Thomas Clouse

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Throw out the seeds. All indications point to a barn burner when the Gonzaga and George Washington women’s basketball teams square off today at the NCAA tournament.

Ted Forsi’s Alaska adventure started with some mentors in Spokane who invited him to join them 45 years ago on a hunt up north. After more than four decades since working as a volunteer for the Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show, Forsi, an Auburn, Washington, native and Washington State graduate, is traveling here from Alaska to give a seminar that he hopes will give someone the same spark that changed his life forever.

You can, perhaps, forgive a coach who gives an interview in the heat of the moment after learning his team’s seeding for a game across the country against an unfamiliar opponent. George Washington coach Jonathan Tsipis told his school’s website that his No. 19 Colonials were heading to Corvallis, Oregon, as the No. 6 seed to take on a historically-good Gonzaga team as the No. 11 seed on Friday at 4:30 p.m.

You can, perhaps, forgive a coach who gives an interview in the heat of the moment after learning his team’s seeding for a game across the country against an unfamiliar opponent.

Ending one of the longest weeks any of them could remember, the Gonzaga women’s basketball players erupted with a roar Monday when the Zags finally came up on the NCAA tournament-selection board as a No. 11 seed in the Spokane Region to play Friday in Corvallis, Oregon, against No. 6 seed George Washington. The Bulldogs (24-7) had to wait for an at-large bid after BYU upset them March 9 in the semifinal game of the West Coast Conference tournament. The team kept the selection private but players came out for interviews once the Zags were selected.

With music blaring and defensive linemen fighting through blockers, the Spokane Shock entered the second day of practicing with pads Tuesday as the team tries to find starters, including a new quarterback, before the season begins on March 28.

SEATTLE – Fighting off injuries to its star guards, Washington State couldn’t match No. 9 Arizona State’s shooting in the second half and the Sun Devils pulled away for a 67-48 win Friday in a Pac-12 tournament quarterfinal at Seattle’s KeyArena. In her final game as a Cougar, senior guard Tia Presley (Gonzaga Prep) had a career-best seven steals and led all scorers with 16 points even after she missed more than three minutes with an injured ankle.

Fighting off injuries to its star guards, Washington State couldn’t match No. 9 Arizona State’s shooting in the second half and the Sun Devils pulled away for a 67-48 win Friday in a Pac-12 tournament quarterfinal game at Seattle’s KeyArena.

SEATTLE – Oregon’s Lexi Peterson launched a 3-pointer that went in, but the buzzer had already sounded and Lia Galdeira’s career day carried Washington State to a 66-64 win Thursday in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament at Seattle’s KeyArena. The junior guard poured in 34 points and the Cougars needed every one of them to beat the Ducks, who were led by Jillian Alleyne’s national-best 22nd double-double (18 points and 18 rebounds).

The No. 13 Whitworth Pirates traveled 2,000 miles to Atlanta to play in the NCAA Division III tournament, but they remain confident that their recipe for success will work in any gym.

SEATTLE – Oregon’s Lexi Peterson launched a 3-pointer that went in, but the buzzer had already sounded and Lia Galdeira’s career day carried Washington State to a 66-64 win Thursday in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament at Seattle’s KeyArena.

First-year Gonzaga women’s basketball coach Lisa Fortier was named Tuesday the West Coast Conference co-coach of the year after leading the Zags to their 11th consecutive league title. In addition, senior forward Sunny Greinacher and junior guard Elle Tinkle were named to the 10-member WCC All-Conference first team.

First-year Gonzaga women’s basketball coach Lisa Fortier was named Tuesday the West Coast Conference co-coach of the year after leading the Zags to their 11th consecutive league title.

The No. 16 Whitworth men’s basketball team learned today that it will travel to Atlanta Wednesday to take on LaGrange College in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament on Friday.