A Grip on Sports: The Arena hosts another basketball battle, the U.S. battles in World Cup and are the M’s battling to become better?

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It’s Taco Tuesday. Let’s see how much we can stuff into the tortilla, shall we?

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• One school plays its home games in a spacious arena that seats more than 10,000 if need be. The other doesn’t. So, it should come as no surprise one team shot exceptionally well in the Spokane Memorial Arena last night and the other didn’t.

This is where we are usually able to add “just not the teams you would expect.” It’s such twists that makes sportswriting fun.

But today we have to admit, last night’s Washington State’s 82-56 win over Eastern Washington before 5,224 at the Arena played out just like you might have thought.

Except the Cougars shot even better than expected. Did anyone have 15-of-30 from beyond the arc on their bingo card? Hitting 50 percent of your 3-point shots is a recipe for success and a damning indictment of the Eagles’ defense. So is WSU’s meager turnover total, six, which is exactly half of their best game this season.

The result was good news for the Cougars, who evened their record after four games. The Pac-12 schedule starts early in December and Washington State needs to get some things shored up before traveling to Oregon Dec. 1. With injuries and illness sapping the depth, WSU is still in a figure-it-out mode. Last night’s win was a step in the right direction.

The Eagles are going the other way. Fast. But because the Big Sky is a bit more traditional and Eastern’s first conference game doesn’t hit until Dec. 29 (when Montana visits Cheney), there is still some time to build on the 1-4 start. But David Riley’s team has a lot more to pull together.

• Ever marvel how many of baseball’s terms don’t jive with the rest of sports? There are runs, saves, putouts, a whole vocabulary of terms we never think twice about using. Same with hockey, where goals are scored, or basketball, with baskets, and football, with touchdowns and tackles.

All pretty easy to remember as they roll off our tongue.

Then there is soccer, a sport we call by the wrong name because, you know, America has its own type of football, which actually should be called runball or passball.

Those in the world’s game of football call where they play a pitch. And Americans laugh. It’s a field in these here parts. But why? Why not respect “pitch” just like we respect baseball’s point system being called “runs?”

A draw is a tie in the U.S. even though ties in American sports are anathema. If we hate them so much, just let the rest of the world call them whatever they want and go along.

“Nil” is another term we seem to despise, though we have no trouble saying “love” while batting around a tennis ball and they mean the same thing.

There seems to be some sort of deep hatred for soccer’s traditions, as relayed through its language. We don’t get it. When in Rome and all that. Wait. The Italians didn’t qualify for the World Cup this time around. Their chances of winning the trophy is nil.

Hey, that works.

• It’s cold outside. We need a good hot stove to keep us warm. Will the Mariners step up to the plate and deliver?

Like every offseason, there is the possibility, especially those offseasons in which the M’s have some money to spend. Or some talent to trade. The latter has been Jerry Dipoto’s way recently but we have the feeling a sought-after free agent may be the next move.

Could it be Cody Bellinger? We hope so. We are of the mind Bellinger’s career will revert to its start with the new shift rules. He’s most comfortable trying to pull and lift the ball, something that might just see more of a reward with more space in right field next season.

Besides, he’s an exceptional centerfielder, which would allow Julio Rodriguez the chance to move to rightfield, where he can settle in for the next decade and a half. It’s a position with less wear and tear on the body, maximizing opportunity for the most important player in the M’s lineup.

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WSU: We don’t want to ignore Saturday’s Apple Cup, not with what’s at stake. Colton Clark has his first look at the rivalry game. … We have Dan Thompson’s game story in the EWU section but we put Justin Reed’s piece on Jabe Mullin’s hot 3-point shooting here. … Pat Chun was inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame last Saturday. His reaction leads off the S-R’s latest local briefs. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college football, bowl projections are hard, what with USC still in the CFP discussion. Jon Wilner takes a shot at it anyway in the Mercury News. He also looks at the odds for the weekend’s games and has his power rankings – with a mistake in the headline. … The Pac-12 title game is a longshot for Washington and that might be a good thing. … Oregon has a Utah win to savor but not really. The rivalry game with Oregon State looms and the Beavers are ready. … Utah will try to make Mike Sanford’s final game as interim coach another defeat for Colorado. … UCLA and Cal meet Friday night. Just where could the Bruins end up for the holidays? … Arizona’s passing offense will test Arizona State’s secondary. And vice-versa. … In basketball news, Colorado has to work out its issues. … Utah defeated Georgia Tech in Florida. … Arizona defeated Cincinnati in Hawaii despite its defense taking the night off. Up next is San Diego State.

Gonzaga: The women received another game-winning shot from Yvonne Ejim and topped No. 23 Tennessee 73-72 in the Bahamas. Jim Allen has the game story. … Ejim was also the WCC’s player of the week again, something Jim also covers. … Before moving ahead, Theo Lawson takes another look at GU’s win against Kentucky. His main focus? The battle in the middle. … The Zags fell out of the A.P. poll’s top five, finishing at No. 6. It’s been 51 polls since they were this low. Theo has more. … Elsewhere in the WCC, BYU has one foot through the Big 12’s front door.

EWU: The Eagles were wearing the white last night in the Arena, as Tyler Tjomsland’s photo gallery illustrates, but it was a pro-Cougar crowd. Still, Dan Thompson has the game story. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, just how are the FCS playoff participants selected? … Montana earned a spot despite a poor record and playing poorly at the end of the season. … Idaho State is going to have to find a new quarterback. … Northern Colorado is, surprisingly, looking for a new coach. … In basketball news, Weber State fell to UC Riverside in Las Vegas.

Idaho: From also-rans to FCS playoff participants. The Vandals have come a long way in one year. Peter Harriman has this story.

Seahawks: Though San Francisco is atop the NFC West due to the tiebreaker, the Hawks still control their destiny. … It seems a good time to check out how the rookies are doing. Thanks Russ.

Kraken: Coaching is a big part of Seattle’s unexpected success.

World Cup: It’s a penalty that U.S. soccer fans may rue for four years. Walker Zimmerman fouled Gareth Bale in the 82nd minute, the Wales star rocketed in the tying goal and the U.S., needing a win, earned a 1-1 draw. It may be the difference in advancing out of the group stage. … Seattle is a soccer town.

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• Our Taco Tuesday will feature carne asada tacos. Maybe. We’re not cooking tonight. They may be filled with carnitas. We’ll let you know tomorrow. Either way, we’ll be happy. Until later …