A Grip on Sports: From baseball to basketball, the weekend’s best bet is watching and waiting with family, whatever form that takes
A GRIP ON SPORTS • The last Saturday before Selection Sunday has a lot to live up to. Top of that list? The last Friday before Selection Sunday. An incredible night of college basketball. With a tense baseball game thrown in to stress your New Year’s resolution not to chew your nails.
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• C’mon. If you’ve made it this far, you can make it to, well, tomorrow. Though for most Inland Northwest college hoop fans, there is little anxiety associated with Stressful Sunday.
The Gonzaga and Idaho men are in. They earned that distinction on the court. The seeds? Anything above a 16 would probably be welcomed in Moscow. Anything below a three would be pilloried in McCarthey.
The Gonzaga and Idaho women are in as well. They earned it too. The seeds? Neither will have a single digit next to their name so, to get past next weekend’s first rounds, a major upset will have to be in order.
The rest of the local universities? Outside looking in.
• That doesn’t mean those nails are safe. Not in this home, anyway. The Harvard of Orange County, UC Irvine, is playing in the Big West Conference men’s title game tonight. Against Hawaii. The winner is in. Loser in the NIT (probably).
The two split their games this season, with the Anteaters losing by one in the Islands and winning by 11 in the Bren Center.
Of course, UCI will win tonight (7, ESPN2). And then see their name pop up on CBS’ selection show (3 p.m., Sunday). With a 14 next to it. Probably in Portland. Against third-seeded Gonzaga.
• Skin in that game? Sure. A sheepskin. And whatever interest proximity-to-one’s-home GU carries.
There will be other appearances that carry some personal weight as well. Idaho’s men, with Kolton Mitchell playing his usual big role. Iowa State, with another Lake City High grad, Blake Buchanan doing the same for the Cyclones. There is also Central Valley’s Dylan Darling and St. John’s, who face UConn for the Big East title today (3:30 p.m., Fox). The Johnnies will be in, no matter the outcome.
• Speaking of Buchanan, he played an oversized role in Friday’s most-outstanding game.
He was not only tasked with defending Arizona’s two-headed post contingent (starter Motiejus Krivas and backup Tobe Awaka, each of whom outweigh the 235-pound Buchanan by at least 20 pounds), he also was a key cog in the Cyclones’ offense, no matter what the box score might say.
His eight points – in a last-second 82-80 loss – are less a measure of that than his three assists and three offensive rebounds in 25 minutes. The best measure? How many screen assists he earned. And if you don’t know what that is, don’t worry. You are not alone. Only coaches who rely on them really value their existence. And Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger is one of those coaches. That is part of the reason he went after Buchanan following the center’s two seasons at Virginia.
Buchanan had a crucial role in at least 20 of Iowa State’s 31 baskets with his on-ball and off-ball screens that forced Arizona’s defense into compromising situations. It’s a skill that is undervalued by fans but not by guys whose paychecks rely on them.
• There were a few college basketball games last night that had to be missed. At least parts of them. This house is also highly interested in the outcome of the World Baseball Classic. And not just because Cal Raleigh is on the U.S. team. Or another Mariner, Josh Naylor, played first base for Friday’s quarterfinal opponent, Canada.
The WBC has been a part of the DNA here since 2006.
That year, the first for the international baseball tournament, Japan won. In San Diego. In attendance? Thousands, including myself and my eldest son Tyler. I flew down to L.A., he took the train south from Santa Barbara, where he was attending school, and we met at my family home. Then he and I drove to San Diego to take in the first tournament’s final four.
No U.S.? No problem. It was baseball. Our bond.
Last night he and I settled in and watched the elimination game from Houston, won by the U.S. 5-3. Ate hot dogs. Passed on the peanuts and Cracker Jacks. But talked baseball, just like we did 20 years ago. I said something stupid. He called me on it. I said something smart. He acknowledged it. One happened a lot more often than the other, though our views on which probably differ.
