I'm inside the Rose Garden in Portland. Washington and Purdue are just about to get going. That means Gonzaga is just hours away from tip-off against Western Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The atmosphere is electric here. There are tons of Husky fans in the building. There is purple everywhere. The "Go Huskies" chant is echoing through the building. Most of the Bulldog fans are already here too. Most are scattered around the building, but there is a good group right behind the Zags bench. There is also a chunk of students (maybe 30 or 40 Kennel Club members) clumped in Section 122 (near mid-court, but at the top of the lower bowl).

I don't know if you watched our ten and eleven o'clock shows last night, but just a heads up. I ran a feature on Austin Daye and his shot blocking ability. He swatted five shots in the Akron game alone, putting him at 66 for the season. That's more than 48 DI teams -- yes, teams -- had all year. The 120 blocked shots he's registered in his career put him third on the Bulldogs all-time list...he's only a sophomore. He credits his instincts...not his athletic ability. It was pretty funny...I asked Josh Heytvelt about Austin's defense and Josh said he doesn't even let up in practice. He said "it's frustrating as heck!" I expect to see Daye pretty active today. Four of Western Kentucky's five starters are no taller than 6'5". The guys told me yesterday they'll need to contest the Hilltoppers shots if they want to win.

I also talked to Josh Heytvelt yesterday about his time at GU. He expressed how nice it is to finally have a full-season without any injuries or other off the court issues. Everyone knows the story by now, but Heytvelt was arrested on drug charges two years ago. He's grown up a lot since then. Matt Bouldin said he's a better person on and off the court. Mark Few also said he's changed a lot. Josh gave credit to the people around him. He says he has better relationships with his teammates and coaches than ever before. He finished by saying, "I'm in a really good place." Going deep in the tournament means a lot to him, saying he still has a lot to prove and he's ready to give 110% in every game he has left to play for Gonzaga. He should be a major target today. He's two inches taller than anyone on Western Kentucky's roster.

The Bulldogs opened as a nine-and-a-half point favorite...they are now favored by 11. That means there is lots of confidence in Gonzaga again. The same thing happened against Akron. GU opened as a 12-and-a-half point favorite, and turned in a 14 point favorite by game time.

Tip-off is slated for 5:10 here in Portland. It's a game you can only see on KREM 2.

Of course, we'll have full coverage live from the Rose City tonight with all the highlights and post game reaction. There will also be blowout coverage on KREM.com.

Gonzaga gets either North Carolina or LSU next. Those two teams are just about to get started (2:45pm) in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Before I let you go. It sounds like the team will fly back to Spokane on Sunday morning. I'll have more details for you later tonight with a more exact time (if you're planning on welcoming them home).

P.S. Again, I want to invite you to leave a comment or question below. If I don't have an answer for you...I'll find it. I can also give you insight (depending on what it is) into any behind-the-scenes stuff you want to know. That's what this blog is all about...giving you the best possible coverage we can!

---