Time to schedule WSU?

[509er]

Kyle Smith has put together a pretty impressive recruiting class, especially by WSU standards. If C.J. Elleby comeS back they should be pretty good this year but I really seeing them being competitive the following year as this class matures and is coached up. I think their was bad blood between Few and Ernie/Moos but Chun/Smith is a good team at WSU. Id like to see a home and home plus 1 game at the Spokane Arena with tickets split 50-50.

[jazzdelmar]

Kyle Smith has put together a pretty impressive recruiting class, especially by WSU standards. If C.J. Elleby comeS back they should be pretty good this year but I really seeing them being competitive the following year as this class matures and is coached up. I think their was bad blood between Few and Ernie/Moos but Chun/Smith is a good team at WSU. Id like to see a home and home plus 1 game at the Spokane Arena with tickets split 50-50.

Be careful what you wish for. KS is a great coach and program builder.

[Radbooks]

Yes, we should play WSU! We should play all the D1 teams in the area.

[Bogozags]

Yes, we should play WSU! We should play all the D1 teams in the area.

Except for Oregon and BSU...

[509er]

Be careful what you wish for. KS is a great coach and program builder.

Truth be told I like the Zags but love the Cougs.

I get why GU hasn’t been scheduling WSU the last 4-5 years but if the Coug program can get in that top 50 range it would be a shame if they didn’t start playing. 24/7 has their recruiting class ranked #29. Somewhat of a flawed system based on total number of stars in a class rather than average star per recruit but a positive none the less.

[ZagsGoZags]

my vote would be yes,
some years ago, some years we were fortunate that WSU would lower themselves to play us, and it helped our resume,
besides if the game was in the spokane arena the fans who live in the outfield, and envy the season ticket holders who live in the infield, would get one chance to see zags in person

[IowaSERE]

I am all for what is best for GU, not whats best for WSU, or even the fans. I totally agree that we should play them, as long as they don't want a home game in return.

[ZagsGoZags]

why? martin, (oops wrong name, sorry, it is Beasley) center holds about 11k,
i drove from seattle to pullman a few years ago because it was only chance i had to see the zags play,
i agree locating for fans should not be the primary goal of scheduling but it should be somewhere down the list.
because the mcCarthy center only holds 6k it has been a perennial problem for thousands, maybe tens of thousands of fans to see the zags, money in hand.
games in Spok arena, bye bye
games in battle in seatttle, bye bye
games in martin center, bye bye
all that's left is buy a 4 game minimum package in Portland, 3 of which you wont use, and pay more than a hundred bucks,
its almost like a conspiracy, but its a problem us outfielders have and the infielders aren't bothered by it, so anyway
that's my wish, to see a game in person, and the doors are all slammed shut
i did get a free ticket a couple of years ago from a spok pal in late nov, but without snow tires, i had to wait an extra day to return to seattle, pass was chains only, so I had to go via portland, a 10 hr drive.
of course it was worth it

[SorenTodd45]

I am all for what is best for GU, not whats best for WSU, or even the fans. I totally agree that we should play them, as long as they don't want a home game in return.

A Gonzaga road game at Beasley Coliseum would be a de-facto home game for them. The Zags fans would outnumber the Cougars fans at a 3:1 ratio (minimum).

[ZagsGoZags]

that's correct,
when I was there, it was at least half full of zag fans, even though 30,000 students, and town plus local fans in the palouse hills

[IowaSERE]

A Gonzaga road game at Beasley Coliseum would be a de-facto home game for them. The Zags fans would outnumber the Cougars fans at a 3:1 ratio (minimum).

Except that we wouldnt get any revenue from it.

[sylean]

I hope WSU does whats what good for them....frankly, its amazing how smug and condescending some gu fans have been to WSU....when we know full well that WSU played GU when GU was not that good...

home and home only....good for the goose, good for the gander...

[sylean]

cougs have been known to pack Beasley....the fans will be rabid....

[StatZag19]

I attended the December 2012 home game vs GU in Pullman. It was the largest attended home game of the year and GU fans were almost louder than the Cougs student section.

Even though I attended WSU, I rooted for GU and got eviscerated by roommates & Cougs within earshot of me.

[JPtheBeasta]

A semi-regular WSU game would be nice.

I would like to see one game a year happen in the arena— whoever that might be against— so that the rest of Spokane who love and support the Zags but aren’t fortunate enough to get into the Kennel can see them in person without it costing an arm and a leg.

