Redhawks Give Tigers Last-Minute Scare, Fall Short in 91-85 NIT Loss
In the final minutes of Seattle U’s matchup against Auburn, the Redhawks nearly sucked the life out of Neville Arena. Five straight baskets by the underdog almost secured a miraculous come from behind win in NIT action.
But Seattle needed the poise they played with late to weather the storm in the early going and it simply wasn’t there. Multiple runs by the Tigers put the Redhawks into a hole they could not fully climb out of, suffering a season-ending 91-85 loss in the second round of the NIT Sunday night.
With the game tied at 15 in the first half, Auburn went on a 19-5 sprint to blow the game open early. Multiple Redhawk turnovers led to baskets on the other end and Auburn fed off its rowdy home crowd. While Seattle struggled to find a rhythm offensively, Auburn established control inside that led to easy looks throughout the entire contest. The Tigers had a 38-24 advantage in points in the paint and shot 32 free throws compared to 11 by the Redhawks.
Sounders Draw with Minnesota in Scoreless Grudge Match
The Seattle Sounders played to a 0-0 draw with Minnesota United on Sunday morning, which eliminated Seattle in a dramatic three-game series last season.
The Seattle Sounders went into Allianz Stadium looking for a fifth consecutive win away from Lumen Field. They got about a third of what they bargained for, playing to a 0-0 draw with the Loons to move to 3-1-1 on the young season.
Minnesota played its usual low block, dropping five defenders back and daring Seattle to beat them without giving up transition chances. Both sides generated around one expected goal, as there were moments of brilliance, especially toward the end of the game.
In the end, the Sounders kept their fifth clean sheet of the year as they head into a short international break in the middle of the Western Conference standings.
Analysis: Identifying Best EDGE Fits for Seahawks’ 2026 Draft Picks
Expectedly losing several key starters from their Super Bowl-winning squad in free agency, the Seattle Seahawks allowed former second round pick Boye Mafe to walk, as the three-year starter took his talents to the Cincinnati Bengals on a three-year, $60 million deal.
Losing Mafe, who only had two sacks and four quarterback hits in 17 games last season for Seattle, may not seem like a significant departure. But those numbers didn’t fully illustrate his impact in coach Mike Macdonald’s defense, as he still managed to eclipse 40 pressures and posted a 19% Pass Rush Win Rate that ranked eighth among EDGE defenders via ESPN, providing plenty of disruption even if the tangible statistics hitting quarterbacks didn’t translate from that.
In addition, the Seahawks have other questions at the position without Mafe, starting with the immediate future of Demarcus Lawrence, who has been at the center of retirement speculation since Super Bowl LX. Uchenna Nwosu, who finally overcame a rough two-year run of injuries to bounce back with a strong 2025 campaign, as well as Derick Hall, each have only one year remaining on their current contracts, making the EDGE spot a significant area of need short and long term for the franchise.
Looking at this year’s latest crop of EDGE defenders, which players stand out as the best potential fits to succeed Mafe and help reinforce the Seahawks’ defensive line for 2026 and beyond with each of their four selections?
Analysis: All Eyes on Caden Pinnick, Cougars’ Quarterback Room Entering Spring Ball
Though the Washington State Cougars managed to reach a bowl game in the lone season under former coach Jimmy Rogers, they did so with uneven play from multiple quarterbacks, as Jaxon Potter opened the season before being benched in favor of Zevi Eckhaus.
Potter began the year as Wazzu’s starter under center, but a horrendous performance in a blowout loss to North Texas cost him the job, and Eckhaus took the reins from there. The senior signal caller provided a lift for the Cougars by throwing 15 touchdowns and rushing for eight scores, but he still battled turnover issues, throwing 12 interceptions in 11 games.
Under new head coach Kirby Moore, the Cougars bring a mix of proven production, returning experience, and intriguing young talent into 2026, but it remains to be seen who will start. As spring football approaches in Pullman, with Eckhaus graduating and Potter transferring, who has the edge in a Washington State quarterback room featuring an exiting newcomer and two returning signal callers?
Gonzaga's Defense Slips, Season Ends in Upset Loss to Texas in Round of 32
Since forward Braden Huff went down with a dislocated knee in the middle of January, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have been able to cover up the holes in their playstyle, primarily by dominating on the defensive end.
