A Grip on Sports: Before you begin to wonder if such things have happened before, we’ll answer with yes, Gonzaga’s and WSU’s men have played NCAA games on the same day

A GRIP ON SPORTS • This is pretty big day in these parts. Historical. Both Washington State and Gonzaga, the most well-followed college basketball programs in these parts, play in the NCAA Tournament. On the same day. It last happened in, well, 2007. That’s not yesterday.

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• How long ago was that? Well, the top movie was “300.” Ya, we hardly remember the Gerard Butler Greek-fantasy either. The president was George Bush, who we remember well. At least it was the younger one. A few months before, Florida had actually won a football title, the BCS version anyway, with Urban Meyer as its head coach.

So, yep, a long time ago.

Even more improbable, at least then, was Washington State and Gonzaga each making the NCAAs. With WSU not the most far-fetched of the two. Really. The Cougars were impressive from the get-go in Tony Bennett’s first season at the helm. They piled up win after win, despite the Pac-10 being as deep as its ever been. By the time March rolled around, WSU was 25-7 and earned a third seed in the East region. If the rules were the same as they are now, the Cougs would have opened the tournament in Spokane, then, as now, hosting the first couple rounds.

Instead, they were shuttled off to Sacramento, where, on March 15, they would play Oral Roberts. It wasn’t close. The Cougars rolled 70-54 in a morning game.

The year wasn’t as smooth for the Zags. With Adam Morrison off to the NBA, they rebuilt around Derek Raivio and Jeremy Pargo. But the usual tough nonconference schedule got the best of them, they lost six times before WCC play, including a loss at WSU and four consecutive ones in December and January.

They rallied, won the WCC’s regular season title and its tournament but still were seeded 10th in the West. That meant a road trip to Sacramento as well, where they matched up with Indiana that Thursday night. They lost 70-57.

Here we are again. Fourteen years later. March 21, 2024.

Gonzaga in Salt Lake City, where the fifth-seeded Bulldogs face 12th-seed McNeese State. The game tips at 4:25 p.m. PDT, on TBS. It should be finishing just about the time Washington State jogs onto the court in Omaha. The seventh-seeded Cougars take on Drake. It’s scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. on truTV, the last game of the first day.

Not perfect, maybe. After all, both playing first round games in Spokane would have made for an amazing experience. But, still, pretty darn close.

• There are some folks who hold to the opinion this is the best day of sports TV watching available each year. Well, today or tomorrow.

Hard to argue. Wall-to-wall college basketball games. Intensity sewn into each possession, seemingly part of the uniform. Visual representations of agony and ecstasy flashing across the wide-screen like a covey of quail. Ups and downs intertwined like teammates, often switching uniforms in nanoseconds.

A better day? It doesn’t seem possible.

• And is there a better story than Washington State? Maybe what former Gonzaga coach Dan Monson is experiencing with Long Beach State, though that one is an individual journey, no matter how many Zags just happened to be imported to Salt Lake City to accompany him.

The Cougars? They have wandered in college basketball’s desert so long they had sand in their Nikes. And, thanks to football-driven realignment, they didn’t have a map to follow.

Big deal. They drew their own. Kyle Smith pointed, the players packed their backpacks and here we are. A couple detours, sure. But, also, a 24-9 record. A second-place finish in the Pac. An at-large NCAA berth. A date with Drake.

No, we’re not trying to sell a screenplay here. It’s too wild. Even Disney would pass. Still, you shouldn’t question the plot. Just grab some popcorn and watch. Enjoy. Let it wash over you. Win or lose tonight, it’s a story that won’t be forgotten soon.

