A Grip on Sports: As the seasons change, we wonder if new-fallen snow will make for an exciting basketball journey

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Where were we? Oh, yes. Traveling up the spine of California. Wait, you want a more esoteric answer for what we did yesterday? Well, we also contemplated the switch-over from spring-in-winter to real winter. And the transition from college football season to basketball.

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• We’ll ascend the mountains today. And then come down the other side into at least a hint of winter and its fury. Hopefully, we end our journey home before any onslaught begins.

Which sort of parallels college sports today.

The full fury of college hoops, the ultimate winter sport, begins on this fine Thursday, what with conference play everywhere, from the soon-to-be defunct Pac-12 to the West Coast Conference, which begins its final regular season without Oregon State and Washington State.

Meanwhile, the Big Sky Conference is doing something funky this week, playing a matchup series with the Summit, what would have been something special if it was in football. After all, the two conferences dominated the FCS in 2023, including the champions meeting this weekend in Frisco, Texas, with the national title on the line.

But we digress, a habit that can cost a college basketball team a game and a player his time on the court. Focus is key, and even fans need it this time of year.

Take your neighborhood Husky follower. You have one, right? Heck, with UW playing in the national championship game Monday night, more than one maybe. We’re guessing a couple folks you didn’t know had ties to Washington have a flag outside their house this week. Maybe even a Michael Penix Jr. or Kalen DeBoer ice sculpture as well.

Good on them. Running from the front is a Seattle habit – see, 12s, circa 2013 or M’s, 2001 – that spans the decades.

Will Washington, soon to be a Big Ten school, be able to secure the Pac-12’s final national football championship against, in the irony-of-ironies, the Big Ten champion Michigan Wolverines? In the Rose Bowl … wait. Nope. In Houston. In a non-descript pro stadium.

Of course, that new-found Husky fandom doesn’t extend to the men’s basketball team – maybe the women are now their favorite, what with their 11-1 record – even though that group has a win over 24th-ranked Gonzaga in its pocket. In the Pac-12, it began 0-2 (just like WSU) and hosts the Oregon schools starting tonight (ditto with the Cougars).

Speaking of the Zags, they begin their most-important WCC season since, oh, a decade ago when they host Pepperdine tonight. In the Spokane Arena. That change of venue should allow all 17 – too many? – Inland Northwest Waves fans a seat in the place.

It better not make a difference. Gonzaga (9-4) needs to win. And keep winning. Though even a win over the Waves, ranked 239 in the NCAA’s NET system on Thursday morning, won’t help GU’s probably-too-low-for-an-at-large-berth 56th spot in the selection tool. Only WCC games against USF (39), Saint Mary’s (53) and, maybe, Santa Clara (118) can possibly do that.

This year’s WCC postseason tournament in Las Vegas may actually matter in an NCAA way for the Bulldogs, and we’re not talking seeding, which is usually the case, but entry.

That entry part is always the case for the Big Sky schools, including Eastern Washington. Only their champ seems to be in the NCAA radar every year.

The Eagles played seven Quad 1 or 2 nonconference games – based on NET ranking, as we said, a key element of the NCAA’s selection procedure. They lost them all. Once again, it will be tournament title or bust for Eastern. At least the seven rough outings laid a foundation for 2024 success, as the Eagles recent winning streak attests.

It’s all part of the changing of the seasons.

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WSU: Not only did the Cougars start the Pac-12 schedule with losses at Utah and Colorado, they also learned they will be without guard Joseph Yesufu the remainder of the season. None of that is good. Greg Woods has this story on their current status heading into tonight’s home game with Oregon State. … Former Washington State star Klay Thompson has been a standout in the NBA for a long time. But the 33-year-old is at something of a crossroads. Even someone of his experience needs an uplifting talk every once in a while. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, hey, George Kliavkoff is not in hibernation. At least he came out of his cave to talk some at the national semifinals, after Washington’s win. Did you know he had something to do with it? Jon Wilner shares that news. … Wilner also looked at the conference’s bowl season in the Mercury News. … Bowls can still be fun. … Christian Caple has more thoughts on the Huskies’ semifinal win. … Is Washington the team of destiny? It has played a lot of close games. And had some key plays, of course. But such tight games cause anxiety, right? … Nick Daschel spoke with Scott Barnes about the state of Oregon State athletics. … There will be some players staying and others leaving the Oregon roster over the next few weeks. Bo Nix has done his time. Now the NFL beckons. … Arizona has lost some players too but might be after a former one. … UCLA has a new defensive coordinator. … In basketball news, Wilner has his best of the west rankings. Gonzaga has fallen to sixth, behind two Pac-12 schools, a Big 12 newcomer and two Mountain West teams. … There were two games last night, with USC handling California in Los Angeles and Stanford continuing its strong play with a win over UCLA in Pauley. The latter caused Mick Cronin to say some things. … Oregon is not ranked but John Canzano tells us the Ducks are getting adjusted to their new roster. … One place Colorado has struggled? Arizona. But then again, most everyone struggles against the Wildcats in Tucson. … Utah, 2-0 in conference, has struggled in the desert as well, including against 2-0 (in conference) Arizona State. … Wins by UCLA and Colorado certainly propelled the women’s race to warp nine right off the bat.

Gonzaga: Despite the unfamiliar 9-4 nonconference start, the Bulldogs still have the same goals in the 16-game WCC regular season. And the postseason tournament. Reach those – read, win – and everything will work out. Theo Lawson has a look at the start tonight against Pepperdine (7-8). … Theo also has the key matchup, which includes the conference’s leading scorer. … Jim Meehan delves into where the Zags need to improve. … Dave Boling’s series on the 1999 Zags continued with a look at Mark Spink and his NCAA exploits as well as Casey Calvary and his. … By the way, we also can pass along this Ed Condran story about an upcoming reunion. … The women have what could be their most important conference game of the season right off the bat. They open tonight at Portland, facing the team that beat them in the WCC finals last season. Greg Lee previews the Bulldogs’ conference chances. … Elsewhere in the WCC, the USF men think they have a shot of dethroning the Zags this year. … So do the Santa Clara women.

EWU: We mentioned the Eagles’ recent winning streak. It reached three (and six of their last seven) with a 93-79 rout of host South Dakota State last night. The key? Dane Erikstrup scored a career-high 32 points, sinking seven 3-pointers en route. … The women hosted Omaha last night and, as Dan Thompson, tells us, ran past the Mavericks 96-82. … Aaliyah Alexander entered the game as the reigning Big Sky player of the week. Dan has that story as well. … Former Eastern standout Kendrick Bourne would like to stay with Patriots after this season. … Elsewhere the Big Sky, Montana’s men and women both won their challenge games. … The Montana State women also won. … The Northern Arizona women did not, squandering a second-half lead. … The Weber State men almost did the same thing but held on at home, 75-73, over South Dakota State. … The Portland State women lost to Kansas City while the Sacramento State men defeated the Roos. … The Griz’ most-important football coach ever, Don Read, died this week. … Northern Colorado would like to add more local FBS opponents.

Idaho: St. Thomas gave the Summit a road win in the challenge series, running past the Vandals 75-67 in Moscow. Peter Harriman has the game story. … Idaho has launched an investigation of the volleyball program, using an outside law firm.

Whitworth: The Pirates’ record isn’t what most fans are used to, but the men are on a roll after two key wins over the extended weekend. Ethan Myers has that story, as well as the game story from Tuesday night’s key Northwest Conference victory over visiting Whitman.

Preps: We weren’t here yesterday but that doesn’t mean we don’t link prep roundups. Dave Nichols has his one this morning, focused on Wednesday’s wrestling action, and the one from Tuesday, which include a streak-breaking North Central boys’ win. … Dave also has this story on the biggest event in high school circles in 2023, the opening of the downtown football stadium. It was so important, at least to us, we voted it No. 1 in all Spokane sports stories from last year. After all, it will still be around even when most of us aren’t.

Seahawks: We agree with this. No matter how this season ends, the Hawks need to make big changes in the offseason. … One of those better not be – again – cutting Bobby Wagner loose. He is a Pro-Bowl player once more.

Kraken: The Winter Classic is long over. But the celebration continues.

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• Of course, we waited just long enough in the sun to hit other types of weather on the way back to paradise. Isn’t that always the way? Until later …