But in the second round of the NCAA tournament, the Texas Longhorns pieced together an excellent offensive performance against the Zags. They shot 51.7% from the field, the best mark an opponent of GU has posted since Portland downed Gonzaga on February 4, and the fourth-highest clip it’s allowed all season of the year. Texas also only turned the ball over five times, the lowest forced turnover total from the Bulldogs’ perspective.
Yet, the Zags still had an opportunity to win the game, down just a point with 32 seconds to go. But another lapse defensively resulted in a crushing three from the corner out of the hand of Camden Heide, and the Zags’ response afterward was jarring. Mario Saint-Supéry then missed short on an out-of-sync three; no Longhorns were fouled, and Mark Few left the court with a timeout in his pocket as Gonzaga fell 74-68, their season coming to an end before the Sweet 16 for the second straight year.
7 Questions Facing Huskies Heading into Spring Football
The Cherry blossoms emerging in the University of Washington quad are a sign of spring for most around campus. For UW football fans, however, spring will truly begin on March 31 when spring ball begins for the Huskies.
Practices for the 2026 season begin in just 10 days as Washington starts preparing for the season-opening Apple Cup on Sept. 5, still 168 days away. The Huskies will welcome 32 new players to practice, including 20 of the expected 25 Class of 2026 and 12 scholarship transfers.
What are some of the key storylines heading into spring ball?
Fifth-Year Option Opens Gateway for Seahawks to Extend Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon
In 2023, the Seattle Seahawks possessed two first round picks in the NFL draft thanks to the Russell Wilson trade with the Denver Broncos. They used their fifth overall pick on cornerback Devon Witherspoon out of Illinois. 15 picks later, they look Ohio State star receiving Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20, double-dipping on Big Ten prospects.
Witherspoon has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons and was instrumental in the Seahawks beating the Patriots in Super Bowl LX. Meanwhile, Smith-Njigba emerged as one of the best receivers in the NFL. In 2025, his NFL-high 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns earned himself Offensive Player of the Year, the first Seahawk to earn the honor since Shaun Alexander in 2005.
Not surprisingly, the Seahawks are extremely motivated to keep both stars in Seattle long-term, and now, the first shoe has dropped in that effort. On Friday, Seattle picked up the fifth-year option on both players, by virtue of them being first round picks. They were the first team to do so for members of the 2023 draft class, well ahead of the May 1 deadline.
Reign Fall in Cascadia Rivalry Despite Two Thorns Ejections
PORTLAND, Ore. — It was about as eventful of a Cascadia Clash as you can have.
Friday night saw the Seattle Reign head down I-5 to take on their fierce NWSL rival in the Portland Thorns for their home opener — which pulled in over 21,000 fans in a record-setting and raucous atmosphere at Providence Park.
After two red cards and the return of one of the biggest stars in the sport to her home pitch in Sophia Wilson, Portland came out on top 2-0 by dropping their entire squad into the box and making Seattle beat them without transition chances.
Evidently, the Reign’s service wasn’t up to par as Seattle’s offense stalled without any chance to attack against a defense that wasn't set.
Analysis: Could Seahawks Opt for ‘More Bobo,’ Match Jaguars’ Offer Sheet?
Making a last minute pivot in the final hour before free agency officially kicked off on March 11, the Seahawks decided to change course by placing a right of first refusal tender on restricted free agent receiver Jake Bobo, hoping that would prevent another team from signing the popular veteran.
But a little over a week after tendering him at a $3.52 million value for 2026 with the aim of discouraging other suitors from signing him, even after deciding not to let him become an unrestricted free agent as originally planned, Seattle still faces the prospect of losing Bobo. Still drawing interest from other teams, the Jaguars jumped into the fray by signing the former UCLA standout to an offer sheet, giving the Seahawks five days to make a decision on whether to match the offer or allow him to walk away in free agency.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Jacksonville offered a two-year deal worth $5.5 million, which would actually carry smaller cap hits than the $3.52 million value of Bobo’s tender. The deal carries $4.5 million in guaranteed salary with a big chunk of that being paid out in the second year, which goes against how Seattle typically structures contracts, especially for reserve players. The contract also has $1.5 million in additional incentives available to push the maximum value to $7 million.
Gonzaga WBB’s Late Push Falls Short in Season-Ending Loss to Ole Miss
Even after a late rally, No. 12-seeded Gonzaga women’s basketball was unable to outmuscle a stacked No. 5 Ole Miss team in a season-ending 81-66 loss on Friday, March 20, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Ole Miss held Lauren Whittaker, the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year, to just eight points on 4 of 21 shooting, completely shutting down the Zags’ offense for most of the game.