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WSU: We start with Dave Boling’s column on Isaac Jones and his incredible journey to Pullman. (Hey, that’s a made-for-Disney movie script for sure.) Dave shares his backstory with his usual aplomb. And we can share this backstory as well: When Jones transferred from Idaho to WSU, one of his former UI coaches told me he had never been around a nicer kid in his years of coaching. We realize now it wasn’t hyperbole. … Speaking of hyperbole, would it be such if we were to say the Cougars can’t win unless Myles Rice shoots from 3 with confidence? Maybe a little. But it sure gets harder. Greg Woods delves into it and includes one salient number: 24. That’s how many consecutive 3-pointers Rice has missed. Here’s another number: 18. That’s how many consecutive shots NBA sharpshooter Klay Thompson once missed while in Pullman. It happens. … Greg also has this game preview and the key matchup. … Finally, Greg shares what Smith said yesterday concerning his contract situation and his future. … Want more on tonight’s game? Here you go. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, surprisingly, Washington is looking for an athletic director again. After five months, Troy Dannen left for a return to the Midwest with Nebraska. According to Matt Calkins, Dannen was never a great fit. Of course, everyone has ideas on who should replace Dannen, including Jon Wilner. Atop his Mercury News list is, yep, you guessed it, WSU AD Pat Chun. With Smith in tow to fill the vacant basketball position. … Did Oregon State really turn down an NIT invitation. … An ill Nate Bittle says he will be back with Oregon next year and he was not alone in that sentiment. After all, Dana Altman has the Ducks back in the NCAA tourney. … Speaking of the tourney, Colorado played last night in Dayton. Their First Four win over Boise State was typical Buff basketball. Tight, physical and a late surge to pull away. … Arizona begins today in Salt Lake. Don’t forget, the Wildcats lost in the first round last year. They haven’t. … Utah has added a bit more firepower for its NIT run. … Stanford’s Cameron Brink and USC’s JuJu Watkins took two spots on the Associated Press women’s All-American first team. … This is a great John Canzano column on Oregon State coach Scott Rueck. … Washington hopes to get on a run in its postseason tournament. … Colorado is a trendy pick in the NCAAs. … Arizona has its First Four game tonight against Auburn. … In football news, Caleb Williams held his USC pro day. A bunch of Bears showed up to watch. … Last year was hype. This year, Colorado knows it must deliver results.

Gonzaga: Speed can do many things. Get you a ticket. Lead to a great date. Or, in McNeese State’s case, lead to getting your ticket punched for the Big Dance. With 30 wins. According to Jim Meehan’s game preview, the Bulldogs are ready for a team that flies around at Mach 2, on both ends. … Jim also has the key matchup, pitting a high-speed guard against the Zags’ backcourt. … Speaking of the backcourt, Nolan Hickman is back in the Salt Lake City area. It’s where he attended Wasatch Academy for a year. A tough year, as Theo Lawson relays in this story. … The NCAA streak is not something Mark Few takes for granted. Jim covers that as well as a piece on former Few assistant Donny Daniels getting reacquainted with his GU friends. … Theo returns with this story on Oumar Ballo, also in town as Arizona opens here against Long Beach State and Monson, the latter a subject Theo also covers. … Drew Timme filled out a bracket. Theo has a summary of his picks. … Want more? We can help. How about more on the tournament overall? Got that too. … We have a couple stories to pass along about the women’s first-round opponent, UC Irvine. Greg Lee takes a look at the Anteaters – is there a cooler nickname in America? – while we can pass along this OC Register story on one Anteater and her inability to play in her home country of France. … Elsewhere in the WCC, USF and Cincinnati went back and forth in their NIT first-round game last night, with the Bearcats winning 73-72 in overtime. … Yes, another Saint Mary’s player has gone from reserve to star in one year.

EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, conference champion Montana State played an exciting First Four game with Grambling but squandered a 14-point second-half lead and lost in overtime. … The Bobcats football team began spring practice without a lot of familiar faces. … Montana shot the lights out in its women’s NIT first-round win.

Preps: With Dave Nichols sidelined after heart surgery, the spring sports stories are just beginning to trickle out. Greg Lee has one on twins who lead the Springdale track program. … Suspended North Central High boys basketball coach and teacher Andre Ervin went on trial Wednesday, accused of sexual misconduct, possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and two counts of communication with a minor for immoral purposes. Garrett Cabeza has the first-day coverage. …The change in the UW administration shouldn’t impact the State football title games at Husky Stadium.

Mariners: What will the M’s opening-day roster look like? … The big news in baseball? Yesterday’s firing of Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter after gambling revelations and allegations of large-scale theft. It even overpowered the second game of the season, won 15-11 by the Padres in Korea.

Seahawks: Would this draft pick be acceptable?

Kraken: Consistency is as important in the NHL as it is in any sport.

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• We’re writing columns this weekend from the women’s NCAA Tournament games being held at Gonzaga. Due to that, we decided trying to write TV Takes for the WSU and Gonzaga men would tax our steadily diminishing brain cells way too much. Besides, it will be nice to enjoy today’s games. Tomorrow, we will be working. Hard. Or is it hardly working? Guess that’s up to you to decide. Until later …