Grip on Sports: Gonzaga does what it needed to do in season opener – win big
A GRIP ON SPORTS • There will be bigger challenges ahead but the bottom line for Gonzaga last night in their season-opening blowout against Idaho State is it was just that: a blowout. Read on.
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• The late outfielder and Mariner fan favorite Dave Henderson wasn’t a philosopher at the level of Henry David Thoreau or George Santayana or even Yogi Berra. But he did say something I heard years ago and it’s stuck with me.
“They say you shouldn’t kick a man when he’s down,” Henderson once opined at a Mariners’ fantasy camp. “Why not? He’s closer to your feet.”
His point was simple. If you are winning, keep pouring it on.
That’s what the Zags did last night against the overmatched Bengals. After trailing 21-20 at one point, the good aspects of the Gonzaga offense took over. The Bulldogs ran, from quick newcomer Geno Crandall to their largest player, freshman Filip Petrusev. They shot it from the outside (Corey Kispert hit 4 of 8 3-pointers), inside (Rui Hachimura had at least a half-dozen dunks as part of his 33 points) and from the line (Zach Norvell Jr. was 10 of 10 from there). And they continued to score throughout the game, putting up 120 points, the most ever for a GU team in McCarthey.
The defense? It was solid – at times. But there were enough lapses in transition, on the glass and in communication that Mark Few has some video to hold over their heads heading into Saturday’s game with Texas Southern.
In every way Tuesday’s game was a blowout.
Meanwhile, one of the Zags’ top players, Killian Tillie, watched from the bench, the lower part of his right leg still in a protective boot following surgery.
And, no, he didn’t get the injury kicking a man why he was down.
• The other two local college basketball teams that opened their seasons last night didn’t fare as well.
Eastern Washington traveled across the nation with about a third of its squad sitting out due to injury and, predictably, was blown out by 16th-ranked Syracuse. Even at full strength, the Eagles would have been hard-pressed to stay with Syracuse but injuries helped seal their fate.
Idaho got out of the cold and into the warmth of California’s Orange County, but couldn’t handle UC Irvine’s heat – or something like that. My alma mater actually opened the season with a win, 86-68 over the visiting Vandals. Boy am I going to hold that over my Vandal friends for the next 32 years.
• We said last week Washington State, despite being the Pac-12’s best team, was going to be aced out of the College Football Playoffs, no matter what the Cougars did. Nothing that happened in the past seven days has changed that opinion. In fact, the newest CFP rankings, released last night, seemed to confirm it.
Look, WSU is playing great. The Cougars are the West Coast’s best hope. But even if they finish 12-1, it’s almost impossible for them to jump into the final four. It’s a rigged system. A self-fulfilling prophecy if you will.
The SEC teams are better than everyone else, don’t you know? So even if they lose to each other (as LSU did last Saturday at home to Alabama), and look awful while doing it (as LSU did last Saturday at home to Alabama), it doesn’t mean they are going to fall all that far.
The Tigers only dropped from third to seventh despite being shut out and despite having two losses. Heck, Kentucky only dropped two spots – from nine to 11 – despite losing by two touchdowns at home last weekend.
For a 12-1 WSU team to climb into the top four, Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame probably have to lose twice before the regular season ends.
There is no chance that happens to Alabama (Mississippi State, The Citadel and Auburn at home, Georgia in the SEC title game). Now Clemson (at Boston College, home against Duke and South Carolina before the ACC title game) and Notre Dame (home to Florida State, vs. Syracuse in New York and at USC) are in a bit more danger, but two losses might be a lot to ask.
The other opportunities for the Cougars?
– Michigan has to lose and not to Ohio State. If the Buckeyes win the Nov. 24 showdown in Ann Arbor, and don’t lose somewhere else, they are jumping WSU in the CFP standings. And neither should be challenged all that much in the Big Ten title game.
– Georgia has to lose before the SEC title game, to either Auburn, UMass, or Georgia Tech, with all of those games in Georgia. If the Bulldogs drop the SEC title game to Alabama and finish 11-2, they will in all likelihood stay ahead of a 12-1 WSU team.
