A Grip on Sports: Madness reigns near and far, today, tomorrow and on, as NCAA hoops dominate the weekend

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Friday’s parking space has a sign on it. Reserved for the weekend. It’s where we, usually, park our thoughts about what’s available on the TV from here to Monday, which is something less than an eternity. Except on the NCAA tourney’s first weekend. It does seem like an eternity – especially the final minute of a close game – and we do more today than just look forward.

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• We have to spend a few computer pixels on what happened yesterday. In Salt Lake City. Omaha. Anywhere, actually, where the madness happened. We would be criticized as much as a Kansas-game official if we didn’t.

• Let’s start in Utah, shall we? Where McNeese State entered the NCAA Tournament with a renegade head coach and the weight of Seth Davis’ (and others) anointment as a team of destiny. It was too heavy a burden to bear. Or, more likely, Gonzaga is just playing better. The Zags certainly did most everything right last evening, building such a big lead the walk-ons were facing off in the final minute of an 86-65 decision.

Stress? Not on Thursday. Maybe Saturday (12:15 p.m., CBS).

That’s when, thanks in part to a misplaced whistle, the Bulldogs will match up with a wounded Kansas team instead of Samford. And that might just be a blessing. The frenetic Bulldogs’ Bucky-Ball, would be a challenge to any team but an even bigger one with the depth issues Gonzaga can display. The style certainly challenged Kansas, despite the fourth seed building a 22-point lead.

But a Bill Self team on the good end of a bad call? Well, we never …

• Across the Rocky Mountains, Washington State took the floor a few hours after Gonzaga but ended up with same outcome. Well, at least in result if not sweat. The Cougar faithful were about ready to pound copious amounts of memory-wiping adult beverages when their team fell behind Drake by eight late. Instead, big shots and big stops led to celebratory ones. Either way, a Friday hangover.

They better hope Kyle Smith’s squad doesn’t have one. There is not much time to prep for Saturday’s challenge of second-seeded Iowa State (3:10 p.m., TNT), quite possible the most impressive team we’ve watched recently.

Two teams with “State” proudly in their name. Two who play offense with an NBA state of mind. And two who defend as if their tournament life depends on it. Which it does.

• Today is a day of rest and prep for those schools. For the eight in the Spokane Arena, it is the first day of NCAA competition. Yale, Saint Mary’s, three schools from Alabama. Fun times. It starts at 10:45 a.m., with UAB facing San Diego State, one of three schools in the Spokane sub-regional that has already played in town this season. The game is on TNT, as is the matchup between Yale and Auburn (1:15 p.m.). The two evening games – Charleston vs. Alabama and Grand Canyon vs. Saint Mary’s – will be on truTV.

• The lone team from the area playing in an NCAA tourney game today is Eastern Washington. The Eagle women are in Corvallis, taking their 14-seed into a matchup with host and third-seeded Oregon State (5 p.m., ESPNU).

It’s a tough ask made even tougher by the road nature of the contest.

• The Washington State women were on the other side of that divide last night, as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA’s inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament. The tough end of the draw went to Lamar, who traveled from Texas to Pullman, hooped for 40 minutes and went home on the wrong end of a 66-46 score. Sunday (1 p.m., ESPN+) the Cougars host Santa Clara, which finished right behind GU in the WCC. The Broncos edged BYU 60-59 at home last night.

• Speaking of Gonzaga, the Bulldog women don’t get their NCAA Tournament experience underway until 4:30 p.m. tomorrow (ESPN2). By the time they take the McCarthey Athletic Center court to face UC Irvine, the school’s men will have played two tournament games. And either celebrating their ninth consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance or lamenting the end of their up-and-down season.

Either way, the NCAA schedule makers, in combination with their TV partners, did the Gonzaga fans a solid. No conflict. A Saturday filled with hoops.

It may not be heaven, but it will have to do.

