These losses could really hurt

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Sometimes a loss is just a loss. Sometimes it is something more. There were a couple of costly ones yesterday suffered by the area’s college basketball teams. Read on.

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• Gonzaga had more on the line last night in their final regular season game than maybe we all realized before. Afterward, it was easy to see. A No. 1 seed in the NCAAs? Gone. An 18-0 WCC mark, never done before? Gone. A 41-game home winning streak, a happy goodbye to the seniors, a feeling of invincibility? All gone. Yes, the Zags are the West Coast Conference’s regular season champion. Yes, they will go into Las Vegas as the top seed. Yes, they are going to the NCAA tournament. But, no, there is no guarantee they will be seeded out West, with Los Angeles as the regional destination. And that’s sad. If a season’s worth of near-perfect work is negated by one three-point loss at home, then that’s sad. But it also the way of the NCAA tournament world.

• Another loss, about 25 miles away, may turn out to be even more costly. And it came by a point, 77-76. Eastern Washington had a trio of opportunities to earn a win yesterday afternoon in a packed Reese Court but couldn’t get it done down the stretch. And Montana may have just punched its ticket to the NCAA tournament. See, the Big Sky lets the regular season champion host the postseason tournament. And winning in Missoula with an NCAA berth on the line is sort of like dealing with a Sicilian in “The Princess Bride.” All the Griz have to do to earn the home court is win in Bozeman next week – no easy feat despite the Bobcats’ poor record – and hope Sacramento State loses on the road twice (fixed from earlier). If not, then the Big Sky will head to the Rec Center at Sac State and laughingstock status among the nation’s basketball literati. But the tournament is more-than-likely not coming to Cheney. Which is too bad. A healthy Eastern team all season would have sliced through the Big Sky like a well-sharpened Wusthof knife. Injuries happen, though, and they probably cost EWU one or two losses. And made yesterday’s full-strength defeat even more costly.

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• WSU: The Cougars are back in Los Angeles for today’s game at Pauley Pavilion. Jacob Thorpe is there as well, as he sent me a text yesterday that included a picture of the best cheeseburgers in the world. He also sent back an advance of today’s game, an interesting blog post on a recent Mike Leach radio interview and a morning post with links.

• Gonzaga: Anyone want to guess what last night’s 73-70 loss meant to the Zags? John Blanchette has a column that sums up all the fallout perfectly, while Jim Meehan sticks to the nuts-and-bolts with his game story and blog post . … Colin Mulvany has a photo report from the game. … Bud Withers was in McCarthey and has this column . … The win has them all giddy in Utah. … Around the WCC , Santa Clara defeated “rival” St. Mary’s before a bunch of empty seats, 71-70. … USD went to Portland and earned a win. … The Gonzaga women snapped their two game losing streak with a win at BYU.

• EWU: According to Jim Allen last night on Twitter, the Eagles will need a lot of help to host the postseason tourney. But of more pressing importance is their inability to knock down open shots, something that bit them a little against Montana yesterday. Jim has the game story while Tyler Tjomsland chips in with a photo report . … Around the Big Sky , Sacramento State handled Portland State to move back into first place. … Weber State barely got past Idaho State at home. … Northern Colorado earned a spot in the tournament with an upset win over Northern Arizona and North Dakota lost to Southern Utah at home. … Montana made it two-for-two as the women defeated Eastern in Missoula.

• Idaho: The Vandals inched closer to a playoff spot as well with an 80-73 home win over Montana State. Sean Kramer has the game story .

• Whitworth: The Pirates are headed to the NCAA Division III tournament for the ninth consecutive year after a 69-58 win over Lewis & Clark at the Fieldhouse. Tom Clouse has the game story .

• Chiefs: Spokane took out some frustration on Tri-City this weekend, culminating in an 8-1 win last night at the Arena. Chris Derrick has a game story and a blog post . … Portland handled Seattle and Prince George defeated Everett last night.

• Preps: More tickets were punched to state tournaments yesterday, though not as many as usual. Greg Lee has the given, with Gonzaga Prep routing Curtis, 73-30 and moving on to Tacoma in the 4A girls ranks. … Clarkston is headed to the 2A boys tournament and Liberty to the 2B boys. … The only 1A team headed to state is Lakeside in the girls ranks. Jim Allen has the story . Losses ended Riverside and Colville’s seasons. … There will also not be any 3A boys or girls in Tacoma. Greg Lee has the story on Rogers’ (pictured) and Shadle Park’s losses. … East Valley earned its way into the 2A girls’ tournament. … Post Falls won its first Idaho 5A wrestling title.

• Seahawks: You like reading stories about the seedy underbelly of professional sports? Then read this.

• Mariners: The biggest question the M’s need to answer in the spring is who will be playing shortstop when the season begins. … But the shortstops aren’t the only ones battling for a spot. … There are also questions in the bullpen , though much of the starting rotation is already decided. … Dustin Ackley’s trip to Peoria will be one he will always remember. … Yes, it does rain in Arizona.

• Sounders: The preseason is over. The Sounders finished with a draw, leaving the record in exhibitions somewhat blah. And even worse than that against MLS teams . Now the regular season looms.

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• Came this close to another huge loss myself. A lack of internet service in the home meant I had to go to my backup source – a cell phone – to get this post up. Not good. But, despite the slow-nature of the connection, we were able to get it finished. Until later …