A GRIP ON SPORTS • If Gonzaga wins this afternoon, will they burn Bernhardt couches up at the Manito Center? Or will they think it’s just an elaborate April Fools’ Joke over at the corner of Boone and Hamilton? Will there be a wild parade down Sprague in the Valley? Or celebratory fireworks on Five Mile? Whatever happens today, all of Spokane will join in, either smiling or crying. We guarantee it. Read on.

Tired of Zag-mania? Can’t handle another squeaky sneaker or dribbling ball? There are lots of other things going on in Spokane today whether you are into yoga, gun shows, skiing or Pokemon

The Spokane Empire, riding a three-game winning streak, face the Nebraska Danger in Week 6 of the Indoor Football League season. It’s the first and only regular season matchup between the two teams.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • For the third time in program history and the second time in three years, Gonzaga is playing an Elite Eight game. The reward for the winner is a trip to the Final Four, the Holy Grail of college basketball. Or the monkey cage, if you prefer. Read on.

The Screaming Eagles (1-3) – whose play calls are based on a fan vote on the team’s mobile application – and their virtual coaches could not stump the Empire (4-1), as Spokane thumped Salt Lake 53-36 in a Week 6 Indoor Football League matchup on Friday at the Arena.

The Spokane Empire (3-1) will host the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles on Friday at the Arena in the second of the teams’ three-game regular season series.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Had enough basketball yet? Or are you just getting started? We are halfway through the 64 teams that started the four-day weekend of NCAA hoop, but we’re not halfway through the tournament. That’s only one-sixth done. After today, we will be down to 16 teams and two-thirds of tournament. Talk about focusing the pressure. Read on.

Charles Dowdell threw for 200 yards with seven touchdowns, Devonn Brown was on the receiving end of four of them, and the Spokane Empire crushed the Colorado Crush 70-37 on Friday in Indoor Football League action in Loveland, Colorado.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The weather around here has been downright spring-like the past couple days, so that got us thinking about baseball. And realizing we haven’t really checked in with the M’s in Arizona recently. With little in the way of college hoop to cover, today seems like a good day. So how did the M’s do yesterday? Let’s see, they played the Milwaukee Brewers and ... oh my goodness. So, what’s going on with the Zags? Read on.

The Spokane Empire dominated the first half and survived a second-half rally to turn back the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles 41-35 in Indoor Football League action on Monday in Salt Lake City.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • That was a bad day in the world’s biggest little city. At least for teams from around the Inland Northwest. The Big Sky Conference basketball tournament, which held so much promise just 24 hours before, was a whitewash on Friday. Read on.

The Spokane Empire signed defensive back Toney Hurd Jr. to their 2017 IFL roster. Hurd joins the Empire for his rookie season as a member of the IFL.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Another Washington State University basketball season is over. And like most before this one, it wasn’t all that successful. But whether or not that changes in the near future is hard to predict. Read on.

The 33-year-old “Empire” star, who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in 2009’s “Precious,” says she did not have the surgery to be beautiful but to improve her health and move with more ease.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • As the days grow longer, the college basketball season grows shorter. But all it means is there is more intensity packed into each day. Today is great example. From Las Vegas to Spokane, from Yakima to Los Angeles, basketball takes over on this Saturday. Read on.

Charles Dowdell threw for six touchdowns and 254 yards, but even that wasn’t enough as the visiting Spokane Empire fell to the Wichita Falls Nighthawks 57-65 in double overtime on Friday in Wichita Falls, Texas.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Even with Gonzaga and Washington State not playing on a Thursday night, yesterday was a busy one for basketball in the area. So instead of a pithy remark or two, we’ll just get right into the hoop news. Read on.

The Spokane Empire will play its second game of the Indoor Football League season and first road game against the Wichita Falls Nighthawks (2-0) on Friday at the Kay Yeager Coliseum in Wichita Falls, Texas.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There may have been more dominating performances by the Gonzaga University basketball team than the one it turned in last night in San Diego, but, if there has been, we haven’t seen it. Of course, we really didn’t see last night’s 96-38 victory either. Read on.