#7/8 Gonzaga (7-1) at Washington (5-3)
SATURDAY, DEC. 9 | 8 P.M. | ALASKA AIRLINES ARENA | SEATTLE
TELEVISION: ESPN2
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THE TIP OFF
- Gonzaga travels to Seattle for the 50th all-time meeting against Washington at Alaska Airlines Arena Saturday at 8 p.m. It will be the first of two games for the Zags in Seattle in a six-day span.
- The Bulldogs are coming off a 111-71 home victory over Arkansas at Pine Bluff Tuesday. Braden Huff scored 19 points, Graham Ike added 17 points in 17 minutes. Five players scored in double figures for the Bulldogs and 11 total scored points. Anton Watson finished with 15 points and Nolan Hickman added 13 as the Zags shot 57%.
- The Bulldogs swept the West Coast Conference weekly awards, with Ryan Nembhard being named the WCC Player of the Week and Braden Huff tabbed the Freshman of the Week.
- The Zags are No. 7 in the Associated Press poll. The Bulldogs' 138 straight AP Poll appearances top the nation.
- Graham Ike was named preseason first team All-American by The Sporting News.
 
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
- Washington is coming off an 85-61 win over Montana State at home Tuesday. Franck Kepnang finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Huskies. Sahvir Wheeler had 14 points and five assists and recorded his 700th career assist.
- Keion Brooks Jr. averages a team-high 20.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He is shooting 51.8 percent from the field.
- Wheeler adds 16.1 points and a team-best 6.86 assists per outing. Portland transfer Moses Wood has made a team-high 17 threes and averages 10.4 points.
- Washington's three losses were all by single digits, with two to ranked foes in San Diego State and Colorado State.
- The Huskies were picked ninth in the Pac-12 preseason coaches' poll.
 
SERIES INFO
- This will be the 50th all-time meeting between the Zags and Washington.
- The Huskies have a 29-20 advantage in the series all-time, but GU has won 14 of the last 15 matchups.
- Gonzaga has won the last seven meetings, dating back to a 99-95 Washington win in Dec. 4, 2005.
- Last season, No. 18 Gonzaga pulled away in the second half to beat Washington 77-60. Nolan Hickman and Anton Watson both scored nine points.
- Washington won the first meeting in the series,
23-14, on Feb. 24, 1910.
 
UP NEXT
- Gonzaga has a quick turnaround and hosts Mississippi Valley State at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane Monday at 6 p.m.
- The Delta Devils are 0-9 to start the season and are coming off a 74-39 loss at Liberty Dec. 5.
- GU has won the two previous meetings against Mississippi Valley State.
- The Zags beat MVSU in the 2009 season-opener, 92-74, in Spokane.
- Gonzaga cruised to a 97-63 victory over the Delta Devils in the latest meeting Dec. 1, 2016, in Spokane.
- The Bulldogs are 17-0 against current members from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and 14-0 against the conference under Mark Few. GU hosts SWAC member Jackson State Dec. 20.
 
ATTACK THE PAC
- Gonzaga has won its last 16 meetings against Pac-12 foes, and is 46-15 against the league under Mark Few. - The Zags have played each Pac-12 team under Few, except Oregon State and Arizona State. With the Pac-12 ending in its current form, GU boasts wins over each current Pac-12 member under Few except those two and California (64-72, 1999).
- The Bulldogs have won 21 of their last 24 games against Pac-12 competition since the 2014-15 season.
- Nine of the 16 wins during the current streak were over ranked Pac-12 opponents. Only three of the victories were in Spokane and three were true road wins.
- During the 16-game win streak over the Pac-12, the Zags beat Washington five times, UCLA four times, Arizona three, USC twice, and Utah and Oregon once.
12/3/23 - beat USC in Las Vegas, 89-76
11/22/23 - beat #24 UCLA in Honolulu, 69-65
3/23/23 - beat #7 UCLA in Las Vegas, 79-76
12/9/22 - beat Washington in Spokane, 77-60
11/23/21 - beat #2 UCLA in Las Vegas, 83-63
4/3/21 - beat UCLA in Indianapolis, 93-90 (OT)
3/30/21 - beat #24 USC in Indianapolis, 85-66
12/14/19 - won at #15 Arizona, 84-80
12/8/19 - won at #22 Washington, 83-76
11/28/19 - beat #11 Oregon in Bahamas, 73-72 (OT)
12/5/18 - beat Washington in Spokane, 81-79
11/20/18 - beat Arizona in Maui, 91-74
12/10/17 - won at Washington, 97-70
12/7/16 - beat Washington in Spokane, 98-71
12/3/16 - beat #16 Arizona in Los Angeles, 69-62
3/19/16 - beat #13 Utah in Denver, 82-59
 
STAYING IN FRONT
- Gonzaga has not trailed at any point in its last three games, a total of 120 minutes.
- Dating back to the win over UCLA in Honolulu on Nov. 22, the Zags have not trailed for 136 minutes and 21 seconds.
- Over the last five games (200 minutes), GU has trailed for only two minutes and 33 seconds, all against UCLA.
 
