Jim Allen

The basketball is back in Katie Estey’s hands, and she couldn’t be more grateful – for family, teammates and second chances.

Homecomings always should feel this cozy.

Tough defense, domination on the boards and a breakout game by center Shelby Cheslek were enough to offset some poor second-half shooting and give the Bulldogs a 61-57 overtime win over Wyoming at the McCarthey Center.

The Gonzaga women’s basketball team has no time for what-ifs. Well, perhaps a little.

Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp is one of three finalists for the Football Championship Subdivision’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy.

Record-setting wide receiver Cooper Kupp will stay at Eastern Washington for his senior year, he said Monday night via social media.

Cooper Kupp made more history on Tuesday. After another record-breaking season, the Eastern Washington junior became only the second wide receiver in 42 years to win the Big Sky Conference’s Offensive MVP award.

“An interesting year,” Eastern Washington football coach Beau Baldwin called it a few moments after the 2015 season ended in a 34-31 loss to Portland State on Saturday night at Roos Field.

The playoffs have arrived early this year at Roos Field, the product of circumstances that no self-described expert on Big Sky Conference football could have predicted. On Saturday afternoon, preaseason co-favorite Eastern Washington will be fighting for its postseason life against a Portland State team that was picked to finish 12th – a team that began the season with an interim coach, no history of success and burdened by rumors that the program might be disbanded.

Cooper Kupp is looking to his future, but for now that doesn’t extend past Saturday. That’s when Kupp and his Eastern Washington teammates face Portland State in a must-win football game that also could be Kupp’s last as an Eagle.

Before the season began, Gonzaga Prep girls soccer coach Billy Barmes had some dreams … big ones, considering the Bullpups hadn’t gotten out of district since 2011.

Ask Portland State football coach Bruce Barnum about his playing days at Eastern Washington and he’ll give you a simple answer: “I didn’t.”