Grip on Sports: From Gonzaga to preps, there are enough basketball games on TV today to satisfy any fan
A GRIP ON SPORTS • As the days grow longer, the college basketball season grows shorter. But all it means is there is more intensity packed into each day. Today is great example. From Las Vegas to Spokane, from Yakima to Los Angeles, basketball takes over on this Saturday. Read on.
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• Do you know there are 48 college and high school basketball games being televised today by Spokane’s cable provider? That’s like three an hour or something. I kid, of course, because even my math isn’t that bad, but four dozen games seem like a lot.
You going to watch them all?
Is anyone going to watch them all?
Not me. I have a list of games I want to see, but 48 of them. Nope, no chance.
What’s on my list, you ask?
Well, there are the Gonzaga men playing Pacific at 7 on ESPN2. That’s first and not just because I’m being paid to watch it. Mainly, as a fan, I would want to see how the Zags bounce back from their first loss of the season. My guess is pretty well, thank you, but, in the Tigers, they are facing the WCC team that gave them the most trouble, outside of BYU and Saint Mary’s.
Down in Stockton, Gonzaga trailed in the second half, a rare occurrence in conference games this season. And the Bulldogs got off to a relatively slow start against Pacific in Spokane as well.
But that’s not the only game I expect to watch.
There are a handful of high school games that interest me, including the 2B title game, though it is after my bedtime, and the 3A boys championship, featuring next year’s UW star, Michael Porter, Jr.
And there has to be a college game or two that is worth spending some time with. There always is.
• Speaking of television on the weekend, there are two events that should help us all forget what our backyard looks like.
There is the PGA Tour event from Mexico both days this weekend, which features green fairways and millionaires sweating in the heat.
And then, on Sunday, Root will televise the M’s game with Oakland. Yes, it is an exhibition game. It means nothing. But it is baseball from someplace warm. It holds out the hope that soon it will be warm here.
And by “soon,” I mean sometime between now and July.
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Gonzaga: The GU women already started in Las Vegas, blowing out Pacific 91-59 yesterday in the WCC quarterfinals. Everyone playing at the Orleans knows they are competing for one NCAA berth, including the Zags. John Blanchette has a column, Whitney Ogden has the game story, Jim Meehan a sidebar on Jill Barta and Dan Pelle and Colin Mulvany team up on a photo report. … Jim also has an advance of tonight’s men’s game as well as a quick look at the two games with Pacific this season. … Portland picked up a rare win, ending San Diego’s season. … A not-that-deep BYU team hopes to build on the Gonzaga win. … Saint Mary’s figures winning the WCC tourney is the only sure way to ensure an NCAA berth. … USF and Santa Clara renew their rivalry today. The winner probably gets Gonzaga on Monday. … The BYU women had to rally to win.
WSU: The Cougar men are in Los Angeles and will face UCLA in Pauley Pavilion tonight at 7:15 on ESPN. Jacob Thorpe has an advance. … The women fell behind 21-0 to start and were routed by Stanford at the Pac-12 tournament. … Gabe Marks is in Indianapolis for the NFL combine and he had a few things to say. Jacob has a short story and the Times’ Bob Condotta goes into more depth. … UW’s John Ross has his sights on a combine speed record. … It’s Saturday, so we can pass along ESPN.com’s mailbag from Ted Miller. … The last day of the conference basketball season includes very little drama, though Washington is hoping to avoid a couple more dubious accomplishments. … Arizona has more than a rivalry game with Arizona State. … Oregon also has a rivalry game. … Steve Alford has one more home game with his son. … Utah and Colorado host Stanford and California. … In the women’s Pac-12 tournament, Oregon upset Washington (pictured) and Oregon State had no trouble with California.
EWU: Football coach Aaron Best has added two more to his staff, bringing back his former quarterback, Fred Salanoa (pictured), to be his offensive coordinator. Jim Allen has the story. … Eastern’s men will try to wrap up at least a share of the Big Sky title when they face Southern Utah tonight. … North Dakota hosts Portland State trying to hold on to at least part of the title.
Idaho: The Vandals finish up the regular season tonight at Northern Arizona.
Whitworth: The Pirates’ basketball season ended a little earlier than expected, with a first-round NCAA loss to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Walla Walla.
Empire: Spokane seemed to have won at Wichita Falls last night, converting a two-point attempt for the win at the end of the second overtime. But a penalty nullified the game-winning score and the next try failed. The Empire lost 57-56 to drop to 1-1 on the IFL season.
Preps: We’ll start on the other side of the state, where Gonzaga Prep fell in the 4A semifinals for the second consecutive season, losing 56-53 to Kentwood. Greg Lee has that story as well as the coverage of Central Valley’s girls bouncing back for a 46-23 win over Kentlake. … At the Arena, we pass along a story and Tyler Tjomsland’s photos from the 1B girls semifinals, the same two items from the 1B boys, the story and photos from the 2B boys and the 2B girls. … Post Falls dropped a close semifinal 5A game in the Idaho state boys championships.
Mariners: The M’s dropped only their second game of the spring but it came at the hands of division foe Texas. Hisashi Iwakuma made his first spring start and worked on things. … The M’s will be pretty thin in the middle infield when players leave for the WBC tournament this week.
Seahawks: The combine is important but it isn’t the final answer.
Sounders: Seattle begins defense of its MLS title tonight when the Sounders play at Houston. … Portland began its season with an easy home win. … Real Salt Lake hopes to have a better year. … There’s a new look in Los Angeles.
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• It’s still really early but the basketball games are already on the TV. It could be a very long day. Enjoyable, but long. Until later …