RECORDS FALL VERSUS LIONS
- Gonzaga set multiple new McCarthey Athletic Center records in the win over Arkansas - Pine Bluff.
- The Bulldogs' 65 rebounds were a new best, breaking the 15-year-old mark of 60 set versus Pepperdine.
- GU's 45 made field goals and 79 attempted field goals were both new records.
 
DISHING IT OUT
- The Zags' 28 assists against Arkansas - Pine Bluff were the second-most in McCarthey Athletic Center history, with the record of 29 set in 2018.
- The 28 assists were also the second-most by a Gonzaga squad under Mark Few.
- Five Bulldogs had at least three assists against UAPB, and seven GU players had multiple assists.
- Gonzaga's starting backcourt had a combined 11 assists to two turnovers.
 
DOGS OFF THE LEASH
- The Zags jumped out to a 28-2 lead over Arkansas - Pine Bluff to start the game.
- Over the past five games, GU has got out to fast starts ...
                vs. UAPB led 28-2 at 13:25 mark
                vs. USC led 20-6 at 13:25 mark
                vs. CSUB led 20-9 at 14:06 mark
                vs. UCLA led 20-9 at 10:34 mark
                vs. Syracuse led 22-8 at 11:15 mark
- Gonzaga has yet to trail at halftime this season.
 
WHERE WE RANK
- Gonzaga is third in the country in rebound margin (15.4), and fourth averaging 46.12 rebounds per game.
- The Zags are 11th in the nation in field goal percentage (51.0) and 13th in field goal percentage defense (37.3). The Zags lead the West Coast Conference in each of those stat categories.
- GU is 12th in the country averaging 18.38 fastbreak points per game.
 
BALANCING ACT
- Five Zags have finished in double-digit scoring in each of the last three games.
- In the win over USC, six Bulldogs scored in double-figures, and Anton Watson had nine points.
- GU has had at least three double-digit scorers in its first eight games of the season, with five double-digit scorers in three of the games, and two outings with six double-digit scorers.
 
BACK IN THE TOP TEN
- Gonzaga returned to the Top 10 in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY/Coaches' polls.
- The Bulldogs are No. 7 in the AP Poll and No. 8 in the coaches' poll this week.
- Since 2017, Gonzaga has been in the Top-10 in the AP poll 108 times, which ranks second in the nation.
 
ZAGS SWEEP WCC WEEKLY AWARDS
- Gonzaga swept this week's Credit Union 1 West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Players of the Week with Ryan Nembhard being named the Credit Union 1 WCC Player of the Week and his teammate Braden Huff winning Credit Union 1 WCC Freshman of the Week.
- Nembhard averaged 18.5 ppg in the Bulldogs' two wins last week over Cal State Bakersfield and USC. In the win over the Trojans, Nembhard posted 15 points and seven assists. Against the Roadrunners, he scored 22 points, along with five assists and two steals.
- This is the second straight week that Gonzaga has won WCC Player of the Week.
- Huff scored 12 points in both of the Zags' contests last week. He secured six rebounds in both games combined, including four against Cal State Bakersfield. On the court for nearly 20 minutes per game last week, Huff connected on 10 of his 16 shots from the field combined.
 
LIFE ON THE ROAD
- Since the 2016-17 season, Gonzaga is a national best 58-6 (90.6) in true road games. Vermont has the next best true road win percentage at 71.4 (70-28).
- Since the 2007-08 season, the Zags are 129-29 in true road games. GU's 81.9-win pct. in true road games is best in the nation over that span.
- Since the 2005-06 season, Gonzaga is 260-74 in road or neutral games. The Zags' 77.6-win percentage in road or neutral games tops the nation over that span.
 
FEW CLOSING IN ON 700
- Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few is five wins from 700 in his head coaching career.
- He would be the 14th active head coach in NCAA Div. 1 history to reach 700 victories.
- If GU wins the next five games, Few would tie Kentucky's Adolph Rupp for fastest to 700 victories, accomplishing the feat in 836 games.