Old Pals Back On Playing Terms Washington State, Gonzaga Renew Rivalry After 7 Years

Sure, a little performance-anxiety would be expected.

After all, this is a couple that has had 129 dates in the past, but they haven’t seen each other for seven long years.

Petty struggles and selfishness can break up even the closest relationships.

And so it was with these two, when one saw little to gain and too much to lose from the continued courting.

Oh, they haven’t been wall-flowers during that period of estrangement.

Each has gone to big dances in recent years.

But the reunion that takes place in the Spokane Arena tonight at 7 will be special for both parties - the men’s basketball teams from Washington State and Gonzaga.

“I think this is good for us, good for them, good for fans, and good for college basketball,” said GU coach Dan Fitzgerald, overlooking only the concessionaires and parking attendants.

Likewise, it is a game that WSU coach Kevin Eastman wanted to reinstate from his first day on the job in Pullman.

“We’re all for it,” Eastman said of the meeting in what is being called the Cavanaugh’s Classic. “What I have to get our people to understand is that Washington State isn’t going to win all those games, and Gonzaga isn’t going to be undefeated in them either.”

The history of the relationship favors WSU, which owns a 91-38 advantage. As WSU is a member of the more visible and prestigious Pacific-10 Conference - compared to Gonzaga’s West Coast Conference affiliation - the Cougars would tend to be favored in most cases.

But Gonzaga won two straight over the Cougs in the late ‘80s and then-WSU coach Kelvin Sampson filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

WSU, with all five starters returning from its NIT quarterfinal team, comes into this matchup with its highest preseason national ranking - No. 28.

GU, off its first NCAA Tournament appearance, features four returning full- or part-time starters.

At first glance, it would appear to be a contrast in styles - with the Cougars, shockingly quick and athletic, facing the bigger and unwaveringly efficient Bulldogs.

But this game carries special circumstances - aside from the fact that this is the first college basketball game to be played in the Arena.

The Cougars have been so depleted by injuries and illness that the team went four days last week without team workouts. And of the 33 practices leading up to this game, the top eight or nine players have been united on only five occasions.

The five starters should be available, but health problems of reserves Kareem Jackson, Carlos Daniel, Bill Coby and Ryan Topper leave the Cougars with only seven or eight scholarship players ready.

“With our situation right now, this becomes a big, big game for us,” Eastman said. “Because we’re not the team at this point that I thought we’d be at this point. I think we eventually will be a pretty darn good team when we’re healthy.

“So this becomes a critical game, but not a do-or-die game, because they never are on Nov. 24.”

Neither coach would suggest this is as important as a conference game in February. And since the teams don’t regularly recruit against one another, it’s not important in that regard.

Still, “it’s a very meaningful game, and anytime you can play a meaningful game in the preseason, it’s good for you,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s important because we get to play ‘up’ and we get to play ‘up’ on even terms - not at somebody else’s place.”

“You’d like to have an easy (opener), but that didn’t happen in this case,” Eastman said. “Most people try to open with a confidence-builder, but that certainly isn’t the case this year.”

Both coaches offered considerable pregame flattery, none of which seems unwarranted as these two teams have each made NIT and NCAA appearance in the last two years.

“The keys for us will be to take care of the ball because I think we’re overmatched and we need to do some things to stay in it.” Fitzgerald said. “They are legitimately a very good team, but it isn’t like David and Goliath.”

Four of WSU’s returning starters average in double figures, all the way up to Isaac Fontaine’s 18.5 average, while forward Mark Hendrickson was one of the nation’s top shooters (62.7 percent), guard Shamon Antrum was named the league’s newcomer of the year, and point guard Donminic Ellison shattered the school’s season record for assists.

Add it up and the team was the best shooting club in the nation, hitting 55.5 percent from the floor.

Several matchups concern Eastman, though.

“They have three, without a doubt, really proven players,” Eastman said. “(Center Paul) Rogers can play in the Pac-10, (guard Kyle) Dixon can play at a lot of places in the country, and (forward Jon) Kinloch will be one of the better combination shooters/smart players we face all year. Those three matchups will be critical.”

Fitzgerald said that it is important not to dwell on winning and losing, that improvement is the key, particularly at this time of year.

But Eastman, with troops in such short supply, will take whatever kind of win he might be able to get.

“We’re going to try to get through the first four games any way possible,” Eastman said.

Notes

The teams have had a common exhibition foe: the Townsville Suns. GU eclipsed the Suns by four points, while the Cougars were burned by a point in overtime.

If this is a home court for anybody, it will be for GU’s Kinloch. Kinloch works roughly 15 hours a week at the Arena in a marketing internship.

The game will be heard across WSU’s 13-station network (KXLY 920 AM in Spokane) with Bud Nameck, and also on 790 AM with Dick Wright. Ticket prices are $19.50, $15.50 and $9.50.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo