A Grip on Sports: Tuesday’s tournament action underlined a college basketball truism concerning the length of the season and how teams change

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Remember when Gonzaga featured a 10-man rotation? Or when the women reeling after a regular-season-ending loss? Or Idaho’s men were missing their point guard? College basketball seasons are a grind, man, and they rarely end as they begin.

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• The first thing I checked after the Bulldog men defeated Santa Clara 79-68 in Las Vegas? The play-by-play. I wanted to make sure my memory wasn’t playing tricks on me. It wasn’t.

From the moment Adam Miller checked out of the game during the second half’s first media time out – with 15 minutes, 27 seconds left in the West Coast Conference title game – until the final 34 seconds, Mark Few turned to his bench exactly, wait for it, zero times.

Yep. Few and his staff decided Graham Ike, Tyon Grant-Foster, Davis Fogle, Emmanuel Innocenti and Mario Saint-Supery were either the only players they needed to win. Or all they could trust.

Starters Jalen Warley and Miller? They sat, even though Warley began the half with two offensive rebounds and an assist. And Miller, the starting wing who has been playing well lately? He had a second-half fastbreak layup, an assist on an Ike dunk and a missed 3-pointer before he departed.

Ike played 40 minutes. Innocenti 37. Saint-Supery 31. Grant-Foster and Fogle 28 and 26 respectively. Miller, Warley and backup point Braeden Smith combined for 36.

Talk about tightening up the rotation.  

In a season that seemed to be a sea change for Few. Early on the Zags came at teams in waves. Of course that was before Braden Huff injured his knee. And Warley was limited by a leg injury. And Steele Venters lost his stroke. And Ismaila Diagne showed he’s still a ways away from being a consistent contributor.

For basically 15 minutes, in a game the Zags needed to win to ensure a shot at a three seed in the NCAA tourney, Few decided five was enough. It was. And more than likely, if everyone – read, Ike – can stay out of foul trouble, it will be the norm in whatever tight tournament games Gonzaga faces.

It still doesn’t seem as if Huff is ready. Or Warley is 100%. Or Smith can get with the defensive program.

Miller? If he’s making shots, he’ll play. Same with Warley, though substitute “his bruised leg holds up” for “making shots.”

The only depth the Zags will rely on in the next tournament? The depth of TV ad breaks. And their length. That may be the only rest the iron five will get.

• The past three years, the Zag women came to Las Vegas with momentum. Confidence. High hopes. This year? No one would have been surprised if doubt had stowed away in their luggage. After all, Lisa Fortier’s team had a lot of new experiences. The Bulldogs feature a new star. They had a new seed – second, after failing to win the WCC regular season title. And a newly earned lack of momentum, as they lost their last game before heading south.

Oh, sure, sophomore Allie Turner and her leadership returned from last season. But this year freshman – in eligibility only – Lauren Whittaker has taken the mantle of go-to-in-clutch-time player. And eight others are called upon to play roles, take turns stepping up offensively and compete on the defensive end. It’s a different formula for the Zags than in their loaded-roster past.

But the result turned out to be even better than before. There was no upset loss in the final yesterday. With Turner scoring all 14 of her points in the second half and Whittaker doing her thing – 26 points and nine rebounds – the Bulldogs topped Oregon State 76-66 and are headed back to the NCAA Tournament.

• It’s been an up-and-down season for the Idaho Vandals. On the men’s side anyway. The women have basically done nothing but win, at least since the Big Sky regular season began. They have one more challenge today, when they face second seed Montana State in Boise (2 p.m., ESPNU) with the conference’s automatic (and only) NCAA berth on the line.

But back to the men. They are 20-14 overall. They were 9-9 in conference play. They entered Starch Madness – can I say once more I love that nickname? – with the seventh seed. And, after Tuesday night’s 81-68 win over third-seeded Eastern Washington, their third win over the Eagles this season, they are one win away – against Montana on ESPN2 at 8:30 p.m. – from playing in the NCAA Tournament.

They are not in that position without last night’s performance from Kolton Mitchell. In 37 minutes, the Lake City High grad scored 26 points. Grabbed seven rebounds. Handed out three assists. Snagged two steals. All team highs. And, considering he’s missed time recently with a bad back, willed the Vandals to the finals.

