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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Time to harvest seeds

Practices that started early in the fall and games that first tipped off in November have all led to this.

Both Washington State and Gonzaga await their NCAA tournament fates on this Selection Sunday. While each is assured of a bid, neither is exactly sure where the coming days will take them.

Gonzaga, as the West Coast Conference’s representative in the tournament, is expected to be a 12 or a 13 seed, which realistically means that the Bulldogs could end up playing anywhere around the country. Saturday evening ESPN.com predicted the Zags would draw a No. 12 seed and play at the Spokane Arena.

But WSU, which will be welcomed into the tournament for the first time since 1994, has a much more precise plan in mind.

Even after losing to USC in the Pac-10 tournament semifinals Friday night, the Cougars expect to be no worse than a fourth seed, a placement that would probably give them a protected geographic placement in Sacramento, Calif.

As host of the first- and second-round games in Spokane, the Cougars are ineligible to play there.

“We hope Sacramento at this point,” WSU senior associate athletic director Marcia Saneholtz said during the Pac-10 tournament final. “I don’t think anywhere we’re sent is going to be a disappointment. Obviously, in Sacramento we do better for our fans. That would be our preference.”

After their loss Friday, WSU players expressed a similar sentiment. None of them has been in an NCAA tournament before, and so it’s no surprise that WSU is welcoming today’s televised selections with much greater pomp than Gonzaga.

The Cougars plan to watch the selection show in Bohler Gym with doors open to the public. Gonzaga plans to watch the show together as a team in private.

“Wherever we end up, in a high seed or whatever, it’s just an honor to be playing in the NCAA tournament,” Cougars guard Derrick Low said. “We haven’t been in it for a really long time, so we don’t have something to compare it to.”

Although he was speaking for the Cougars, fellow guard Taylor Rochestie surely represented the thoughts of Gonzaga and the other 63 teams entering the tournament.

“We’re doing something exciting for our school and for this team,” Rochestie said. “Come Selection Sunday, wherever we go I think we’re going to be ready to play.”