In the ultimate power play last week, Gonzaga gave WSU an ultimatum in their basketball series—play us twice in Spokane for every time we come to Pullman, or this series is over.

This past season marked the 148th game of all-time in the long-lasting rivalry, and believe it or not WSU actually holds a 98-50 series advantage. But Gonzaga has used their recent basketball dominance, albeit in one of the nation’s weakest conferences, to bully a struggling WSU program into sacrificing a home game in order to ensure the continuance of tradition.

This is absolutely asinine. WSU should have simply said no. Where does Gonzaga get off? Since its inception in 1907, they didn’t make their first NCAA Tournament until the 1994-1995 season. It wasn’t until then that they were put on the map, winning 17 of the last 21 conference titles.

WSU doesn’t have much basketball tradition to brag about, but historically they’ve sure ran Gonzaga out of the gym, posting a .662 winning percentage in the series.

I understand why Athletic Director Bill Moos agreed to Gonzaga’s terms to give them two home games for every one of WSU’s in order to continue the series, but I disagree. Sure, playing Gonzaga and beating Gonzaga is good for in-state recruiting, and WSU is sure to receive a small payout for the game, but at what point does money and the continuance of a rivalry justify sacrificing your chances at winning?

Unfortunately, students who are to be seniors next year will miss out on one of the school’s greatest fall attractions. Annually, the Gonzaga game is one of WSU’s most attended indoor events. It would be like the Apple Cup being played outside of Pullman.

Many will remember the last time the Cougars hosted the Zags in Pullman in 2012. The Cougars drew in 9,367 fans in a 71-69 loss that came down to the last shot. No other crowd came close to that large that year, not even the game against Washington, which drew 7,771 fans.

After the game, WSU star forward Brock Motum said, “I wish we could have more crowds like this, I think we’d win a lot more games.”

Since then, WSU men’s basketball crowds have cut in half and led a trend throughout the Pac 12 conference in dwindling attendance.

For a school struggling to get people in the Beasley Coliseum seats, wouldn’t it make sense to keep the school’s most attended game in Pullman? Unfortunately, the Cougars were not given that option.

Some will say that WSU will earn some money for agreeing to this deal. After all, the athletic department is in debt, and with the basketball program due for a facilities upgrade, every little bit helps.

But most NCAA athletic departments find themselves in debt, and the Cougars are going to need every win they can get. Playing a basketball game in Gonzaga’s backyard is sure to decrease those odds of winning.

Sure, there are a ton of WSU alumni in Spokane who may turn out for the game, but for the most part, the attitude toward WSU basketball has become increasingly apathetic. It is important not to underestimate the will of the students, who would turn out for a game in Pullman next year because of the rivalry and the arena being a short walk across campus. Alumni in Spokane? Not so much.

Plain and simple, it isn’t right for Gonzaga to offer WSU a take-it or leave-it deal. There are only two big-time sports teams in Eastern Washington: Gonzaga and WSU. For them not to play would be a travesty.

And I thought UW was pompous for offering Gonzaga a similar scenario in 2007, where Gonzaga would be forced to travel to Seattle an extra year to play a game in Key Arena. Maybe all of this slimy business of using questionable morals to win a game can be traced back to UW.

Whatever the case, I recently heard rumors about Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few potentially becoming an owner of a bar in Spokane. Unfortunately for patrons, you can only stay for the first two rounds.

— Beau Baily is a junior communication major from Puyallup. He can be contacted at 335-1140 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of Student Publications.