#1/1 Gonzaga (24-2, 13-0 WCC) at #23/23 Saint Mary's (23-6, 11-3 WCC)
SATURDAY, FEB. 26 | 7 P.M. | UCU PAVILION | MORAGA, CA
TELEVISION: ESPN
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THE TIP OFF
- No. 1/1 Gonzaga caps off the regular season at No. 23/23 Saint Mary's Saturday at 7 p.m. It's the 108th meeting between the programs and the Zags own the all-time series 76-31.
- GU has won seven straight meetings in the series, including five consecutive victories in Moraga. The Gaels last win came in the 2019 WCC Tournament Championships, 60-47, when the Bulldogs were No. 1.
- The Zags have won 34 straight conference games, 33 by double-digits, which is the longest active streak of its kind in the nation. Gonzaga's last league loss was a 91-78 setback at BYU on Feb. 22, 2020. The Bulldogs have won 31 consecutive WCC games by double-digits by an average margin of 24.2 points.
- GU has won 12 straight true road games, which is the longest active streak in the country.
- Gonzaga is coming off an 89-73 win at San Francisco Thursday. Chet Holmgren had 21 points and 15 rebounds.
- The Zags are one of three unbeaten teams in conference play. GU is on a 17-game win streak, tied for the longest active streak in the nation. It's the sixth straight season GU has had a 10-game or more win streak.
- The Zags are 13-0 in WCC play for the third straight season. GU has finished perfect in WCC play six times.
- GU is one win from clinching its 15th straight 25-win season, and is currently the only one with 14 straight.
- The Bulldogs ride a national-best, and program-best, 67-game home win streak, with the last loss in 2018.
- Gonzaga is No. 1 in the AP Poll, the 39th week as the nation's top team and sixth this season. GU boasts a 64-7 record as No. 1 in the AP poll. Since 2017, Gonzaga has been No. 1 in 36 of the 111 AP polls (32 percent).
- GU is first in the nation in scoring offense (89.5), field goal percentage (53.0), scoring margin (24.6), two-point percentage (61.6) and defensive rebounds (32.7), second in assists per game (18.9), rebound margin (10.0), and field goal percentage defense (37.4), third in rebounds per game (42.6), fourth in assist-turnover ratio (1.61).
- Andrew Nembhard is eighth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.17). Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme are eighth and 15th in the nation shooting 62.2 percent and 59.5 percent from the field. Holmgren is fourth with 93 blocks and fourth averaging 3.58 blocks per game. He's also seventh grabbing 8.1 defensive rebounds per game.
- GU is 10-2 versus Quad 1 and 2 teams, 8-2 vs. Quad 1, the third-most wins in the nation vs. Quad 1 teams.
- The Zags are first in KenPom's rankings (second offensive efficiency and sixth efficient defense).
- The Bulldogs have won 76 of their last 80 games, and since the start of the 2019-20 season, GU has won a national-best 86 out of their last 91 games. Gonzaga is also 57-3 since the start of 2020-21.
 
SERIES NOTES
- This is the 108th all-time meeting between Gonzaga and Saint Mary's. The Bulldogs lead the series 76-31, winning the last seven, and 22 of the last 26 meetings.
- The Zags are 50-11 against SMC under Mark Few.
- Gonzaga won the matchup earlier this season in Spokane, 74-58. Drew Timme scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Chet Holmgren had 11 points and 13 rebounds.
- The Bulldogs are 26-18 all-time at Saint Mary's.
- GU won last season's meeting in Moraga, 73-59, on Jan. 16, 2021. Timme had 14 points and eight rebounds.
- Gonzaga is 34-11 all-time at home against SMC. GU is 17-4 in the meetings in the McCarthey Athletic Center.
- The Zags are 15-4 against SMC in the WCC Tournament, winning six of the last seven meetings in the event. The teams have met in the tournament 12 of the past 14 years.
- The Bulldogs won the first all-time meeting between the programs, 86-84, in Moraga on Dec. 23, 1971.
 
THE BEST IN THE WEST
- Gonzaga and Saint Mary's have finished in the top two of the West Coast Conference standings in 10 of the past 13 seasons, and 13 of the last 17 seasons. (SMC: second last two seasons, fourth in 2013-14 and third in 2006-07)
- The last 22 regular season titles have been won or shared by Gonzaga or Saint Mary's. The Zags have won or shared 20, while SMC has won or shared two.
- The last 13 WCC Tournament titles have been won by either Gonzaga or SMC. GU has 10 of those 13 titles.
- Gonzaga has won all seven meetings when both teams have been ranked by an average margin of 14 points. The Zags have won all but one by double-digits.
 
