bennett, Mark Few, and Herb Sendek has been a learning experience.
“These are the kind of guys I’ve looked up to as a coach,” Riley said after the game. “A couple years ago I watched every turnover St. Mary’s forced the whole season … so it’s kind of crazy to think that we’re going up against these coaches. I just have to get better. When you’re going up against Herb Sendek, Mark Few and Randy Bennett, I just feel like we’re learning a ton. I keep relying on my assistants and their experiences … there’s times including today where I just feel like I let these guys down.”
There is a line between saying the same thing ad nauseam and offering refreshing transparency, and this was the latter. Riley has never hesitated to point the blame at himself, but his comments on Saturday were a reminder that he is still growing as a head coach…