[TheOtherGreatOne]

It is always good to schedule a team from a so called big conference. These other fans keep yelling we don't play anybody, well all they have to do is schedule a game with us, but I notice all they do is run their mouth, instesd of playing us. Coach Few will play anyone anywhere, so all they have to do is schedule us but they never seem to give us that call. They also talk about how weak the WCC is. Most of them don't even know who is in our confrence, much less if any of those teams can play or not. BYU and St. Mary's are always pretty good and there is usually 2 more teams that are not terrible, but these other people don't even have a clue. To these other people, I will say it again, just schedule a game with us.

[TexasZagFan]

It is always good to schedule a team from a so called big conference. These other fans keep yelling we don't play anybody, well all they have to do is schedule a game with us, but I notice all they do is run their mouth, instesd of playing us. Coach Few will play anyone anywhere, so all they have to do is schedule us but they never seem to give us that call. They also talk about how weak the WCC is. Most of them don't even know who is in our confrence, much less if any of those teams can play or not. BYU and St. Mary's are always pretty good and there is usually 2 more teams that are not terrible, but these other people don't even have a clue. To these other people, I will say it again, just schedule a game with us.

Life was so much easier two years ago after we beat Duke in Maui.

"Zags play in a weak conference". Response? We beat Duke.
"Zags play a weak schedule". Response? We beat Duke.
"Zags always flame out early in the Big Dance". Response? We're the only team that's made the Sweet 16 each of the last 5 seasons, and

We Beat Duke.

[TheOtherGreatOne]

Life was so much easier two years ago after we beat Duke in Maui.

"Zags play in a weak conference". Response? We beat Duke.
"Zags play a weak schedule". Response? We beat Duke.
"Zags always flame out early in the Big Dance". Response? We're the only team that's made the Sweet 16 each of the last 5 seasons, and

We Beat Duke.

Wasn't this the duke team that had so much talent that they could beat the Cleveland Cavilers ? That's what I heard espn announcers say. I have heard espn try to jack up duke so much, that it has made me hate duke even more than before, if that is possible.

[Martin Centre Mad Man]

WSU was willing to play Gonzaga from time to time during the days when Gonzaga was not a national power. We should return the favor and maintain some good will with our regional rival. There may come a day when Gonzaga has more difficulty scheduling quality competition than we currently do. If we don’t want to play them every year, we can still play them every other year or arrange to play them two times in five years.

[WRHUradio]

I'd love to play WSU with 1 of the 2 remaining non-conference spots. Not only are they going to be quality, but will have a great crowd to play in front of, and it will cost GU just a bus trip for a road game, and result in less wear and tear on the guys. And in this economic climate, saving 1 more plane trip vs bus im sure matters to the athletic department.

I think all schools located within driving distances of each other for 20-21 should come up with an understanding that they are going to play each other in all sports or as much as possible. I believe these little things will add up. Yes there will still be flights, but its a way to save money while also raising local awareness.
Eastern Washington and WSU should be playing each other, Montana should also play WSU etc etc, Seattle U.

[GU69]

WSU was willing to play Gonzaga from time to time during the days when Gonzaga was not a national power. We should return the favor and maintain some good will with our regional rival.

I agree. Don't forget the people who helped you when you needed it.

[webspinnre]

Whether it's yearly or every other year, I'd love to see us regularly have them on the schedule. I like the idea of squaring off at the arena for a neutral-ish court. Heck, if we can get UW to commit, maybe we can alternate, playing UW one year, WSU the other.

[willandi]

While I agree with the sentiments that it would be nice for those not able to get a ticket to the Kennel, I have to ask the question "What did it matter to WSU when they played the Zags? Could it result in a loss that might hurt post season seeding? Could it possibly damage RPI (I know the Zags play some much worse teams).

Aside from allowing local people the chance to see them play, What is the benefit to Gonzaga by playing local teams? Would it win a recruiting battle?

I just don't see it from a practical standpoint. How does it benefit Gonzaga Men's Basketball?

[spike_jr]

While I agree with the sentiments that it would be nice for those not able to get a ticket to the Kennel, I have to ask the question "What did it matter to WSU when they played the Zags? Could it result in a loss that might hurt post season seeding? Could it possibly damage RPI (I know the Zags play some much worse teams).

Aside from allowing local people the chance to see them play, What is the benefit to Gonzaga by playing local teams? Would it win a recruiting battle?

I just don't see it from a practical standpoint. How does it benefit Gonzaga Men's Basketball?

I guess I missed the benefit of playing CSB, Tarleton, N FL, and Bellermine. Take a loss to one of those 4........ WSU is still a P6 school and looks much better than any of the 4 mentioned. It also generates much more local interest.

[willandi]

I guess I missed the benefit of playing CSB, Tarleton, N FL, and Bellermine. Take a loss to one of those 4........ WSU is still a P6 school and looks much better than any of the 4 mentioned. It also generates much more local interest.

Is there REALLY a chance to lose to one of those 4?

If there is, the Zags are grossly overrated.