Week ahead

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Monday: at Portland, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

Outlook: Gonzaga hammered the Pilots 79-41 last month, holding Nik Raivio, younger brother of ex-Bulldog Derek Raivio, to six points on 2-of-9 shooting. Raivio, who averages a team-high 13.1 points, has led the Pilots in scoring in five of the last six games. The Pilots have dropped three straight and are tied with Loyola Marymount in the WCC cellar.

WSU Cougars

Thursday: vs. Arizona State, 6 p.m. (FSN)

Saturday: vs. Arizona, 7 p.m. (FSN)

Outlook: ASU’s Sun Devils feel they should have won the first meeting between the schools, a 56-55 WSU decision in Tempe after James Harden’s last-second shot just missed. The Cougars’ other game on that road trip wasn’t even close, as Arizona routed WSU 76-64. But the Wildcats are a different team without point guard Nic Wise, out with an injury. Freshman Jerryd Bayless has been their main option, averaging more than 30 points a game in their last three.

Idaho Vandals

Saturday: at UC Irvine, 7:05 p.m.

Outlook: The BracketBusters game is the Vandals’ lone game this week. The last time these former Big West counterparts played was in the 2004-05 Big West tournament when the Anteaters won 80-67. UCI (11-14, 6-6) leads the series 14-4 and has won the last four games. UCI is 7-0 at home and is led by 6-6 senior forward Patrick Sanders (15.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game).

EWU Eagles

Saturday: at Northern Colorado, 6:05 p.m.

Outlook: EWU is still hoping to nail down one of the six Big Sky tournament berths. The Eagles edged the Bears 91-85 in overtime in Cheney last month but needed a career-high 42 points from junior point guard Adris DeLeon to do it. The focus of Saturday’s rematch will probably be on the front line, where Eastern must find a way to deal with the versatility of UNC’s Jabril Banks, a 6-foot-7 senior forward who is averaging 12.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.