– Oklahoma and West Virginia meet over Thanksgiving in Morgantown. Whoever wins that game, unless the Sooners stumble against Oklahoma State or Kansas – hah – or the Mountaineers lose to TCU or Oklahoma State – either of which is possible – the winner will be ahead of WSU headed into the Big 12 title tilt.
Why? Because the Cougars last three opponents, at Colorado and home vs. Arizona and Washington, just don’t move the national needle enough. It’s not a knock on Washington State, it’s a knock on the Pac-12’s national reputation.
Heck, if LSU wins out – at Arkansas, Rice and at Texas A&M – the Tigers will more than likely stay ahead of WSU just because of the Pac-12’s lack of standing.
Basically, for WSU to make the playoffs, the Cougars have to win out, and hope a bunch of other losses, or the right losses, all occur. It’s a tough ask. And will all be moot if Washington State loses again.
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WSU: A lot happened in the football world yesterday (see above) and Theo Lawson had it covered. A lot happened in Pullman as well, and Theo has that covered. He has a story on a freshman receiver deciding to transfer, another on Peyton Pelluer nominated for an award and the usual Pac-12 power rankings. … Theo also has video of post-practice interviews with Mike Leach, Dillon Sherman, Calvin Jackson Jr. and Darrien Molton. … The women’s basketball team lost their opener under new coach Kamie Ethridge. … Colorado hopes to have a big piece of its defense back Saturday.
Elsewhere in the Pac-12, there are more power rankings if you are interested. … Oregon’s ground game will face a tough challenge in Utah’s hard-hitting defense. And the Utes’ young quarterback will have one from the Ducks as well. … If Oregon State started faster, it wouldn’t have to stage inspiring comebacks. … USC will have to shuffle its wide receivers. … Arizona State’s wide receivers are weapons. … Not so much with California. … Stanford’s best is injured. … In basketball news, the tightest game last night occurred in Tempe where Arizona State got past Cal State Fullerton in double overtime. … USC took off in the second half to smother Robert Morris. … Washington followed the same scenario and won. A young Husky will redshirt. … UCLA won its opener with ease. … Oregon had little trouble with overmatched Portland State. … Oregon State struggled at times but got past UC Riverside. … Stanford rolled past Seattle University. … Arizona starts its season tonight.
Gonzaga: So what do you want to know about last night’s 120-79 rout of Idaho State? You want to know how it happened? Jim Meehan has you covered in a couple of ways. You want context? John Blanchette supplies that. You want some thoughts on the TV coverage? That was our job. You want visuals? Tyler Tjomsland has a whole bunch of photos. You yearn for a recap and highlights? The guys in the office took care of that. Wonder how Sam Dowd did? Justin Reed has that story. … Next up for Gonzaga is Texas Southern on Saturday night. The Tigers won at Baylor 72-69 last night. … Around the WCC, BYU had a shot at No. 7 Nevada, but the Cougars fell short. Dave Rose was given an extension yesterday. … Portland won its opener. So did USD. … Pacific went on the road and won. … Lorenzo Romar is back where his head coaching career began.
EWU: The Eagles scored just 10 first-half points and lost 66-34 at Syracuse. … Elsewhere in Big Sky news, Montana State’s coaching changes seem to be working. … A lot went right for Idaho State in its win over Portland State. … In basketball, the Bobcats lost to Utah State. … Weber State lost at USD. … The Idaho State defeat is covered in more depth above.
Idaho: The Vandals were led by Jared Rodriguez’s 18 points in the 86-68 loss at UC Irvine. … The last time Idaho met Montana in a Big Sky football game, the word shootout was an understatement. The teams meet Saturday in Moscow.
Preps: We have a soccer roundup to pass along this morning.
Seahawks: The Bruce Irvin dream is dead. He signed with Atlanta. The Hawks did make a roster move though. … Russell Wilson has to be great, not good, for the Hawks to win this season. … Chris Carson wants to build a legacy.
Mariners: Will the M’s blow it all up this offseason and start from scratch? Probably not, but there are rumors everywhere that big changes are coming. … The M’s have a new pitching coach.
Sounders: The season is on the line Thursday against Portland. And Chad Marshall won’t available.
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• There was pretty thick fog this morning around my house. I didn’t know it was February already. Until later …