Redhawks Squeak Out Defensive Slugfest, Edge Toreros in WCC Tournament
In March postseason basketball, offenses tend to slow down. A heavier emphasis is put on guys stepping up running half court offense and games come down to who can play better in crunch time. The Seattle U Redhawks needed both of those factors to go their way as they squeaked out a 58-56 win over the University of San Diego Friday night at the Orleans Arena in the second round of the WCC tournament.
Seattle led by the eventual final score with 1:43 left to play, and its defense hunkered down. The Toreros came up empty handed on their last three possessions, failing to capitalize on chances to knot it up or take a late lead. Their final possession came off a missed layup from Seattle’s Will Heimbrodt with 11 seconds left. On the other end, San Diego missed a potential walk off three and missed the game tying layup off an offensive rebound, allowing the Redhawks to breathe a sigh of relief as their season stayed alive.
Seattle’s effort late came off the back of a veteran who has been a closer for the team over the past month in guard Jojo Murphy. Murphy delivered off the bench with 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals, both of which led to fastbreak layups. Whether it's starting in place of Brayden Maldonado, starting alongside him, or coming off the bench, his effort has been something head coach Chris Victor can always depend on.
Analysis: Do Mariners Actually Have Something Real in Brennen Davis?
SURPRISE, Ariz. - The prospect trajectories of Brennen Davis and Jack Leiter are like a lenticular print. From one angle, they seem like they could not be any more different, but from the other, they have quite a few similarities. On the one hand, they both peaked in prospect rankings in 2022, when they each got the coveted number one spot in their respective organizations from Baseball America - and their stock fell in future years. But on the other, Davis has never seen a single pitch in the big leagues, while Leiter weathered a rough couple of outings in 2024 to come back for a full rookie year in 2025 when he pitched to a 3.86 ERA and 4.15 FIP in 151 ⅔ innings, finishing seventh in rookie of the year voting.
You wouldn’t know it from the way Davis took Leiter to town on Friday. The long-beleaguered outfielder saw a belt-high fastball over the inside part of the plate in the fourth inning of the Mariners’ game against the Rangers and sent a 437-foot missile to left center. The M’s went on to break a six-game Spring Training skid that had seen the team score 40 less runs than their opponents with a 5-1 victory. It was Davis’ third homer of the spring and brought his Cactus League batting average to .476. Is this for real?
WSU Men’s Basketball Eliminated By Portland in WCC Second Round
The No. 8-seeded Washington State Cougars men’s basketball team went one-and-done in the West Coast Conference Tournament following a 74-68 loss to No. 9 Portland in the second round on Friday, March 6, at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
Following a first-round bye, the Cougars appeared to lack confidence on offense in a season-ending defeat against a frisky Pilots group. Portland took away WSU’s 3-point bread and butter, and the Cougars looked lost offensively.
Huskies Beat USC 91-72 Behind Hannes Steinbach’s Historic Night
It’s been an inconsistent season for the Washington men’s basketball team, but the one thing the Huskies can generally count on his a Hannes Steinbach double-double.
The UW frosh phenom recorded his 19th game of double figures in both points and rebounds during Wednesday’s 91-72 win over USC, surpassing Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger for the most by a Big Ten freshman since the 1996-97 season.
It took Steinbach less than 16 minutes to get there against the Trojans, but there were more records to break for the 6-11 forward from Germany, who finished with 22 points. His 24 rebounds established a new modern-day record (since 1977).
‘We Were Committed’: Kraken Stick to Game Plan, Earn Massive 2-1 Win vs. Hurricanes
The Seattle Kraken knew exactly what they needed to do when the Carolina Hurricanes rolled into Climate Pledge Arena on Monday.
Entering the game with the second-best record in the NHL, Carolina averaged the second-most shots on goal per game (32) and had totaled the most combined shots on goal plus shot attempts (2,347 Fenwick For).
So it wasn’t a surprise when the Hurricanes outshot Seattle 36-15 by the end of the night. What was a surprise was that the Kraken put more of theirs into the back of the net.
