Thanksgiving links: Apple Cup, a point spread, and basketball in the Bahamas

Happy Thanksgiving, folks. Enjoy some links with your turkey. But at least enjoy the turkey.

--- Don Ruiz filled in at Huskies coach Chris Petersen’s final media availability before Friday’s game, and filed this story about WSU’s oft-overlooked defense and running game.

--- Washington State remains atop our Pac-12 Power Rankings.

--- The UW men’s basketball team lost Wednesday morning, 80-64, to No. 10 Gonzaga in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. The Huskies play Thursday against the Texas Longhorns, who they also played in their season opener Nov. 13 in Shanghai, China. UW won that game 77-71 (the game will air on AXS TV, listings for which can be found in the previous link).

--- The Huskies opened as 5.5-point favorites in a few sports books on Wednesday.

--- CougCenter has a pretty comprehensive preview of the game, for which I answered a few questions.

--- UW tailback Myles Gaskin likes to find lanes.

--- UW fired longtime women’s rowing coach Bob Ernst after a 42-year career.

--- John Blanchette writes that WSU quarterback Luke Falk should be safe and sit this one out.

--- Gabe Marks sparks the Cougars with talent and energy.

--- Jim Moore writes that Petersen and Mike Leach are ruining this year’s Apple Cup.

--- Ted Miller writes that Petersen and Leach offer an Apple Cup contrast.

--- UC-Davis coaching legend Jim Sochor, for whom Petersen played quarterback, died on Wednesday at age 77. Petersen has said his coaching philosophy is based in part on Sochor’s methods.

This story was originally published November 26, 2015 at 12:32 AM with the headline "Thanksgiving links: Apple Cup, a point spread, and basketball in the Bahamas."