Look, I’m prejudiced here. I admit it. I was privileged enough to coach Mitchell for a couple years of travel basketball. Through about 75 games and, more importantly, twice that many practices. I got to see first-hand his work ethic. His indomitable will. His thirst to improve and compete.

Nothing he’s done through high school nor college has surprised me, even though he doesn’t have what’s considered these days the prototypical Division I point guard body type. He has the resolve and determination. Now he and the Vandals need one more victory to dance.

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WSU: John Canzano’s column today is all about the Cougars and their future. Not the past. The future. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner takes one last look at the Big 12 men’s teams today in the Mercury News. … Wayne Tinkle is leaving Oregon State. But not coaching. … Washington and USC meet today in the Big Ten tournament. Still shaking my head at that. … Oregon was a no-show in their Big Ten loss. … So were Colorado and Utah in the Big 12 tournament. … Stanford’s last-second loss to Pitt in the ACC tourney’s first round could prove expensive. … Could Cal still get an at-large NCAA berth? … USC has a player who is still dreaming big. … Arizona State might as well dream too. The Sun Devils topped Baylor and kept Bobby Hurley around for another day. … The Mountain West announced its awards, with Utah State winning a few, San Diego State once again earning one on defense and Boise State having just one player honored. … The Colorado State women earned the MWC title and an NCAA berth. … In football news, recruiting never stops for Washington. … Oregon State is running around having fun in spring practice. … It’s year four for Deion Sanders in Colorado. Will it be different? … How about Dan Lanning? Has he peaked? Oregon certainly hopes not.

Gonzaga: Of course today’s S-R report has everything you could need about the final WCC tournament title for the Zags. Theo Lawson tips it off with his game analysis and chips in with the recap with highlights. … Dave Boling has a column from Las Vegas in which he focuses on the Bulldogs’ youth. … Jim Meehan lets us know what Few focused on at halftime: rebounding. He also has his three takeaways. … Tyler Tjomsland has a photo gallery. … Earlier in the day, the women rallied in the second half and pounded out a win over soon-to-be Pac-12 mate OSU. Greg Lee has the game story and a notebook on GU’s international players. … Dave returns with a column about how this win sparked a special celebration. … Tyler has another photo gallery. … Back to the men for a moment. Saint-Supery’s interaction with an Oregon State cheerleader Monday night predictably become a thing on social media. … Santa Clara should be in line for an NCAA at-large berth despite the loss. … Oregon State’s women will probably play in another postseason tournament.

EWU and Idaho: The Vandal women are the favorite today, though they had to battle to get past Sacramento State 59-51 in Tuesday’s semifinals. … Eastern Washington came within a play of being UI’s finals opponent as they fell 79-77 in overtime to second-seed Montana State. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Idaho State’s NCAA hopes died in the quarterfinals, but Ferris grad Kacey Spink and the Bengals should have at least one more game left. … The Portland State men won the regular-season title. But could not get past the tournament semis. 

Kraken: The up-and-down season continued last night with a loss to the Predators.

Mariners: Before we get to the M’s and another solid start by a young pitcher, I have to cover the U.S. loss to Italy in the World Baseball Classic. There is a good chance the American team misses out on the knockout rounds. Wow. The U.S. manager Mark DeRosa thought they had already clinched a spot. Wow. … The “spat” between Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena over the handshake snub is one more example of how modern media, social and old-school, can blow nothing into something.  

Seahawks: If you are wondering why the Hawks kept Rashid Shaheed and let Kenneth Walker III walk, Bob Condotta explains. … Riq Woolen will be earning his money and his unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for Philadelphia next season. … Do the Hawks have a big move coming? … Geno Smith heads back to the Jets. The circle of NFL life in a nutshell.

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• Anybody have a spare asterisk lying around? I want to put it next to Bam Adebayo’s 83-point performance last night. After all, it came against the Wizards, a team that is in the middle of a 10-year tanking stretch. They are a Triple-A team at best. The final score was 150-129. Until later …