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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

at a glance Week ahead

The Spokesman-Review

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Today: at San Francisco, 7 p.m., KAYU-TV.

Saturday: at San Diego, 4 p.m., KHQ-TV

Outlook: League-leading Gonzaga (13-3 overall, 3-1 in the West Coast Conference) opens another difficult road trip tonight against a San Francisco team (10-6, 1-2) that is 8-0 at War Memorial Gymnasium. The Dons, under first-year coach Jessie Evans, are coming off an 87-82 overtime win over San Diego, but expect limited contributions once again from Andre Hazel and Johnny Dukes, who are still slowed by ankle injuries.

San Diego (9-7, 1-2), which played its first three WCC games on the road, has won six of its last eight and will look to even its conference record at home against Portland tonight before taking on the Zags. The Toreros boast a solid front line anchored by senior center Brice Vounang, who is averaging a team-high 16.7 points a game.

WSU Cougars

Sunday: at Washington, 1 p.m. Fox Sports Net

Outlook: WSU kicks off the toughest stretch of its season with perhaps the toughest game of the season, against a Huskies team that has climbed into the top 10 this week for the first time since March 1976. Washington has been led by guards Tre Simmons and Nate Robinson, both of whom score more than 16 points a game. Head coach Lorenzo Romar has the Huskies playing an up-tempo style that has resulted in an average of 89.4 points a game, second best in the nation. That should make for an interesting clash of styles, as the Cougars allow the second-fewest points in the nation at 53.9. Last season, the Cougars played what Dick Bennett has called their best game of the year at Washington, although it resulted in a 71-67 loss. With Washington off to 15-2 start (5-1 Pac-10), it will take a similar effort to pull off an upset.

EWU Eagles

Thursday: 6:05 p.m., at Idaho State

Saturday: 6:05 p.m., at Weber State

Outlook: The Eagles hit the road for the first time in conference play. In the previous three seasons they have been 20-9 on the road when they were a league-best 42-17. However, they have lost their last two in Pocatello and last four in Ogden, Utah, including the tourney championship game in 2003. ISU has averaged 53.8 points in January. Jeff Gardner leads the Bengals in scoring at 12.7 a game and is second in the conference in assists at 4.6. Weber, which has lost seven of its last eight games, is led by Lance Allred, a 6-11 post who is second in the Big Sky in scoring (17.5) and first in rebounding (11.9). Marc Axton leads the Eagles in scoring (16.5), which is third in the conference.

Idaho Vandals

Tonight: vs. UC Riverside, 7 p.m., Cowan Spectrum

Saturday: vs. CS Fullerton, 7 p.m., Cowan Spectrum

Outlook: Coming off narrow road losses to perhaps the best two teams in the Big West, Idaho (5-11, 3-2) returns home to take on surprising UC Riverside (6-8, 2-3) and Cal State Fullerton (8-5, 3-2). Riverside lost All-Big West center Vili Morton to a season-ending knee injury, but responded with home wins over UC Irvine and Long Beach State. Forward Klaus Schille provided a career-high 17 points in the win over Long Beach State. Freshman Larry Cunningham dropped 29 on UC Irvine, but missed part of Saturday’s game with back spasms. Fullerton is a high-scoring outfit, paced by Bobby Brown’s conference-leading 18.8 points per game. The Titans lost Hardy Asprilla, second in the Big West in rebounding at 8.8, to a torn ACL. CSF has won five of its last seven