A Grip on Sports: The Zags continue to live on the edge as we edge into a wild weekend

A GRIP ON SPORTS • If you want to describe it as living on the razor’s edge, we won’t argue with you. Much. But this edition of the Gonzaga Bulldogs has begun the West Coast Conference season balanced on a much-thinner edge. Paper-thin and capable of cutting even more painfully.

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• And yet the Zags have yet to bleed. Even a little. Last night, for the third time in as many WCC road games, it was the host who suffered the trauma. As in a last-minute loss.

Rasir Bolton. Nolan Hickman. Julian Strawther. Each have taken their turn throwing the scalpel, ending the hopes of San Francisco, Santa Clara and, Thursday night, Brigham Young.

Strawther’s 3-pointer from 23 feet – with Drew Timme supplying a shield – with 9 second remaining was the difference in the Bulldogs’ 75-74 come-from-behind victory at the Marriott Center.

We’re not sure Gonzaga could have sliced it any closer. The Zags wasted multiple first-half opportunities to build a large lead, falling victim to lackadaisical defense and questionable decision making. Then BYU got hot in the second half, nearly burying the visitors from 3-point range, hitting 13 of its 25 long-range attempts overall.

The Zags fell behind by 10 with 5 minutes left. Is it possible, following comebacks from 12 at USF and 14 at Santa Clara, that’s what it takes for them to get going?

“This crew knows how to win and they’ve been in this program, so they don’t ever think they’re out,” Mark Few told reporters afterward. “We were really good at our end-game stuff there. We trapped when we needed to trap, we fouled when we needed to foul, we took the shots we needed to take and that’s what you’re most proud of as a coach.”

And, thanks to Anton Watson’s defense on BYU’s final possession (he knocked the ball away from Spencer Johnson and got a finger on the last wild attempt), earned another road win.

• That ends the Bulldogs’ road trip. But not the challenges. One comes Saturday night in McCarthey, courtesy of Portland. The 7 p.m. game (ESPN2) is just the capper on a long stretch of shouldn’t-miss events tomorrow.

t starts, of course, with the Seahawks’ playoff game in San Francisco (1:30 p.m., Fox 28). Can the Hawks reverse the trend from the regular season – the 49ers won both matchups with relative ease – and move on to a matchup with top seed Philadelphia?

But that’s just the start. At 3:30 (SWX), Eastern Washington hosts rival Idaho in a crucial Big Sky Conference game. The Eagles are leading the conference standings. The Vandals are not, but they aren’t the easy-out they’ve been the past few years.

If that game isn’t close – or even if it is if you are a Cougar fan – then Washington State hosts winless-in-Pac-12-play Stanford starting at 5 (Pac-12 Network). The Cougars are rolling. The Cardinal are stuck in the mud.

After that one finishes, it’s over to the Deuce for the GU game. A near-perfect schedule on, what’s hope, should be a near-perfect Saturday.

• There is more, of course, even on Saturday. The morning begins with Kentucky, trying to turn its season around, traveling to fifth-ranked Tennessee (9 a.m., ESPN). What better place for the Wildcats to re-assert their authority after a slow SEC start?

And the Kraken tries to extend its long winning streak, finishing up a long road trip in Chicago. That game is on Root starting at 5 p.m.

Sunday is, as it should be, more about the NFL playoffs. There are three games, with the first starting at 10 a.m. (Miami at Buffalo) on CBS and finishing with Baltimore at Cincinnati (5:15 p.m., NBC) in a rematch of last week’s game.

Through it all, there is golf from Hawaii, tennis from Australia – the year’s first major begins Sunday – and soccer from around the world.

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WSU: We wonder if Jeff Schmedding ever hoped to be a Cougar back when he was at University High? Most Spokane-area football players aspire for such, though, like a lot of them, Schmedding ended up making his mark at Eastern Washington. But after about two decades of college coaching, Schmedding is now, officially, a Cougar. The school announced his appointment as defensive coordinator Thursday. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college basketball, Jon Wilner looks at the West’s best in the Mercury News. … Washington snapped its five-game losing streak with a home win over woeful Stanford. … Oregon State rallied late behind its young players but still couldn’t handle Arizona in Corvallis. The Wildcats won 86-74. … Oregon didn’t rally at all and allowed Arizona State to run them out of the gym 90-73 in Eugene. … Utah went into Pauley hoping to pull an upset but UCLA dominated on the defensive end for a 68-49 victory. … USC welcomed back a big guy and made Colorado unwelcome in a win at Galen Center. … In football news, Rome Odunze is also forgoing a shot at the NFL draft and returning to Washington. The Huskies could be loaded next season. … Oregon State picked up a tight end but may lose its most experienced linebacker to the portal. … Arizona State needs help at quarterback.

Gonzaga: Pity the poor 5,000-strong BYU student section. The members were poised to rush the court, celebrating one last Marriott Center win over the Zags in WCC play. But, alas, it was not to be. They had to head up the stairs and out of the arena, stunned. Theo Lawson has all the whys and wherefores behind the game outcome. … Jim Meehan has the difference makers as well as speaking with Jalen Suggs, who was one of a handful of NBA players in attendance. … Tyler Tjomsland is NBA-equivalent with his camera and he has the photo report. … The folks in the office put together a recap with highlights. … Tacoma’s Zoom Diallo, one of the fastest-rising recruits in the nation, has Gonzaga in his final six. As Theo tells us, he visits GU this weekend. … The 20th-ranked women will be in Portland on Saturday, playing the Pilots with first place on the line. Jim Allen has a preview. … Elsewhere in the WCC, Portland held off USF 92-87 at home. … San Diego did the same with Pepperdine, 92-89. … Saint Mary’s handled Loyola Marymount easily in Moraga, winning 76-62.

EWU: From Kansas City to Cheney, the Kansas City of the Inland Northwest. Dan Thompson has this story on a pair of Midwest friends who have helped Eastern reach the top of the conference standings.

Idaho: That is also the theme of Peter Harriman’s story from Moscow. Two friends reuniting to help the Vandals succeed. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Weber State went into Missoula, hit a last-second 3-pointer and won 59-57. … Montana State rolled over Idaho State 81-68 in Bozeman. … Northern Colorado fell 72-64 at Sacramento State. … Portland State edged Northern Arizona 75-74 in Portland.

Preps: Dave Nichols has a roundup of Thursday’s action, focusing for the most part on wrestling.

Seahawks: The Hawks and San Francisco have played often over the years. It has become a great rivalry. … There is a lot to watch. … Geno Smith has been a rock for Seattle. … Tyler Lockett is a stand-up guy. … The favored 49ers have some issues, but probably not enough to cost them.

Kraken: Seven consecutive wins is impressive. But No. 7 was the most impressive of them – a 3-0 shutout of NHL-leading Boston on the road. … It was homecoming for a couple Seattle players.

Mariners: Jerry Dipoto called AJ Pollock a perfect fit for the M’s. Sound similar to what he said about Jesse Winker. … Besides the signing, the M’s also announced their giveaway schedule. Many fans are more interested in the latter.

Sounders: Nouhou had a fun World Cup experience with Cameroon, including a group play win over Brazil. … Seattle still doesn’t know who it will play in the Club World Cup.

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• The weekend will be relatively warm in Spokane. But there might be a lot of rain. Which is fine. Snow in the mountains, rain in the city. Sounds like a win/win in these parts in January. Until later …