A Grip on Sports: There are a lot of signs spring is waiting in the wings but lately Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s fighting down the stretch for a WCC title is the best one

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There are some subtle undertones to Wednesday morning’s sunshine around Spokane. Simply, it’s more of a spring glow. Blue sky, green hints and white clouds dominate the view from the office window. Daylight Saving Time will be here before you know it.

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• Forget the flowers. Forget the first robin. Heck, forget dandelions, buds on the maple tree or any of nature’s perennial heralds of spring. In this modern society, the clearest indicator the seasons are changing is an argument about the clock. Whether we should fiddle with it twice a year. The semi-annual debate is on the docket for next week, sure, but today’s sunlight got us thinking.

And popped a question into our head.

Is this the year the Gonzaga men finally win another outright West Coast Conference basketball title? It’s just been so long.

I had to delve into the history books – Google – to get the correct answer. Can you believe it was 2022 when the Zags emerged on top of the conference by themselves? Such a simple time.

In the three years since, Mark Few’s team tied Saint Mary’s for the title and then, horrors, finished behind the Gaels in 2024 and 2025. Heck, Randy Bennett even had the chance to do a conference-clinching dance in McCarthey’s visiting locker room one year.

Sadly, losing in Portland means that can’t end tonight. No matter what happens. Even if the Bulldogs roll over Portland (6 p.m., KHQ). Weird, huh? But the 87-80 loss in Oregon three weeks ago, GU’s first to the Pilots in a decade, still loom large.

If they hadn’t stubbed both their big toes Feb. 4, tonight would be not just a Senior Night celebration but a chance to wish the WCC well with another solo regular season crown.

That is no longer on the agenda, even if Santa Clara wins tonight in Moraga (8, CBS Sports Network). A successful Senior Night, however, would ensure the worst the Bulldogs could do is finish 16-2 after Saturday’s finale – also at Saint Mary’s. But it would ensure the top seed at the WCC tourney. And, with two wins over the Broncos, allow the Zags to hold bragging rights over the rest of its soon-to-be-former league.

• As if anyone cares. Saying goodbye to one of the top posts to ever wear the Gonzaga uniform? That’s important. Graham Ike didn’t start his college career in Spokane but it certainly blossomed here. The lefty with the big smile and even bigger baby hook moved from Wyoming three years ago and has dominated the WCC ever since.

Scoring, rebounding, emotional outbursts. Ike leads the Bulldogs in all three categories since his arrival. And he will lead the handful of seniors honored tonight. In every way.

Tyon Grant-Foster and Adam Miller arrived last offseason. Jalen Warley a half-year before that. Steele Venters? He’s been in the area longer than Ike – his long college career began in Cheney – but, due to injuries, his three seasons at Gonzaga really didn’t begin until this one.

Ike is front and center, as he’s been since he stepped on campus. As he’s been, offensively, since Braden Huff’s knee injury. As he will be tonight, Saturday against Saint Mary’s, in Las Vegas and however long Gonzaga’s NCAA run lasts.

You know, their last one with the WCC patch on their uniforms. And Ike wearing the one with 15 on it.

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WSU: The Cougar men are at Loyola Marymount tonight (8, ESPNU). At 7-9 in conference, a win over the 5-11 Lions would go a long way toward helping them earn another day off in Vegas. And with a game at last-place Pepperdine (3-13) Saturday, finishing at .500 is not out of the question. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner has his weekly Big 12 rankings in the Mercury News. … The Washington men were in New Jersey for a conference game yesterday. Won. Still so weird. … UCLA rolled over USC at Pauley, building its NCAA resume and hurting the Trojans. … Colorado hosts Kansas State tonight. … Iowa State bounced back and bounced host Utah. … Arizona State lost at TCU. … Boise State handled Wyoming. … The best game on the West Coast tonight? It may just be San Diego State hosting Utah State. It could decide the Mountain West’s regular-season title. … The Oregon women gear up to meet Purdue on the road. Yep, a Big Ten game. … Utah topped Colorado. … Arizona won on Senior Night. 

• In football news, we had our thoughts yesterday about the Civil War hiatus, focused on how hard it will be to keep such games going in the future. John Canzano also weighed in with a view much closer to the action. … Christian Caple’s coverage of Washington football has a new home, though the same name. … An Oregon player has made a difference off the field. 

Gonzaga: Theo Lawson covers everything about tonight, from the history to the possibilities, in his game preview. And he also has the expected key matchup. … Jim Meehan and Richard Fox have their weekly Zags Basketball Insiders podcast up. You can listen here if you like. … The GU women are still ranked in Jeff Metcalfe’s Best of the West rankings in the Mercury News. … We delved into the Zags’ final WCC week above. Randy Bennett has a different view of it. But one that is even more complimentary. He is sad to see the rivalry end.

EWU: Two of the Big Sky’s hottest teams meet tonight in Cheney. Eastern’s men host Northern Colorado. Dan Thompson has this preview. The big question? Can the Eagles continue their last-season run – and their six-game winning streak. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky and the FCS, former Montana football coach Bobby Hauck’s second stint in Missoula was not as successful as his first. But ended the same way. He hightailed it out of town in search of greener pastures. … Northern Colorado’s women have won 20 games this basketball season. They are not done. … Sacramento State seems to be a little fuzzy on the FBS math. 

Idaho: The Vandal women have hope. With a small “h” and a capital one. As in Hope Hassmann. As Peter Harriman tells us, Hassmann is the driver of the Vandals’ up-tempo offense that gives them hope they can win every game. And win the Big Sky’s regular season title.

Preps: State basketball loser-out games were on tap Tuesday, with tight matchups all over Washington. The tightest? At Central Valley, where the Bears moved on when Cam Walls somehow got a last-second toss toward the basket to fall and give CV a 52-51 win over Lakes. Dave Nichols passes along two roundups, the one on the larger schools, which he wrote, and the roundup of the 1B games.

Mariners: The new leadoff hitter thinks the lineup could be special. … As long as Cal Raleigh keeps hitting Ruthian blasts to centerfield. … Yes, it’s a crucial time for MLB over the next 16 months or so.

Seahawks: The upcoming sale? It hasn’t impacted the Hawks’ front office this offseason. That’s the word from John Schneider at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis. …. He is working on re-signing the free agents as well. … The Hawks could leave the country for a game this fall.

Kraken: With the Olympic break over, Seattle has trade-deadline and playoff pushes looming. But their middle-of-the-pack status should be a governor on their moves.

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• I hope Saint Mary’s wins tonight. Not rooting for the Gaels but I am rooting for a better storyline for Saturday. Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s, the bandbox, outright WCC title on the line, last regular season game. That’s gold Jerry, gold. Until later …