NCAA basketball

As the UCLA players warmed up Thursday afternoon on the Arena floor, Charlisse Leger-Walker looked ready to play in the Sweet 16.

During Eastern Washington University’s spring break this week, Emmett Marquardt went back to Seattle, settled about his decision to stay with the Eagles men’s basketball program next season.

PULLMAN – As it turns out, Dane Erikstrup has not played his final game at Washington State.

The Bruins of Westwood have had some historical centers over the years.

A season marked by many early season challenges concluded with the Gonzaga women’s basketball team going down fighting.

Michael Ajayi indicated he’d mull the idea of returning to college for one final season through a blanket NCAA waiver given to former junior college athletes.

Top-seeded UCLA faces Ole Miss at 7 p.m. on Friday night.

They left Eastern Washington University as two of the most decorated basketball players in school history. Now, playing together in Australia’s top professional league, Tyler Harvey and Mason Peatling can add National Basketball League champions to their impressive resumes.

The only outward sign of Caleb Love’s ACC history Wednesday was the splash of light blue on the the multi-colored sneakers he wore during Arizona’s practice at Prudential Center.

On April 7, the eyes of the college basketball world should be on San Antonio, the site of this season’s men’s national championship game. Instead, every college program – including the final two left standing – will also be monitoring the action hundreds of miles west in a courtroom in the Northern District of California. 

Through 52 games, the NCAA Tournament has been largely devoid of drama. High seeds are dominating and blowouts are frequent. There has been one true buzzer-beater (Maryland over Colorado State). But the viewing experience could change Thursday at 4 p.m. when Brigham Young and Alabama take the court in Newark for what could be the most entertaining game of the entire tournament.

The Gonzaga and Washington State women’s basketball teams find themselves in the same region of the U.S. trying to advance in their postseason journeys Thursday.

Following Saturday’s round-of-32 loss to top-seeded Houston, the Zags’ roster picture for next season isn’t nearly as clear. The biggest decision, and one that will clarify the Zags’ priorities in the transfer market, will be made by first-team All-West Coast Conference post Graham Ike.

Given the lack of upsets in this year’s tournament, the real Cinderella story might just be Spokane itself.

Make it two players from Gonzaga’s 2024-25 roster now in the NCAA transfer portal.

The last time Paige Bueckers played in Spokane, she left opponents dazed and spectators amazed. That was seven years ago at Hoopfest, when she led a team of high school all-stars to victory at Center Court. Now Bueckers has a chance to do it again this weekend at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, where her UConn Huskies will take on Oklahoma in the first game of what should be a memorable super regional of the NCAA women’s tournament.

David Stockton is wrapping up his eighth season in the NBA G League. Averaging 14.2 points per game for the Valley Suns – the sixth different team the 33-year-old former Gonzaga guard has played for since leaving Spokane in 2014 – he says he’s seen the NBA’s feeder league make a nice evolution.

Some of best teams in women’s basketball are on their way to Spokane.