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WSU: We have to admit. After an early wake-up call yesterday – darn teenage dog – and the stress of flying around the dial watching NCAA Tournament game after game, we were ready for bed midway through the Cougars’ game with Drake last night. But we gutted it out. Sort of like the players from Pullman, who advanced to the round of 32 for WSU’s second consecutive time in the NCAAs. Of course, those appearances came 16 years apart. With a different generation of player. And a different coach. Same result, though. A win. As Dave Boling tells us, it was a return to the past, the recent past of wins over Arizona and Oregon and such, that keyed the Cougar victory. … Greg Woods focused on the big shot Isaiah Watts took, and made, late in the 66-61 victory. As well he should have. … We have a photo gallery to pass along of the action and the celebration after. … The folks in the office put together the difference makers and the recap with highlights. … Jon Wilner has a quick summary of the win. … Peter Harriman traveled across the border from Idaho to Beasley and has this coverage of the women’s victory. …  Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, Oregon’s Dana Altman is consistent. Consistently good at winning NCAA first-round games. Jermaine Couisnard diced up his old team. … Colorado’s next opponent is Florida. … After defeating LBSU in an emotional game, Arizona now must play the early game against the comeback kids of Dayton on Saturday. … Utah is still alive in the NIT and will meet Iowa. … When the Stanford women rebound, they win games. Shooting well helps too. … Arizona’s season continues on after a First Four win over Auburn. … Drake will challenge the Colorado women in the Buffs’ first-round game. … UCLA has only one goal: win the whole thing. … Some families have two children playing in the tournaments. … Washington’s women saw their season end in a WBIT loss to visiting Georgetown. … In football news, Michael Penix Jr. seems to have a draft ceiling. How high is it? … Caleb Williams’ ceiling is the highest possible. The USC quarterback will be the NFL’s No. 1 pick in April. … The Trojans are focusing on getting stronger this offseason. … Arizona State is trying to determine who will be its quarterback.

Gonzaga: We had one wish as the Zags’ blowout reached the halfway point of the second half. We wished Anton Watson would earn one more assist. It would have given the senior the Bulldogs’ first NCAA triple-double. Alas, the finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. We would lament a Nolan Hickman missed 3-pointer after a Watson second-half pass, but it was followed by a Watson offensive board and another basket-resulting pass to, if we remember correctly, Dusty Stromer. Watson’s performance, and all else, is well covered within Jim Meehan’s game story. Or Theo Lawson’s story on Stromer. Or Theo’s difference makers. Or Tyler Tjomsland’s photo gallery. Or Jon Wilner’s quick summary. Or the recap with highlights, courtesy of the folks in the office. Or, even, Theo’s coverage of Kansas’ win, one that led to a series of national pundits lamenting about the crucial late whistle. … Jim also spent some time earlier in the day covering the matchup between Tommy Lloyd’s Arizona team and Dan Monson’s last Long Beach State squad. The idiocy surrounding Monson’s firing continued yesterday in Salt Lake City. … The women tip on Saturday, as we mentioned above, with a home crowd in their back pocket. As Greg Lee passes along, they feel that could end up being crucial. … The Lakers have come their senses. They are finally starting former GU star Rui Hachimura. And winning. … Elsewhere in the WCC, Saint Mary’s is an NCAA fifth seed for the third consecutive year. And the Gaels have done it with some financial limitations. They face Grand Canyon today.

NCAA games at the Arena: With the four games on the schedule today, Spokane fans will get an opportunity to see the best of the state of Alabama. And some of the best of the West Coast. Jim Allen has a story about Saint Mary’s and its second visit of the season to town. … He also has one on San Diego State and its second. … Nick Gibson has a different view. He delves into the three Alabama schools (and their fans) sent all the way north and west to play in the tournament. … There are also these predictions of today’s four games.

EWU: If Eastern were to win tonight, it would be historic. As in a 14 seed has never upset a third seed in the NCAA women’s tournament. Never in 116 tries since 1996. Dan Thompson has this preview of the game with the Beavers. … He also has the key matchup which includes OSU’s 6-foot-4 post Raegan Beers. … The Beavers also rely heavily on Chiawana High graduate Talia von Oelhoffen. And on having fun. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Montana State hopes to have a bright future with a bunch of quality players eligible to return. … The question is, will they? Idaho State is losing much of its roster. … Northern Colorado lost in the WNIT’s first round.

Preps: We linked one Spring Preview story yesterday, the day the S-R contained a special section filled with stories on spring’s many sports. On such a crowded day like today, we decided we’ll just send you to this link, where all of the stories, from baseball to track, are contained. That way you can read them all at your leisure.

Mariners: Another game, another win for Seattle, this one thanks to big blasts.

Seahawks: The Hawks still have questions as their brain trust heads to the league meetings. One of them is whether they would bring Jamal Adams back and play him at linebacker.

Kraken: Another game. Another dramatic loss. Six consecutive ones, actually. … Vince Dunn did not make the trip.

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• We had to post early today. We have to head over to Gonzaga. The Bulldogs have the early time for media responsibilities and practice. Well, on the bright side, early to start, early to finish and maybe, just maybe, we’ll become healthy, wealthy and wise. Uh, those ships have sailed Mr. Franklin. A long time ago. Until later …