The first real sign of spring is GU headed to the NCAAs

BULLDOGS UPDATED: 10:35 A.M.; 2 P.M.

Another March, another march to the NCAA tournament. There are elementary school kids who think the Zags have always gone to the Big Dance and for those kids, it’s reality.

Just think what happens in their homes the year the Zags don’t make it. There will be crying, and whining and rending of garments I’m guessing.

But, thanks to Derek Raivio and a bunch of work-their-butts-off type of guys, that year is not this year.

Raivio and crew assured GU an NCAA berth with last night’s 77-68 victory over Santa Clara in the West Coast Conference tournament final.

Besides Steve Bergum’s game story, there is more on his blog , and John Blanchette has a column on how this is a group of Zags worth admiring.

My favorite part last night? When Gonzaga was struggling to stop the Broncos, who were once again shooting the lights out, they extended the defense and forced Santa Clara to put the ball on the floor. When the Broncos did, the Bulldogs took three charges.

Those turnovers changed the flow of the game. They gave GU three more possessions and made SC tentative on offense. All of a sudden the shots weren’t falling as easy. All because three guys were willing to put their body on the line for their team. That’s a big part of why I love basketball.

• The Seattle Times’ Bud Withers was in Portland and filed this column . It shows how much guts Raivio played with. You’ll get what I mean when you read it.

• Dave Boling of the News Tribune also had a column centered around Raivio.

• And finally this game story from the Oregonian.

UPDATE: • The P-I’s Greg Johns had this game story from Portland.

UPDATE NO. 2: • The Vancouver Columbian’s stories are available now, with Greg Jayne’s column about Raivio’s legacy and Nick Daschel’s game story .