Fathers and sons. Baseball. Even when the uniforms are for a nation, not the local nine, it is always more than just a game. At least it can be. And is around here.
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WSU: Greg Woods takes a deep dive today into the Cougars’ just-finished men’s basketball season. And tries to identify the trends that led David Riley’s team to a 12-20 record. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner has his weekly mailbag in the Mercury News. … He also examines the Bay Area’s role in Selection Sunday. … John Canzano has a notebook which begins with looking at big-money donors. … Utah State will meet San Diego State in the Mountain West finals today (3 p.m., CBS). The Aggies, who topped Nevada in the semifinals, will make the tournament win or lose. The Aztecs, who eliminated New Mexico 64-62, certainly need to win. … UCLA edged Michigan State to reach the Big Ten semifinals. The Bruins face Purdue (12:30 p.m., CBS). … With Bobby Hurley out at Arizona State, who is next? … I mentioned the Arizona win above. And it is worth mentioning again. The Wildcats face Houston today (3 p.m., ESPN). … The Colorado women are looking forward to seeing the school’s name pop up in the NCAA bracket.
• In football news, Wilner returns by passing along Brandon Huffman’s look at how the Pac-12 schools seem to be set up with their football recruiting for 2026. … This story perfectly encapsulates the wacked-out nature of college football right now. Two conferences fighting over one school. … Money is the root of it all, right? And it is at the root of naming rights, with Washington trying to find a new sponsor for Husky Stadium. … Oregon State’s new defensive coordinator was given a two-year deal. … Recruiting never stops at Oregon.
Gonzaga: Former guard Malachi Smith, a member of the 2022-23 Elite Eight team, will be appearing on an NBA roster soon. As Theo Lawson tells us, he’s been signed to a 10-day deal by the Brooklyn Nets. … Looking at the bracket predictions, the Zags have moved up to a three seed in most. In The Athletic’s, they are in Portland playing No. 14 Idaho – a budget saver for S-R sports editor Ralph Walter. In Joe Lunardi’s ESPN one, the Portland matchup with UC Irvine comes up. CBS still has the Zags on the four line, facing the WAC’s Utah Valley.
Idaho and EWU: Around the Big Sky, the Idaho State men have already lost a key player to the transfer portal. And it’s not even open. … Weber State is in the market for a new men’s coach. … Utah Tech, which will be in the conference next season, lost in the WAC semifinals to Cal Baptist. … In football news, Idaho State is going to concentrate on the run game in the spring.
Velocity: The roster building continued Friday, with Spokane announcing the addition of 2024 and 2025 USL League One Goalkeeper of the Year Sean Lewis.
Youth sports: The proposed ice rink in the Spokane Valley received a $40 million anonymous donation recently as it comes closer to fruition. Emily White has this story.
Mariners: Outfielder Randy Arozarena and closer Andrés Muñoz should be back in the Mariners’ camp soon, following Mexico’s pool-play elimination in the WBC. Arozarena, of course, was part of the kerfuffle involving Raleigh and a handshake. … Kade Anderson struggled early in his start against the Dodgers on Friday. But instead of letting it snowball, he settled in and finished strong. … There is another good reason for robo umpires. Consistency for the big guys.
Storm: The WNBA still does not have a collective bargaining agreement with its players. The season is slowly slipping away.
Seahawks: The huge 2022 draft class – thanks to the Russell Wilson trade – was a key element in the Hawks’ Super Bowl win. Now most of the players that emerged from it will be playing for other franchises in 2026. … The 2026 roster is coming into focus. … The M’s HandshakeGate seems overblown. So does this ruckus. At least for now. … The Hawks were able to keep one key offensive assistant around.
Kraken: Seattle has its third goalkeeper back.
Reign: It’s always good to have a plan. And some great players.
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• There is a lot on the plate today. Hopefully, that includes bacon and eggs. By the way, two Friday-the-13ths down. Only one more to go this year. Until later …