Brayden Maldonado’s Heroics in Return Lead Redhawks to 71-66 Win Over Lions
In his first game back in the lineup, Brayden Maldonado did not miss a beat, having his best game of the season and helping the Seattle Redhawks get over a second-half hump that has plagued them all season for the 71-66 over LMU Saturday night at the Gersten Pavilion.
Maldonado returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games with an injury and finished with a season-high 33 points. He put the Redhawks on his shoulders offensively, impacting the game in a variety of ways.
Coming off screens, the Lions opted not to send multiple defenders at him, and the guard found his way into the paint driving to the hoop frequently. He attempted 12 free throws and converted on nine of them. He also matched a season-high in three pointers made with six. He made multiple tough shots coming off screens and gave LMU defenders trouble all night.
After Consecutive Run-Rules, Gonzaga Baseball Salvages Series vs. No. 13 Oklahoma
Initially outclassed in its first series of the season against a ranked opponent, Gonzaga baseball (3-7) left its series against No. 13 Oklahoma (10-2) on a high note.
It’s difficult to swing a series loss positively, but even while being run-ruled by the Sooners in each of the first two games of the series, the Bulldogs showed signs of life by the end of the weekend. The set culminated in a 7-1 victory where GU’s pitching staff truly stifled OU’s offense, with a southpaw spinning a quality start and a freshman right-hander continuing to dominate.
What steps did the Zags take at Kimrey Family Stadium?
Cougars Capsized by Waves, Lose 88-79 in Malibu
Closing out what has been a frustrating and disappointing regular season, the Washington State Cougars couldn’t overcome a poor start and dropped their finale in an 88–79 loss to Pepperdine in Malibu.
Despite the final score appearing somewhat competitive, the game was far more lopsided than the final score suggests, as Washington State used a garbage time run to make the end tally seem closer than it really was. The Cougars trailed by as many as 20 points with 8:30 remaining in the second half and were still down 16, 74–58, with just five minutes to play before a late run narrowed the gap.
With the loss, Washington State falls to 12–19 overall and 7–11 in West Coast Conference play, finishing eighth in the conference standings. In a year full of bad losses, this latest setback may be arguably the team’s most disappointing of the season, coming against a Pepperdine squad that entered the matchup in last place in the WCC. Even more concerning is the Cougars’ continued inability to win away from home. Washington State finished the regular season with just one Division I road victory outside the state of Washington.
Gonzaga WBB Falls 92-91 to Portland in Tight, Overtime Affair
The final score certainly doesn’t do an accurate job of depicting how this game unfolded. A physical contest between Gonzaga women’s basketball (22-9, 14-4) and Portland (17-13, 11-7), filled with fouls and turnovers, led to the Pilots edging out a 92-91 overtime victory at home, denying the Bulldogs a share of the WCC regular-season title.
Much like UP has done all season, it pressed, trapped, and was as opportunistic as possible on the Zags to limit attempts from beyond the arc and also keep them from the restricted area. Entering play Saturday as the second-best three-point shooting team in the country, GU only connected on a season-low two tries from deep, even while playing five periods. On the other side, Portland hit 13 threes of its own – several of the clutch variety – and forced 28 turnovers to gut out a narrow win.
That final turnover tally would be the highest Gonzaga has committed all season, and they happened in all shapes and sizes on Saturday. Inbounding the ball was an issue early as guards weren’t given much space, leading to forced and errant passes. When the ball did get brought up the floor, traps were sent that rushed swing passes, and the Pilots jumped into passing lanes. Eventually, the Zags' frustration grew, yielding self-inflicted wounds such as turnovers and offensive fouls that extended scoring droughts, such as a six-minute stretch during an eight-turnover second period.
Saint Mary's Erupts in Second Half, Defeats No. 9 Gonzaga 70-59
A tale of two halves might be an understatement. Opening the final regular-season WCC matchup between rivals Gonzaga (28-3, 16-2) and Saint Mary’s (27-4, 16-2), it was the Bulldogs who brought the energy to UCU Pavilion. Graham Ike was great in the first 20 minutes, gesturing back to the Gael Force, SMC’s student section, each time he converted a field goal. Saint Mary’s was hesitant to push the ball inside, taking more shots from beyond the arc than inside it, with its star forward Paulius Murauskas as the poster player for that style of basketball.
