Grip on Sports: Gonzaga dominates San Diego in a game no one but the folks in the Jenny Craig Pavilion got to see

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There may have been more dominating performances by the Gonzaga University basketball team than the one it turned in last night in San Diego, but, if there has been, we haven’t seen it. Of course, we really didn’t see last night’s 96-38 victory either. Read on.

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• Not for lack of trying. We set the DVR for the game – a 7 p.m. start – and headed to GU for the women’s game – a 6 p.m. start. After the women won, we raced home and hit the play button.

The first few minutes were fine. Then the transmission began to degrade. Finally it was gone all together. Apologies were issued, explanations given. But we didn’t see the second half, quite possibly the best half of basketball Gonzaga has played this year.

At least that’s how I see it. Without seeing it.

We explained what happened in our media column in today’s Spokesman-Review. The simple version: Something broke, making it impossible for the broadcast to reach our homes.

It’s too bad. But such things do happen. Heck, last night at Pepperdine, the lights went out for a while during the game with Saint Mary’s. Even if you were in the Firestone Fieldhouse, you didn’t get to watch the game for about 15 minutes because they were playing in the dark.

Just kidding. The game was delayed. The Gonzaga game continued on and those in attendance got to witness one of the biggest whippings the Bulldogs have put on anyone ever. The largest Division I margin of victory, that’s for sure.

Someday you may be sitting around a picnic table somewhere and a guy might start bragging about seeing the Zags beat the crud out of USD by 58 points back in ’17.

Ask him what the weather was like in San Diego that day. If he doesn’t know, you know he’s lying. Unless he was in the Jenny Craig Pavilion, he didn’t see it.

• When I was in charge of the S-R’s graphics and design department, a part of my career for almost two decades, I kept a few inspirational signs in my office. No, no cat hanging onto a bar or a view of a sunny summer morning in the mountains. They were sayings from old-time journalists, mainly.

One was of my own creation, though. It said, simply, if you get the little things right, people will trust you on the big things. Details, whether on a map or a chart or a headline, were important. They mattered. Perfection was unattainable, sure, but it was the goal.

When I returned to writing in my latter years, that saying morphed into another, more succinct, one.

Words matter.

Why am I going here? It’s simple. This morning, in a story on Gonzaga’s rout over USD in the Union-Tribune, there was an inaccuracy. An important inaccuracy.

The story states “(Josh) Perkins was arrested for driving under the influence last October.”

Words matter. Perkins was not arrested for driving under the influence. As Tom Clouse reported in mid-October, Perkins was cited for “physical control of a vehicle while under the influence.” There is a difference. A key difference.

Driving under the influence means exactly that. The person is driving a two-ton vehicle while impaired. It’s about as dangerous an action as one can do.

But that wasn’t what the GU guard was found doing that October morning. At the time the police said he was under the influence in a car that wasn’t moving. Parked on the side of the road. And the 21-year-old was cited for such.

Yes, under Washington law, the punishment is the same. But the circumstances are different. And it’s our responsibility to get the facts correct.

Words matter.

The San Diego student section can chant “DUI, DUI” all it wants. That’s their right. But a simple 20-second Google search will get anyone to the accurate account. And charges.

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Gonzaga: Jim Meehan got to – had to? – watch the entire 40 minutes and he shares his thoughts and observations with all of us in his game story. He also has stories on Johnathan Williams’ outstanding rebounding effort and the play of Perkins and Jordan Mathews. … There are the three keys and some other numbers from the game. … It was Senior Night in the Kennel for the women and though the contest was tougher than most in attendance would have liked, the Bulldogs prevailed 62-57. Whitney Ogden has the game story and Michael Gulledge a sidebar on the seniors. We also have a photo story to pass along. … Around the WCC on Thursday night, there is nothing like playing at Portland to help a team’s confidence. Just ask BYU, which will be in the Kennel tomorrow night. … Saint Mary’s dominates everyone in the conference except you-know-who. … Santa Clara got past Pacific. … Loyola-Marymount upset USF.

WSU: The Cougars face the Huskies this weekend in Pullman, but there was already a game in town. The women were walloped by Utah last night. … Around the conference in basketball last night, Utah continued its dominance of mountain rival Colorado, winning 86-81 in Boulder, despite being without a key freshman. … UCLA was scared but got past Arizona State 87-75 to set up a big Saturday matchup in Tucson. … The Wildcats did their part, defeating USC 90-77. … Oregon’s Dillon Brooks is getting good at this end-of-game thing. … In football, ESPN.com’s Pac-12 blog sees quarterback as the Cougars’ strongest position. … We can also pass along Jon Wilner’s preview of the Oregon schools’ spring practices, something that feels really important in Eugene.

EWU: As Eastern coach Jim Hayford likes to say, Weber State is the gold standard for Big Sky basketball. The Wildcats have won more conference titles than anyone. But they may not get this year’s thanks, in part, to Eastern’s 82-72 win last night in Cheney. Jim Allen was there and has this game story. … The Eastern women also won. … Around the Big Sky, Portland State ran past Southern Utah, 93-86 at home. … Montana, Montana State and Idaho are vying for the fourth and fifth spots in the standings, and the bye that goes with them.

Idaho: The Vandals needed a win over Idaho State to keep their chances for a Big Sky conference tournament bye in play. And they got it, 69-61, behind Victor Sanders’ 30 points. … The Vandal women suffered a key loss in Pocatello.

Whitworth: The Pirates will a get a third chance at handing Whitman its first loss of the season after defeating Linfield 76-64 at home Thursday night. Kevin Dudley has the game story. The NWC playoffs continue Saturday in Walla Walla.

Empire: Spokane opened its IFL season at home last night, playing a Green Bay team that had already played once. It showed. But the Empire still was able to hold off the Blizzard, 34-31, at the Arena. Josh Horton has the game story and Colin Mulvany has a multitude of photographs.

Preps: The basketball playoffs continued in Idaho last night, with Greg Lee in Post Falls. He watched the Trojans get past Coeur d’Alene 65-46 and move on to a Saturday state play-in game.

Mariners: Anything in play in Peoria? How about three stories on three pitching prospects, from lefties to a hard-throwing reliever to a young starter with intangibles? … There is also this Larry Stone piece on the M’s long hair – write what you once had, correct? – and John McGrath wondering about the M’s new slogan. … Mitch Haniger has a “professional approach.”

Seahawks: There are quite a few offensive linemen available in free agency, many of whom once were Seahawks.

Sounders: The MLS is “allowing” fans to buy replica jerseys with an added flourish.

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• We aren’t perfect. No one is. But one of the key elements of this job is to strive to get things right. That’s all I’m saying. It’s something we aim for every day. We fall short at times and you point it out. That’s OK. Just be nice. Until later …