Blog matters

Gonzaga

Jim Meehan

Kyle Wiltjer, a former McDonald’s All-American who played two years at Kentucky, has decided to transfer to Gonzaga, sources told The Spokesman-Review.

Wiltjer will be an important addition at Gonzaga, adding to a thin frontcourt that will lose senior Sam Dower after the 2013-14 season. Wiltjer will sit out next season under NCAA transfer rules and then have two seasons of eligibility. 

Brian Michaelson, promoted to assistant coach after Ray Giacoletti’s departure to Drake, was the point man in recruiting Wiltjer. Both are products of Jesuit High in Portland.

Wiltjer averaged 7.3 points and 2.8 rebounds while earning SEC Sixth Man of the Year honors last season, but hasn’t been able to earn consistent minutes in a Kentucky program loaded with highly rated recruits.

• Gonzaga will open the Maui Invitational against Dayton.

Brackets for the November tournament were released Wednesday. The Zags and Flyers collide at 9 p.m. Pacific on Nov. 25 on ESPN2. Baylor faces Chaminade in the other half of the bracket. In other first-round games, Cal meets Arkansas and Syracuse faces Minnesota.

In opening games prior to those eight teams traveling to Maui, Gonzaga will entertain Oakland University (Rochester, Minn.) on Nov. 17 at McCarthey Athletic Center.

GU beat Cincinnati in overtime in the 2009 Maui title game.

WSU

Christian Caple

Those making the trip to Auburn, Ala., for Washington State’s football opener can finalize their tailgating plans.

WSU and Auburn will kick off at 4 p.m. PDT, and the game will air on ESPNU.

So, that’s back-to-back games that will end in the dark to start the season. WSU travels to USC in Week 2 for a 7:30 p.m. game. The only other known game times are 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 against Arizona State, and 12:30 p.m. at Washington on Nov. 29.

Also, WSU’s basketball team learned that its Thanksgiving Day opponent will be Butler in the first round of the Old Spice Classic in Orlando.