But the continuous three-point shooting became a weapon for the Gaels in the second half, while the Zags couldn’t come up with an answer. Ike was held to only four points after halftime and also fouled out with 3:45 to play. It was Gaels guard Mikey Lewis who stole the show, scoring a career-high 31 points with seven made threes, leading a ferocious attack that helped SMC surge to a 70-59 win and clinch at least a share of the conference regular-season title for the fourth consecutive season.
“I thought our defense was excellent in the first half. To me, it was a tale of two halves,” Few said. “…They were definitely the tougher team in the second half.”
Allie Turner Nails Nine Threes, Wills Gonzaga WBB to Win Over Saint Mary's
For most of this season for Gonzaga women’s basketball (22-8, 14-3), redshirt freshman Lauren Whittaker has stolen the show. Averaging 19 points and 10.2 rebounds on 55.6% shooting, she has tied the WCC record with 12 Freshman of the Week awards and has a chance to break the record next week. But in the majority of the Bulldogs’ last home game against Saint Mary’s (15-15, 6-11) Thursday night, the Gaels did about as good a job as any team has at limiting the first-year forward offensively.
So who better to step up in Whittaker’s place than sophomore Allie Turner, who connected on nine three-pointers to tie Michelle Elliot for the most made by a Bulldog in a game. After a stellar freshman season of her own, Turner has taken more of a secondary role this year in deference to Whittaker. But she delivered a career-high 29 points to power her squad to a 75-67 win over Saint Mary’s on Senior Night, as the Zags keep pace at the top of the conference standings.
Kraken Struggle to Shake Bad Habits in 5-1 Loss to Blues
It wasn’t pretty, but it was exactly what the Seattle Kraken wanted.
After allowing three tip-in goals in a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars the night before, the Kraken expressed a desire, a necessity, to throw more pucks on net to create scoring chances for themselves.
“We just need to get pucks towards the net, and get a greasy one,” defenseman Ryker Evans told reporters in Dallas after Wednesday’s game. “We were just trying to make a fancy play or just pass it, and we just need to get it to the net.”
So after Seattle allowed two goals in the first 95 seconds of the second period against the St. Louis Blues to go down 3-1 on Thursday, it appeared Evans followed through when the Kraken needed someone to cut the deficit.
Will Heimbrodt’s Career Night Lifts Redhawks to 87-80 Road Win vs. Waves
WCC play has been up and down for Wiil Heimbrodt, but in the wake of guard Brayden Maldonado's injury, the playmaking forward has stepped up. On Wednesday night, the sophomore put together the best performance of his career at the perfect time to lead the Redhawks to an 87-80 win over the Pepperdine Waves.
Igniting a hot Seattle U offense, Heimbrodt finished with 24 points on 10-13 shooting from the field, matching a career-high, along with five assists, five blocks, four rebounds, and four steals. From the tip, he represented a matchup nightmare for the Waves. No one in the backcourt could match his physicality, and no one in the front court could keep up with his speed. Niine of his field goals came in the paint, and he got to the rim in a multitude of ways.
Gonzaga Cruises in Senior Night Win Over Portland, Clinches No. 1 Seed in WCC
There was no semblance of an upset this time around. In Gonzaga’s final game of the season at the McCarthey Athletic Center, the Bulldogs (28-2, 16-1) annihilated Portland (12-18, 5-12) on Senior Night 89-48, clinching the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and at least a share of the regular season title in the program’s final year as a member of the WCC.
It capped off their first undefeated season at home since 2021-22, and with the Zags cutting down the net on their home court afterwards, the postgame emotions were certainly different compared to when they suffered their lone conference loss to the Pilots three weeks ago. It was a true beatdown on both ends, as GU notched its largest margin of defeat of West Coast play, and its most lopsided victory since Dec. 7, when it beat North Florida by 51.
Fueling Portland in its previous matchup against Gonzaga was freshman Joel Foxwell, who drilled several contested and back-breaking shots on the way to a 27-point performance. His game tonight started similarly, as he knocked down two stepback three-pointers over Mario Saint-Supéry before drawing a foul on a third attempt from distance. But his scoring magic did not continue, with the Bulldogs locking in defensively on Foxwell – who finished with just 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting – and the rest of the Pilots’ offense to hold them to several scoreless stretches.
