#10/10 Gonzaga (26-5) vs. San Francisco (20-13)
MONDAY, MARCH 6 | 8:30 P.M. | ORLEANS ARENA | LAS VEGAS
TELEVISION: ESPN2
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THE TIP OFF
- Second-seeded Gonzaga and sixth-seeded San Francisco meet in the second semifinal of the 2023 University Credit Union West Coast Conference Tournament in the Orleans Arena Monday at 8:30 p.m.
- Gonzaga is 63-16 all-time in the West Coast Conference Tournament with 20 titles and 28 finals appearances, including each of the last 25 seasons. The Bulldogs are 49-5 under Mark Few in the WCC Tournament with title-game appearances in all 23 seasons. The Zags are 30-3 in the WCC Tournament since 2009, when the event moved to Las Vegas. GU has won in the WCC tournament semifinals in each of the past 25 years.
- Drew Timme is 22 points from passing Frank Burgess for the leading scorer in Gonzaga program history. Timme is currently at 2,175 points in his four-year career with the Zags.
- Gonzaga is coming off a 104-65 home win over Chicago State in the regular season finale on March 1. All four Zag seniors finished in double-digit scoring led by Drew Timme's 17 points. GU was 60.7 percent from the field.
- The Zags clinched a share of the 2022-23 West Coast Conference regular season title with Saint Mary's. GU has either shared or owned the WCC regular season title outright in each of the last 11 seasons. It's the 26th WCC regular season title in program history, with 22 coming under Head Coach Mark Few. GU currently owns the nation's longest active streak of regular season conference titles at 11.
- Gonzaga leads the country averaging 88.0 points per game and shooting 52.9 percent from the field. The Zags are also first in effective field goal percentage (.590). Timme is third in the nation with 259 made field goals and is seventh with 654 points. His 21.1 points per game rank 14th in the nation. Anton Watson and Timme are first and second in the WCC in field goal percentage at 62.1 and 61.8 percent. Watson is second in two-point field goal percentage at 67.6 percent. Timme is fifth averaging 7.4 rebounds. Strawther's 6.2 rebounds per game are 11th. Nolan Hickman is second with a 2.27 assist-to-turnover ratio. Anton Watson is second averaging 1.94 steals.
 
ZAGS IN THE WCC TOURNAMENT
- Gonzaga is 63-16 all-time in the West Coast Conference Tournament with 20 titles and 28 finals appearances, including each of the last 25 seasons.
- The Bulldogs are 49-5 under Mark Few in the WCC Tournament with title-game appearances in all 23 seasons.
- The Zags are 30-3 in the WCC Tournament since 2009, when the event moved to Las Vegas.
- GU's three losses in the event in Las Vegas have all been to Saint Mary's, the 2010, 2012 and 2019 finals.
- The Bulldogs were 33-13 in the conference tournament prior to it coming to Vegas.
- The Zags have never lost an opening game of the tournament in Las Vegas, winning all 14.
- Gonzaga has won the opening game of tournament the past 25 years, dating back to a loss in 64-59 in the 1997 quarterfinals to fourth-seeded San Diego as a fifth-seed.
- The Bulldogs are 30-6 in opening games at the event, including 14-6 in the quarterfinals (nine straight wins).
- Gonzaga has won in the WCC tournament semifinals in each of the past 25 years. The Zags last loss in the WCC semifinals was 1994, 83-75, to San Diego in Santa Clara.
- The Bulldogs are 28-2 in semifinal games at the tournament, winning all 14 in Las Vegas.
- Gonzaga is 11-3 in the WCC Tournament finals played in Las Vegas.
- The Bulldogs are 20-8 in championship games at the tournament.
 
