Another Saturday full of action
A GRIP ON SPORTS
It seems as if every Saturday these days is chock full of important games. Today is no different. Read on.
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• Out in Cheney the Eastern Eagles will host Illinois State in the NCAA FCS quarterfinals. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are in Los Angeles to play at Pauley Pavilion against UCLA. Washington State has a date with Santa Clara, the Eastern hoops team has to wait a day, but they face a ranked Washington team tomorrow. The Seahawks also wait a day but when Sunday finally does come, it will be a 49er Sunday. With so much going on, what are you doing reading this?
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• WSU: Yesterday was kind of a slow day in Pullman, so Jacob Thorpe took time out to check in with the Cougar baseball team, which took a preseason trip to the Dominican Republic. ... Jacob has his usual morning post with links. ... It's Saturday, so we can pass along the mailbag from ESPN.com's Pac-12 blog. ... It's also Heisman Saturday, so Marcus Mariota can polish up his acceptance speech.
• Gonzaga: By now we're all used to the Zags playing a pretty hefty non-conference schedule. This year's is a bit different, however. No, GU is still playing some of the nation's best. What Jim Meehan focuses on in today's advance of the game at UCLA is all the storied venues Gonzaga has visited this season. ... Bud Withers has a feature on Byron Wesley. ... The Los Angeles Times takes on the GU phenomenon. ... The women traveled to Wyoming and handled the Cowgirls with ease, winning 70-56.
• EWU: One other thing is happening this Saturday. Eastern will be trying to continue its run in the NCAA FCS playoffs, hosting Illinois State in a rematch of a 2012 quarterfinal. Jim Allen has the advance. ... The Eagles' basketball team will be at Hec Ed on Sunday, so the Times' Percy Allen takes a look at their season so far.
• Chiefs: It had been a while since the Chiefs had won. And it had been a while since the Chiefs had won a game in Portland. They broke both streaks last night, winning 4-3 in the Rose City. ... Spokane returns home tonight for its Teddy Bear Toss, which happened at the Tri-City Americans game last night. ... Everett is having great trouble holding leads.
• Preps: Central Valley's boys had little trouble with Shadle Park last night, winning 73-46 behind Michael Hannan's career-high 27 points. ... We also can pass along a roundup of GSL girls' action as well as roundups from girls and boys games around the area.
• Seahawks: If you watched the Hawks win over Philadelphia, you may have had the same reaction I did. There is no way Seattle wins that game without Russell Wilson. He did a bit of everything to help the offense score its 24 points. But that game sort of epitomizes the dual opinion of Wilson as quarterback. ... There is a rivalry with the 49ers, that's for sure. But will it last? ... The NFL is a week-to-week league, especially for its non-star players. ... The injury list is not too bad. ... Get ready for the gun show. ... Even the folks in San Francisco know the Seahawk defense is playing superb.
• Sounders: There was not a lot of action in the MLS' re-entry draft.
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• This is a big day. At least in sports in the area. Enjoy it. Until later ...
