A Grip on Sports: Keeping up with changes is hard some times, as is keeping track of college hoops

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We have a bevy of thoughts for this Thursday. And none of them are about Bevo, Texas’ beloved mascot. Bevy, Bevo, get it? Ah, forget it. Let’s talk sports.

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• With all the news about flicked tees and such, golf made headlines this week. Except the PGA Tour threw us for a loop.

We love watching just a few tournaments a year. The Masters. Any major, actually, though sometimes the PGA is at odd courses. Pebble Beach. L.A. And, for sure, San Diego, now known as the Farmers Open. (As an aside, does anyone else here a few “dun, dun, dun” notes every time they read the word “Farmers?” Thanks commercials.)

We knew it was this weekend. We were ready to sit down and watch the first round today. It is Thursday, right? We wanted to see if Jon Rahm could win a third consecutive time.

Except the tournament began yesterday. On Wednesday. And it finishes Saturday. What the hay?

We consider ourselves decently informed concerning sporting events. More than average, especially concerning golf tournaments. But this one took us by surprise. We didn’t watch any of it. And we had time yesterday.

Too bad. Too bad for Rahm, too. He shot a 73, his first over-par round of the year and is nine shots back. It may not be his week. Even if it ends Saturday.

• Another thing we count on for Thursday this time of year? Watching key WCC and Pac-12 basketball games. Well, there is one conference with games worth watching tonight. And it isn’t the one Gonzaga plays in.

Part of that is the GU men are not playing. Don’t have a game until Saturday in Portland. But league-leader Saint Mary’s isn’t playing either. Nor any of the other contenders. No Santa Clara nor USF. No BYU. Not an exciting night when the two games are Portland at Loyola Marymount and San Diego at Pepperdine.

At least that leaves us some time for a couple of fun Pac-12 games.

UCLA is at USC in the battle of those two Big Ten powers. Tip is scheduled for 6 at the Galen Center, which means anyone with USC season tickets – we see you Kent – better leave home about 2:20 if they expect to be there on time.

Traffic won’t be a concern in Pullman, with Washington State hosting sixth-ranked Arizona. Though U.S. 195 might be a little crowded with the caravan of Spokane folks headed down to see former GU assistant Tommy Lloyd coach in the Palouse.

Lloyd probably has other things on his mind besides collecting tickets for friends. After all, his Wildcats looked anything like a national-title contender in their first meeting with WSU, especially on offense. They will have to up their game if they want to gain some revenge for the 74-61 defeat.

• Most college basketball conference seasons are about halfway done. Which means some patterns have emerged.

Surprising patterns in some cases. Like the Big Sky men.

It’s not surprising Eastern Washington is atop the standings. But what is a little is the margin. The Eagles are 8-0 and two games clear of any other contenders. That Montana State – last year’s champs – and Weber State are tied for second is not at all shocking. The stunner is Montana, usually in the race at this point, languishes in seventh place at 3-5.

Another surprise, if you’re weren’t paying attention in November and December, is Gonzaga not leading the WCC men. The Zags are a game behind Saint Mary’s, which has put together a highly productive season – though the nation just began to recognize that fact this week.

That the GU women lead the WCC by a game over Portland was about as expected an outcome as any in the area, though the Bulldogs’ bevy of injuries makes their undefeated conference mark a bit more of a surprise.

The Pac-12? Nothing shocking for either gender. Stanford is atop the women’s standings, UCLA the men’s. It may not be 1986 anymore, but little has changed.

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WSU: The rematch in Pullman has Colton Clark’s attention. He put together this preview of the game. It includes one odd fact. Arizona hasn’t lost in Beasley since we were covering the Cougars, February of 2010. In honor of that, we found our game story and John Blanchette’s column from that afternoon. … Though there wasn’t much sense of urgency, especially since Wisconsin just made a coaching change, Pat Chun proposed extending Jake Dickert’s contract a year – and Dickert said yes. Colton has that story as well. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college basketball, as we mentioned above, it’s pretty much the midway point for the conference schedule, so Jon Wilner hands out awards in the Mercury News. … There is also a power ranking for the women in the publication. … The answer to this headline is, obviously, no. Halfway through the season, Washington’s only chance to make the NCAA tourney is to win the Pac-12 Tournament. … The same is more than likely true for Oregon. And for Colorado. … Arizona State is different though. … Does Oregon State really have momentum? Even if true, surprising Utah is ready to steal it away. … The best game of the night is in Los Angeles, where both teams have big reinforcements on the court they didn’t have earlier. … It seems as if the Wildcats are focused headed into Pullman. … In football news, Oregon has officially added another assistant coach. … Colorado’s new offensive coordinator plans to play faster.

Gonzaga: The women have the stage all to themselves tonight as they return to the Kennel to host Loyola Marymount. GU has never lost to the Lions in coach Lisa Fortier’s tenure. Jim Allen has a preview. … Jim has more today, however, with this you-shouldn’t-miss story on the Truong twins and how this senior season has not played out as they hoped. … Ryan Woolridge is still out there, trying to make the NBA. He’s back in the G League now.

EWU: The first-place Eagles host Idaho State tonight at Rees Court. Dan Thompson has this preview as David Riley’s team approaches school-record territory for consecutive wins. … Eastern also announced its fall football schedule, with an opening stretch that would challenge anyone. Dan has that story as well. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Montana thinks it can turn around its season in the second half. … A Northern Colorado player’s NIL deal has some different payback. … Northern Arizona has added a football assistant.

Preps: Though Dave Nichols is laid up with a bad back, he still has this roundup of last night’s prep events. … We hate to miss any of the stellar work the S-R’s photographers do, so we pass on this photo gallery of the Mead/Ferris boys’ game from Colin Mulvany, albeit it a day late.

Mariners: Can Eugenio Suarez play even better this season?

Seahawks: Yes, the Hawks want Geno Smith back. And John Schneider thinks it will happen. … Pete Carroll did a masterful job this season. No one can argue that. However, it wasn’t good enough to break into the final five of coaches up for the league’s top award. Too bad he didn’t do the same job with the Jets or Giants. He would be a runaway winner. … The rookies on offense played key roles.

Kraken: Finally. Seattle won a game against erstwhile rival Vancouver. And it was a rout, 6-1. … Stories like this are fun.

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• Hopefully, our doggie will lose his cone of shame today. The stitches have seemed to close up and his foot looks better as well, so today’s appointment should bring good news. It’s obvious he’s tired of running into walls, doors, tables, our knees, anything the darn cone can catch. Us too. Until later …