However, after 35 minutes of dominance, the Rebels began to falter and nearly let the Zags steal an upset. What previously looked like a certain blowout ended up as a contested victory for Ole Miss.
Huskies Women Dominate Jackrabbits to Win NCAA Tournament Opener
There would be no first-round meltdown this year.
A year after blowing a 13-point halftime lead for a quick NCAA Tournament exit, the Washington women’s basketball team overcame a slow start to overwhelm South Dakota State, 72-54, in the first round Saturday at TCU’s Schollmaier Arena.
One key ingredient to Washington’s first-round win this season was sophomore Avery Howell, who helped USC reach the Final Four last year. Howell, a 6-foot sophomore, led the Huskies (22-10) with 30 points and nine rebounds. Her seven made 3-point shots and Washington’s tenacious defense carried the sixth-seeded Huskies to the second round, where they will face No. 3-seed TCU on Sunday.
Kraken’s Jekyll-and-Hyde Play Continues to Plague Seattle
You know that friend or family member that spends several years in college, not knowing what they want to do when they graduate? They declare and undeclare major after major, switching career paths faster that Indiana Jones replacing the idol in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
That is the Seattle Kraken in 2025-2026. They cannot decide if they are playoff team or not. During certain stretches, they look like they can compete with anyone. They get back into a playoff spot and look like they will have postseason hockey in Seattle. Then, out of the blue, they look like a team playing hockey together for the first time in their lives.
Gonzaga Survives Rock Fight With Kennesaw State in Round of 64
You couldn’t dream of a choppier start to the NCAA Tournament for 3-seed Gonzaga in its first-round contest against 14-seed Kennesaw State.
Connecting on just four of their first 20 shots from the field and not hitting their first three until the final minute of the first half, the Bulldogs’ shooting was anemic to start the game. Their offense was stagnant, congested, and collected as the Owls dragged the Zags into a slog, with neither team maintaining rhythm in its half-court offense.
But despite KSU leading for the majority of the first half, GU stayed at arm's length throughout. Then, Gonzaga began to play better off its exceptional defense and took a 10-0 run into halftime, riding that momentum out of the locker room into a 74-63 win. It marked the 17th straight season of the Bulldogs advancing from the first round of the tournament, and in a climate of higher seeds being upset, they will take the wins — no matter what they look like.
“I always, always understand just how hard it is to win a game in this tournament. So I think that’s one of the things I’m most proud of...” head coach Mark Few said. “I’m really happy we got through this one. It wasn't pretty, but bottom line is you just win, and now we get to move on.”
Analysis: Identifying Best Running Back Fits for Seahawks’ 2026 Draft Picks
Expectedly losing several key starters from their Super Bowl-winning squad in free agency, the Seattle Seahawks arguably took their greatest hit in the backfield with four-year starter Ken Walker III departing to join the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year deal.
Losing Walker alone would have stung, but the Seahawks also face the prospects of being without Zach Charbonnet deep into the 2026 season after he suffered a torn ACL in a playoff win over the 49ers in January, leaving them without their top two rushers from a year ago. In the aftermath of the Super Bowl MVP’s departure, general manager John Schneider waited out the free agent market before eventually signing former Packers backup Emanuel Wilson, pairing him with returning reserves George Holani and Kenny McIntosh as the top three backs on the depth chart.
Based on recent comments from Schneider, Seattle may be more comfortable with that trio than others outside of the organization, ready to give Holani or McIntosh a more extended run while thrusting Wilson into the mix with the potential to be more than just a complementary power back. But with Charbonnet only having one season left on his rookie deal, even with the team having just four picks currently, tabbing a potential long-term starter in April’s draft feels like a strong possibility, if not a guarantee.
Looking at this year’s latest crop of backs, which runners stand out as the best potential fits to succeed Walker and/or add juice to the Seahawks’ stable of backs with each of their four selections?
Sounders Finish Off 'Caps, Advance to Concacaf Quarters
"SEEEEEAAAATTTTLEEE. SOOOUUUUNNDDERSS."
The classic chant of Lumen Field echoed through downtown — Spokane, that is — on Wednesday night.
The Rave Green had plenty to be happy about east of the Cascades — their Sounders are Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal-bound for the first time since 2022, when they won the continental tournament.
The Sounders did it by first beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 on the road last week before leveraging two late goals to win the second leg 2-1 at One Spokane Stadium on Wednesday as Lumen Field undergoes FIFA World Cup preparations.
