COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN — We're back at the apartment after spending the last two-plus hours at Applebee's, where we watched the Cougars beat San Francisco, 89-75, in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational. And just because we're not on the road with the team doesn't mean we can't pass along our postgame review. Read on.

COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN — The Washington State men's basketball team will continue its season with a first-round game in the College Basketball Invitational on Tuesday at San Francisco. We've posted a short story below.

I wrote nearly all of this before 10 a.m, but tight connections kept me from posting it until now.

Entertaining game last night with a closing stretch that pretty much went opposite of the first 36 minutes.

Gonzaga and San Francisco weren’t any trouble scoring – outside of the Bulldogs’ season-high 22 turnovers obviously – as GU took a 65-64 lead with 3:45 left. Both teams were shooting in the mid-50 percent range before defenses took over late, with the exception of Rashad Green’s game-deciding 7-footer in the lane with 3.3 seconds left.

You know the day-after drill.

The links: My game story, San Francisco Chronicle and A.P. Elsewhere, Saint Mary’s lost again in a non-conference matchup with Murray State, but GU’s loss leaves the Gaels alone in first place and two wins from ending the Zags’ run of WCC titles at 11. BYU joined Gonzaga in second place at 11-3 with a road win over Santa Clara.

Read on.   

The commute from my doorstep to the McCarthey Athletic Center took exactly an hour, essentially double what it usually takes. Unofficial count of rigs in the ditches: six, three on I-90, rest on side streets. We'll see how the storm impacts attendance, but the Kennel Club is close to full while the rest of the sections are sloowwlllyyyy filling up.

Follow me on twitter.com/srjimm for in-game updates. I'll post my game story here (and there) at about 10:30.

Back with my game story from Gonzaga's hard-fought 71-67 victory over San Francisco. Crazy game, wild conclusion. The unedited version is below.

Check back in the morning for John Blanchette's column and Chris Anderson's photo gallery.

Here's my short preview of the GU-USF game that will run in Saturday's S-R.

Back with my game story from GU's 96-91 loss to San Francisco — one of the wildest games I've ever covered. You can read it below.

I'll be back tomorrow with a day-after post.

Cody Doolin's three-point play with 4.1 seconds gave USF a 96-91 victory over Gonzaga on Saturday night.

Doolin was fouled by Mathis Monninghoff while hitting a left-handed runner on the left side of the lane. He made the free throw to give USF a 94-91 lead. Steven Gray missed two free throws, the second intentionally, and Doolin sealed it with two free throws.

Gonzaga lost back-to-back WCC games for the first time since the 1999-2000 season when it fell to Pepperdine and San Diego.

Demetri Goodson and Gray each had 20 points. Elias Harris had 15 points and Robert Sacre 14 points and nine boards.

Gonzaga was stung by errant free-throw shooting near the end of regulation and in overtime. Manny Arop made just 1 of 4 late in regulation and he also missed a pair in overtime.

Doolin led USF with 23 points. All five USF starters scored in double figures. It was the second straight year San Francisco has defeated GU in overtime at War Memorial Gymnasium.

More in about two hours.

This isn't what Gonzaga envisioned as it ventured out for its first road trip of the WCC season. But the Zags (13-6, 3-1 WCC), after losing 85-71 at Santa Clara on Thursday, now take on San Francisco (9-10, 3-1) with solo second place on the line. The Dons knocked off Portland on Thursday in their WCC home opener. USF has already won two WCC road games (Santa Clara and San Diego).

No. 22 Saint Mary's (17-3, 5-0) lost on the road to Vanderbilt today.The Gaels visit GU on Thursday.

USF made 17 of 27 shots in the second half in beating the Pilots. Guard Michael Williams led the way with 18 points, followed by guard  Cody Doolin's 14 (4 of 5 on 3s), beefy forward Perris Blackwell's 12 points and 10 boards, and guard Marko Petrovic's 10 points. USF won despite being outboarded 41-25, mainly because it shot extremely well (57.1 percent on FGs and 45.5 percent on 3s) and had a 26-18 edge in points in the paint. The Dons scored 50 points in the second half.

The Zags, wearing black uniforms tonight, just left the floor after some pre-game drills. David Stockton was bummed because his dunk attempt rattled in and out, but he followed it up by making a one-handed dunk.

Remember in-game updates at twitter.com/srjimm. Check back here at the final buzzer for a short recap and then later for a complete game story.

Gonzaga shot it well, rebounded it well, but turned the ball over frequently, which pretty much kept the Bulldogs from grabbing a bigger lead against San Francisco.

GU leads 41-37 at half after making 17 of 26 shots (65.4 percent) and holding a 19-10 rebounding edge. But the Bulldogs started the game with turnovers on their first four possessions and finished the half with 12 TOs. USF converted those miscues into 18 points.

Freshman guard Demetri Goodson came off the bench to score 12 points. He made 5 of 6 shots, including the first two 3-pointers of his career. His previous season high was eight points against Utah. Josh Heytvelt added eight points and Matt Bouldin 7, but he connected on just 2 of 7 shots.

Dior Lowhorn started 1 of 5, but made 5 of his next 6 shots. He has 15 points at half.