Grip on Sports: It was a pretty productive Tuesday for Gonzaga’s basketball programs
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Being that everything needs to have a nickname these days, we have settled on Twofer Tuesday for yesterday. After all, Gonzaga won two West Coast Conference tournament titles and … well, there is no other reason. Read on.
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• We started our afternoon watching the Gonzaga women battle – there is no other word that works considering how physical the game was – past the University of San Diego and back into the NCAA tournament.
Jill Barta was the focal point, as the talented junior has been all season, but it was a team effort for the Zags, who began the nonconference season with a 2-3 record. They are 27-5 these days and Lisa Fortier’s group will be a tough out for anyone in the tournament’s first round.
The most recent bracketology from ESPN has the Bulldogs slotted 12th in the Lexington Regional (no, not Spokane; Pac-12 champion Oregon, headed by former Gonzaga coach Kelly Graves, seems destined for our fair city) and facing Missouri in the usually competitive 5/12 matchup.
• The evening was highlighted by Gonzaga’s evisceration of BYU, cutting out the Cougars’ soul with a 174-3 run, or something like that.
The “soul” comment came courtesy of senior guard Silas Melson and it seemed appropriate, seeing how dejected the Cougars looked after GU’s run (which was actually 36-4 and covered before and after halftime).
Brigham Young thought it had a shooter’s chance for an upset and an NCAA tournament appearance. Except its shooters couldn’t shake GU’s defenders. The Zags have played better on that side of the floor in the last month or so, and that’s helped them weather an occasional bout of unconnected offense. They were a bit scattered to start the WCC final last night, but BYU didn’t get away and when Gonzaga started sharing the ball, it was over.
The result is another high seed for the Bulldogs, another NCAA appearance and, in a season in which just about everyone expected a fall off, another chance to make noise in the tournament.
• The day begin surreally, at least for me. I wrote about it in my TV Take, part of our Gonzaga coverage. A phone call from the legend, Dick Vitale. A cordial conversation about his job and my opinions of same.
It was like talking to the television set during a college basketball game and having the set actually talk back. And no, I hadn’t visited one of our local establishments way too early.
If our conversation is any measure, what you get from Vitale while you are watching him call a Duke or North Carolina or a Gonzaga game is who he is. Engaged is a good word. So is passionate. Friendly. Booming. Jovial. He loves the game, he loves his job and he loves his fans.
And he wasn’t 100 percent enamored with what I wrote. Which is OK. I never am either. But, like Vitale, we try to stay true to who we are, what we see and how we express it. Love it or hate it, it’s not changing.
Maybe it’s an Italian thing.
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WSU: Now it’s the Cougars’ turn on the basketball stage. It starts tonight in Las Vegas – maybe Theo Lawson should just rent a condo – against Oregon in the last game of the Pac-12 tournament’s first day. Theo has a preview. … Yes, it is golf season. Not in the Palouse just yet, but in warmer climes. … The Cougars’ opponent tonight is Oregon, a Final Four participant last season that hopes to just make the dance this year. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, being in Las Vegas is good for the conference. So is tweaking the football schedule a bit. … Washington needs a couple wins to make the NCAA tournament. The Huskies start today against Oregon State, which has to win the tournament. … Arizona State hopes to rediscover the magic it had in Las Vegas in the nonconference. The first step is getting past Colorado. … California and Stanford meet again many miles from home. … The teams with byes, USC, UCLA, Utah and Arizona, will sit and watch, hoping for overtime after overtime. Then hoping to earn wins that cement an NCAA berth. … Spring football is underway, with USC and UCLA trying to answer multiple questions.
Gonzaga: Got a moment? How about 500 moments? That’s how much time it will take you to get through the S-R’s coverage. If you think anyone else covers college hoops this way, think again. I know. I read every West Coast newspaper every day. Anyway, we will start with John Blanchette’s column and then move on to Jim Meehan’s game analysis, his coverage of Killian Tillie’s MVP performance and his keys to the victory. … As we said, we had our TV Take. … Whitney Ogden was in Vegas and has a story on Josh Perkins’ many assists. … Theo adds a look from the BYU perspective. … Dan Pelle and Colin Mulvany cover the game in photos from the opening tip to the confetti cleanup. … The guys in the office did their usual stellar job on the highlights. … Before the game, Jim had a story on West Coast awards. … Whitney has the coverage from the women’s championship, joined by Theo, who covers USD and Jill Barta’s MVP turn. … Dan and Colin have more photographs. … San Diego knew it was in for a tough go against the Zags. … Around the WCC, there will be no charges filed against USD men’s coach Lamont Smith. … Saint Mary’s believes it has done enough to not sweat Sunday. … BYU knows it hasn’t and the NIT awaits again. The Cougars were no match for Gonzaga last night. … There are some decent reasons why the Zags are looking at the Mountain West.
EWU: The Eagle women begin their hunt for a Big Sky tournament title with a chip on their shoulders. Jim Allen explains why. … In men’s action at the Reno tournament yesterday, Montana State led by 19 with about 10 minutes left and lost to North Dakota. … Southern Utah shut down Idaho State. … Portland State let Sacramento State rally in the second half but won 71-67.
Idaho: The Vandal women also begin their tournament run today, against Montana State. Peter Harriman has a preview.
Chiefs: The five-game winning streak is over, done in by a third-period letdown at Victoria.
Preps: Dave Nichols attended his first 3A/4A state basketball tournament at the Tacoma Dome. He has some thoughts. They are not all positive.
Mariners: Everyone is lined up, three or four deep, waiting for Ichiro to arrive at spring training. … Can he pitch? The M’s need pitching, even with Felix Hernandez throwing again. And yesterday they needed a run or more.
Seahawks: The Hawks didn’t use the franchise tag, which means the free agent market will include at least a couple of their players, including Sheldon Richardson.
Sounders: Another Champions League challenge awaits. This one is even tougher.
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• I would like a calm, quiet Wednesday spent at Costco with my son. Or maybe a short walk. Or maybe some quality time with the dogs. To ensure that, I would need to turn off my phone. Is that even possible? Until later …