SCOUTING THE GAELS
- Saint Mary's won its third straight game since falling at Gonzaga on Feb. 12, winning at San Diego Thursday, 60-46. Four Gaels finished in double-digit scoring led by Logan Johnson's 14 points. Matthias Tass added 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists. SMC led by as many as 23 points.
- Saint Mary's is ninth in the nation holding opponents to 59.5 points per game. Logan Johnson is 12th with 61 steals.
- SMC is a perfect 15-0 at home this season, and has won 17 straight at home, the fourth-longest streak in the nation.
- Four Gaels average double-digit scoring led by Tass at 12.4 points per game. He's also grabbing 6.3 rebounds per outing. Tommy Kuhse adds 11.3 points per game, while Johnson and Alex Ducas average 11.1 and 10.4. Kuhse dishes out a team-high 3.59 assists per game, and Johnson has 2.1 steals.
- Saint Mary's was picked third in the WCC Preseason Poll.
 
ON THIS DAY IN ZAG HISTORY
- Gonzaga is 9-4 on Feb. 26 since joining Div. 1 in 1958-59.
- In their last game on this date, the Zags beat San Diego, 59-39, in 2015.
- The Bulldogs have won five straight games on Feb. 26.
- GU fell at Saint Mary's on this date in 1983, 51-46, and beat the Gaels in Spokane in 1981, 64-63.
 
MILESTONE WATCH
- Chet Holmgren's 93 blocks rank second in program history for most in a season. Brandon Clarke set the record in 2018-19 with 117. Clarke had 80 blocks after 26 games that season, averaging 3.08 per outing.
- Holmgren is two blocks from tying Josh Heytvelt (2006-09) for eighth for most in a GU career at 95, and six from matching Tim Ruff (1981-85) for seventh at 99.
- Rasir Bolton is four steals from 100 in his career.
- Anton Watson is nine steals from 100 in his career.
- Drew Timme is at 1,401 points in his career. He is 29 points away from 21st all-time at Gonzaga.
- Drew Timme is 33 rebounds from 600 in his career.
- Rasir Bolton is 20 assists from 300 in his career.
 
A ZAG WIN WOULD ...
- Extend the nation's longest conference winning streak to 35 games, dating back to a loss at BYU on Feb. 22, 2019.
- Be the 18th straight GU win in February.
- Improve Mark Few's record in February to 162-23.
- Extend the nation's longest true road win streak to 13.
- Complete the seventh perfect West Coast Conference finish in program history, and 16th in league history.
 
WHAT'S UP NEXT
- The Zags head to the West Coast Conference Championships at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
- Gonzaga will be the top seed in the event and have a break until the first semifinal on March 7 at 6 p.m.
 
PERFECT TEN
- Gonzaga has clinched the outright West Coast Conference regular season title.
- The Zags have either shared or owned the WCC regular season title outright in each of the last 10 seasons.
- Gonzaga has 25 WCC regular season, Coach Few has led GU to 21 of them.
- Gonzaga currently owns the nationally-best active streak of regular season titles, owned or shared at 10.
- Since 1997-98, the Bulldogs have either won or shared 23 of the 25 regular season titles, sharing only three (2015-16 with Saint Mary's, 2010-11 with Saint Mary's, 2001-02 with Pepperdine). SMC won the 2011-12 title and Pepperdine took the 1999-2000 title, both by one game over Gonzaga.
- The Zags shared the title with Santa Clara in 1995-96, and won it outright in 1993-94.
 
WEST COAST PERFECTION
- Gonzaga is one from its seventh perfect finish in West Coast Conference play in program history.
- The Zags were 15-0 last season in league play, 16-0 in 2018-19, 16-0 in 2012-13, 14-0 in 2008-09, 14-0 in 2005-06, and 14-0 in 2003-04.
- Prior to those perfect GU finishes, Pepperdine was 14-0 in 1991-92 and in 1981-82, LMU was 14-0 in 1987-88, San Francisco was 14-0 in 1976-77, 12-0 in 1963-64, 12-0 in 1957-58, 14-0 in 1955-56, and 12-0 in 1954-55, and Pacific was 14-0 in 1966-67.
- While in a Gonzaga uniform, Drew Timme has amassed a 46-1 record against WCC competition.