at a glance Week ahead

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Today: vs. Loyola Marymount, 7 p.m., KAYU

Saturday: vs. Pepperdine, 5 p.m., KHQ

Outlook: GU, playing at home for the first time since Dec. 11, hopes to rebound following its 89-81 upset loss at Saint Mary’s on Saturday. The Zags need to get senior forward and co-captain Ronny Turiaf, who has scored only 19 points in the Bulldogs last three games, back on track. LMU comes in having lost three of its last four games, but has a history of playing well against the Zags. … Pepperdine returns four starters from last year’s 15-16 team that tied for second in the WCC with a 9-5 record. The Waves boast a pair of returning all-WCC picks in 6-foot-9 senior Glen McGowan and 6-7 senior Yakhouba Diawara. Still, GU should have the advantage inside where junior transfer J.P. Batista continues to emerge as a solid front-line complement to Turiaf and sophomore Sean Mallon.

WSU Cougars

Tonight: vs. Oregon State, 7:30 p.m. FSN

Saturday: vs. Oregon, 2 p.m.

Outlook: The Cougars are playing their first games in Pullman since losing to Gonzaga on Dec. 7. They won’t have forward Shami Gill available because of recurring back problems, something that won’t help against an Oregon State team returning all five starters from last season, including All-Pac-10 forward David Lucas, who has played just four games this year because of a toe injury. Freshman Sasa Cuic has given OSU a boost in Lucas’ early absence. The 6-10 Croatian is scoring nearly 14 points a game. For Oregon, guard Aaron Brooks has surpassed expectations, scoring 17.5 points a game – 24 a game in the Pac-10. Freshman forward Malik Hairston was the most touted newcomer in the league this season and is among the team’s leaders in points, rebounds and assists.

EWU Eagles

Saturday: vs. Portland State, 7:05 p.m.

Outlook: Despite the difference in records, EWU’s strength of schedule is ranked 69th while PSU’s is 325th. The Vikings were picked second behind Eastern in preseason polls. They were last in the conference a year ago but return four starters. That includes the league’s top returning scorer, Blake Walker (16.1 ppg), and rebounder, all-conference Seamus Boxley (9.4 rpg). PSU won five games in coach Heath Schroyer’s first year and 11 last year, when it played the Eagles tough, losing by eight in Portland and five in Cheney. The Vikings’ seven-game winning streak is the longest since the school brought back basketball eight years ago. PSU’s last lost was 78-54 at Ohio State on Dec. 1. EWU beat Northern Arizona and Sac State by single digits; PSU’s wins over the same teams were by 13 and 10.

Idaho Vandals

Tonight: at CS Northridge, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday: at Pacific, 7:05 p.m.

Outlook: Idaho coach Leonard Perry picked CS Northridge (6-7, 4-1) to win the Big West on his preseason ballot. After a rocky start, the Matadors have won four straight and five of their last six. Wing Ian Boylan is a player of the year candidate and one of five returning starters (although Joseph Frazier has been suspended indefinitely). The Matadors use a full-court press and are plus-69 in turnover margin. The only conference team hotter than CSN? Pacific (10-2, 5-0), which has won six straight. The Tigers’ losses are at No. 2 Kansas (81-70) and against San Francisco. Christian Maraker, a 6-9 Swede, is averaging 14.8 points and 6.4 rebounds, shooting 42 percent on 3-pointers.