Kraken Stumble Out of Olympic Break With 4-1 Loss to Stars
Coming off the extended Olympic break, the Seattle Kraken managed to put together the kind of start they wanted against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.
Playing physical from the jump, Seattle did not allow a shot on goal from Dallas between 5:21 and 12:40 in the first period, and put together a productive power-play opportunity in that span, albeit without scoring.
However, the Stars picked up the pressure in the final minutes of the first, scoring just 1:19 before the intermission before taking a 2-0 lead 1:43 into the second. Before the second period was half over, the Kraken trailed 4-0 en route to a 4-1 loss.
Huskies Avoid Big Ten Cellar with Hannes Steinbach’s Big Game at Rutgers
It’s “celebrate the little wins” season for the Washington men’s basketball team.
Behind Hannes Steinbach’s 17th double-double, the Huskies put themselves in a strong position to earn a Big Ten Tournament bye heading into the final three games of a disappointing, injury-riddled season with a 79-72 win at Rutgers.
Gonzaga Baseball Loses Two of Three at Texas State, Falls to 2-5
Continuing a tough stretch to begin the season, Gonzaga baseball (2-5) took on Texas State (5-2) this past weekend, but once again succumbed on the road. Although they had opportunities to win the series, the Bulldogs instead lost two of three games to the Bobcats.
Texas State scored first in all three contests, with the Zags needing to play catch-up constantly throughout the set. The first game was the toughest pill to swallow for the Zags, as they blew a three-run cushion, with the Bobcats plating four runs in the eighth to steal it. GU’s bats were quieted by the opposing starters in each of the final two games, sparking a rally late in the middle game but not being able to repeat its heroics in the rubber match.
How did another series squeeze out of Gonzaga’s grasp?
Washington State Fizzles in Second Half, Saint Mary’s Pulls Away for 83-67 Win
The Washington State Cougars hung with Saint Mary's for nearly 27 minutes on Saturday night, but a cold half from beyond the arc and a lack of stops down the stretch allowed the favored Gaels to pull away for an 83–67 victory in Pullman.
For much of the game, the Cougars showed they were capable of competing with one of the top teams in the West Coast Conference. However, they needed to play at their best for 40 minutes and once Saint Mary’s started to pull away, Washington State wasn’t able to make another run to get back in it in the closing minutes.
Washington State shot the ball from three-point range really well in the first half, going 7-12 from downtown, sending coach David Riley’s team into the break trailing 40-39.
John Christofilis, Seniors Step Up in Redhawks 71-59 Win Over Pilots
With Seattle U celebrating senior night at the Connolly Center, all three seniors that dressed were in the starting lineup together for the first time this season, and all made a significant impact in the Redhawks 71-59 win over the Portland Pilots on Saturday night.
Prior to his senior season, John Christofilis started 50 games over his sophomore and junior seasons with the Redhawks. This year, however, his minutes and opportunities have all been reduced in a bench role. However, the savvy guard has not hung his head, instead fitting into whatever role Chris Victor needed from him and on Saturday, he made the most of his chance in a return to the lineup with Brayden Maldonado still out due to injury.
Gonzaga Wins Clunky Contest Against Pacific 71-62
It sure wasn’t pretty. There were plenty of ill-advised shots, rushed possessions, and a bunch of missed free throws, but Gonzaga (27-2, 16-1) still found a way to get past Pacific (17-13, 8-9) 71-62 at home for its fifth consecutive victory.
Watching the Tigers on tape, Mark Few figured the game would be far from a smooth operation. His prediction was taken to the extreme, with Gonzaga playing one of its rougher stretches of basketball this season in the first half.
Eight and a half hours earlier, there was a bracket preview held for the NCAA Tournament, where the Zags were listed as one of the No.3 seeds. One of the committee chairs, Keith Gill, shared that the group was seriously considering GU as a No.4 seed prior to a season-ending injury to Texas Tech’s JT Toppin, with the Bulldogs’ lone conference loss to Portland still looming large in the eyes of the committee.
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