Northwest Notes July 19, 2024
Gonzaga, UCLA agree to two-year series
Gonzaga and UCLA have agreed to play in each of the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons in men's basketball.
The Zags and Bruins will square off in the new Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Dec. 28, before meeting in Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena the following season on Dec. 13, 2025.
In an event coined the West Coast Hoops Showdown, the teams will meet at Intuit Dome for what will be the first college basketball game to be played in the venue, the new home of the Los Angeles Clippers.
According to FOX Sports’ early season Top 25 rankings, Gonzaga is No. 8 and UCLA is No. 17.
It will be the 10th and 11th all-time meetings between the west coast programs. GU has won seven of the past nine matchups, including the last four. The Bruins and Bulldogs have met in each of the last four seasons, with three of those games decided by a combined 10 points.
The Zags have won the last three NCAA Tournament matchups against UCLA, including a 93-90 win in overtime in the national semifinal in Indianapolis in 2021. Jalen Suggs hit the game-winner as time expired from inside half-court. In the Sweet 16 in 2023, Julian Strawther hit a three-pointer with 7.2 seconds left in regulation to give Gonzaga the 79-76 win.
Gonzaga won the first all-time between the programs, 59-43, at UCLA on Dec. 11, 1999.
Television details, game time and ticket information for the Dec. 28 contest at Intuit Dome will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can receive presale access by registering at www.intuitdome.com/hoops2024.
Lauer, who guided Edmonton to 2022 WHL title, named Spokane Chiefs head coach
SPOKANE — Brad Lauer, the Western Hockey League's all-time leader in winning percentage (.742), has been named head coach of the Spokane Chiefs.
Lauer has signed a multi-year contract and becomes the 16th full-time head coach in franchise history.
“He led his team to tremendous success in the WHL during his four seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings, as well as preparing and developing his players for the next level," Chiefs general manager Matt Bardsley said. "With Brad’s nine years of NHL coaching experience, and most recently with the Winnipeg Jets, he has a great understanding of what it takes for today’s junior players to not only play in the NHL, but succeed there."
The Humboldt, Saskatchewan native has spent the last two seasons with the NHL's Winnipeg Jets assistant coach.
Prior to that, Lauer spent four seasons as the bench boss for the Edmonton Oil Kings, where he led the team to a WHL championship in 2021-22 — their third Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history. Under Lauer’s guidance, the Oil Kings posted a 154-46-13-10 record highlighted by a historic 2021-22 season, which saw franchise records for longest win-streak in a single season (14 games) and best winning percentage (.765).
During the abbreviated 2020-21 season, the Oil Kings finished with the best record in the entire WHL after going 20-2-0-1 (.891) in the 23-game campaign. Following the 2019-20 season, Lauer was named the WHL’s Coach of the Year, becoming the first Oil Kings coach in franchise history to win the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy.
Each of Lauer’s four seasons in Edmonton, the Oil Kings were Central Division champions in the Eastern Conference.
Before he joined Edmonton, the 57-year-old spent a decade coaching at the professional level as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lighting (NHL), Anaheim Ducks (NHL), Syracuse Crunch (AHL), Ottawa Senators (NHL) and Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). Before making the move to pro hockey, he spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Kootenay Ice from 2002-07.
As a player, Lauer spent his junior hockey career with the Regina Pats from 1983-86 and played in 189 games (74-91-165). In 1985, he was drafted in the second round (34th overall) by the New York Islanders and went on to play pro hockey for 16 seasons in the NHL, IHL, AHL and BISL. He appeared in 323 NHL games and recorded 111 points (44G-67A) with the New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Chiefs will start their 2024-25 campaign on the road against the Prince George Cougars on Sept. 20.
Big Sky announces 2024-25 women’s basketball conference slate
FARMINGTON, Utah — The Big Sky will play an 18-game double round-robin format, taking on every other conference opponent both at home and on the road.
The first weekend of conference play is set for Thursday, Jan. 2 and Saturday, Jan. 4, as all 10 Big Sky teams tip off their league slates. The conference season will conclude on Monday, March 3, followed by the Big Sky Basketball Championships on March 8-12 at the Idaho Central Arena in Boise.
Both matchups between Idaho and Eastern Washington will be women's/men's doubleheaders.
Here are the conference schedules for Idaho and Eastern Washington:
Idaho
January
2 — at Montana State. 4 — at Montana. 9 — Sacramento State. 11 — Portland State. 18 — Eastern Washington. 20 — Montana. 23 — at Northern Colorado. 25 — at Northern Arizona. 30 — Weber State.
February
1 — Idaho State. 6 — at Portland State. 8 — at Sacramento State. 15 — at Eastern Washington. 20 — Northern Arizona. 22 — Northern Colorado. 27 — at Idaho State.
March
1 — at Weber State. 3 — Montana State.
Eastern Washington
January
2 — at Montana. 4 — at Montana State. 9 — Portland State. 11 — Sacramento State. 18 — at Idaho. 20 — Montana State. 23 — at Northern Arizona. 25 — at Northern Colorado. 30 — Idaho State.
February
1 — Weber State. 6 — at Sacramento State. 8 — at Portland State. 15 — Idaho. 20 — Northern Colorado. 22 — Northern Arizona. 27 — at Weber State.
March
1 — at Idaho State. 3 — Montana.
EWU releases men’s basketball schedule
CHENEY — A matchup with Washington State at the Spokane Arena on Nov. 21 is part of the Eastern Washington University men’s basketball schedule announced Thursday.
EWU MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
November
4 — at Colorado. 6 — Seattle U. 11 — at Missouri. 17 — Cal Poly. 21 — Washington State (at Spokane Arena). 23 — at Cal Baptist. 26 — at UC Santa Barbara. 30 — at Utah.
December
4 — North Dakota. 7 — at South Dakota State. 10 — at Washington. 21 — Lincoln. 30 — Eastern Oregon.
January
2 — Montana. 4 — Montana State. 9 — at Portland State. 11 — at Sacramento State. 18 — at Idaho. 20 — at Montana State. 23 — Northern Arizona. 25 — Northern Colorado. 30 — at Idaho State.
February
1 — at Weber State. 6 — Sacramento State. 8 — Portland State. 15 — Idaho. 20 — at Northern Colorado. 22 — at Northern Arizona. 27 — Weber State.
March
1 — Idaho State. 3 — at Montana.