Analysis: Ranking Seahawks Biggest Remaining Needs After First Wave of Free Agency
The free agency period isn’t over in the NFL with plenty of players still seeking new homes, but only one week into the new league year, activity has slowed down substantially with most teams either bargain shopping or fully shifting attention to the looming 2026 NFL Draft.
Beginning the quest to defend their Super Bowl title, the Seattle Seahawks expectedly suffered a handful of big losses in the early stages of free agency, including three starters from that championship squad signing elsewhere. But general manager John Schneider fared quite well keeping the backbone of the team together, re-signing or tendering 13 of their 18 free agents, while adding four external free agents on one-year contracts to help fill the new voids to an extent.
Now entering the next stage of free agency as final preparations for the draft get underway, which positions stand out as the Seahawks’ biggest areas of need midway through the offseason?
Preview: 3-Seed Gonzaga Aims to Start New Sweet Sixteen Streak
When the Gonzaga Bulldogs lost to the one-seeded Houston Cougars in the second round of last year’s NCAA Tournament, it snapped the Zags’ nine-year streak of advancing to the Sweet 16.
Prioritizing different personnel in the offseason with a goal of improving defensively, GU rode a well-rounded rotation into a 30-3 record a year later, consistently sitting in the AP Poll’s Top 15 each week. Gonzaga is still a capable offense, currently playing through its Third-Team All-American big man Graham Ike. But it also boasts one of, if not the best, defensive units Mark Few has ever coached, posting the ninth-best defensive rating (93.9) in the country, per KenPom.
Aside from Ike, the team has gotten contributions from every player in the rotation. From Jalen Warley’s adaptability to Emmanuel Innocenti’s perimeter defense to Mario Saint Supéry’s three-point precision, every (Bull)dog has had its day over the course of the season. There was, of course, the bad loss to a Portland team that finished 9th in the WCC. And although the Zags’ first loss of the season was to No. 3 Michigan, the final score was 101-61, with the Wolverines being the toughest opponent GU has faced by far in a now dampened non-conference schedule compared to preseason projections.
Now a 3-seed in the West Region, what challenges lie ahead for them in the opening rounds of the tournament?
What Historic New WNBA CBA Means For 2026 Seattle Storm
Play ball. After weeks of intense negotiations, the WNBA and the WNBPA verbally agreed to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement early in the morning on Wednesday that will completely reshape player compensation, per ESPN’s Alexa Philipou.
The new salary cap will be set at $7 million, a massive increase from $1.5 million in 2025, with the supermax starting at $1.4 million ($249,244 last season), per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Average player salaries will be around $600,000 ($120,000 last season), and the minimum salary could be higher than $300,000 ($66,079 last season). All of that, coupled with a revenue share of “nearly 20% across the length of the deal,” per Philippou, makes for a historic deal.
Kraken Fall Back Into Bad Habits, Suffer 6-2 Loss to Lightning
It started with Jared McCann.
The Seattle Kraken forward said as much, referring to his turnover to Tampa Bay Lightning forward Gage Concalves on a hit along the boards that ultimately led to the latter giving his side a 1-0 lead just 5:45 into Tuesday’s game at Climate Pledge Arena, but it didn’t end there.
Between Tampa’s relentless forecheck and a couple of crucial mistakes on Seattle’s end, the Lightning stormed to a 3-0 lead. The Kraken managed to cut it to 3-2 midway through the second period, but more mistakes doomed them to a 6-2 loss.
Redhawks’ Defense Stands Tall in 67-52 Win Over Tommies in First Round of NIT
Holding an explosive St. Thomas offense to a season-low on the scoreboard, the Redhawks secured a 67-52 win over the Tommies on Tuesday night at the Connolly Center, notching a massive NIT win to advance to the second round of the tournament.
Along with holding the visiting foe to a season-low in points to set up a date with top-seeded Auburn, the Redhawks limited the Tommies to 38% shooting from the field, including 23% from three-point range, along with producing 21 turnovers. This effort defensively gave Seattle enough time to find its shooting touch in the second half.
In the first half, Seattle shot just 30% from the field, falling behind early. Struggling to find quality looks, whether driving to the lane from the perimeter or feeding Houran Dan or Austin Maurer posted up inside, the Redhawks had just four points in the paint after 20 minutes. St. Thomas, on the other hand, spread out Seattle’s defense and turned their guards loose getting downhill, frequently challenging Seattle at the rim to build a 10-point lead midway through the half.
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