SCOUTING THE DONS
- San Francisco upset third-seeded and 23-win Santa Clara in double-overtime in the WCC Tournament Quarterfinals Saturday, 93-87. Khalil Shabazz led the Dons with a game-high 38 points. He made seven of USF's 14 three-pointers. The senior added seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. Tyrell Roberts and Marcus Williams chipped in 16 and 13 points. The Broncos led by 11 points with 11:15 left in the second half, and for 30:33 in the game.
- Shabazz leads the team with 17.5 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals. He's made a team-high 89 three-pointers.
- Roberts, a transfer from Washington State, adds 16.2 points with 84 three-pointers.
- Both Shabazz and Roberts were named First Team All-WCC.
 
SERIES INFO
- This is the 93rd all-time meeting between GU and San Francisco. GU has a 70-22 advantage in the series.
- GU is 49-4 against San Francisco under Mark Few.
- The Zags have won 26 straight versus the Dons. USF's last win in the series came on Feb 18, 2012, 66-65, at San Francisco.
- GU has won five of the six all-time meetings in the West Coast Conference Tournament, including the latest in last season's semifinals. Drew Timme scored 27 points, Chet Holmgren added 17, and top-ranked Gonzaga reached the West Coast Conference championship game for the 25th straight year by holding off San Francisco 81-71.
- In the first meeting this season at San Francisco, Rasir Bolton scored on a follow shot with seven seconds left to give No. 9 Gonzaga its first lead since the opening minutes and the Bulldogs beat USF 77-75. Bolton scored 11 of his 21 points in the final 5:15 to lead GU back. Julian Strawther added 16 points and Drew Timme had 11.
- Gonzaga has won 34 in-a-row in Spokane in the series, including all 19 in the McCarthey Athletic Center.
- The Bulldogs are 39-2 against USF in Spokane all-time. The Dons last won in Spokane in 1989, 67-64.
- In the second meeting this season in Spokane, Rasir Bolton scored 23 points and had six assists, and Drew Timme added 21 points to lead Gonzaga past San Francisco 99-81 on Feb. 9. The Bulldogs sprinted to a 10-point lead as four fouls in the first 54 seconds derailed the Dons.
- GU is 26-18 all-time at San Francisco. The Bulldogs have won the last 11 matchups at USF.
- San Francisco edged GU, 64-62, in the first-ever meeting at USF on Jan. 28, 1961.
 
UP NEXT
- With a win, Gonzaga plays in the 2023 University Credit Union West Coast Conference Tournament Championship Game Tuesday at 6 p.m.
- GU's opponent will be the winner of Monday's first semifinal between top-seeded Saint Mary's and fifth-seeded BYU.
 
MILESTONE WATCH
- Drew Timme ranks second in program history with 2,175 points and eighth with 845 rebounds. He is 22 points from passing Frank Burgess for first. Timme is 15 rebounds from fifth in GU history.
- Anton Watson is ninth all-time in GU history with 156 steals in his career. He needs two more for eighth and three for seventh. Watson is also two steals from fifth for most in a single season.
- Rasir Bolton is at 400 rebounds in his career.
 
MAKE THAT ELEVEN STRAIGHT
- Gonzaga clinched a share of the 2022-23 West Coast Conference regular season title.
- The Zags have either shared or owned the WCC regular season title outright in each of the last 11 seasons.
- Gonzaga has 26 WCC regular season titles, Coach Few has led GU to 22 of them.
- Gonzaga currently owns the nationally-best active streak of regular season titles, owned or shared at 11.
- Since 1997-98, the Bulldogs have either won or shared 24 of the 26 regular season titles, sharing only four (this season with Saint Mary's, 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.
- The Zags matched their program record of 11 straight regular season conference titles from 2001 to 2011.
- Kansas owns the NCAA Div. 1 record with 14 regular season conference titles from 2005 to 2018. UCLA won 13 consecutive league titles from 1967 to 1979. UCONN (1951-60) and UNLV (1983-92) with 10 straight titles are tied for fifth behind Gonzaga's two 11-season runs.
 
TRIPLE BYE IN VEGAS
- Gonzaga has clinched one of the top two seeds in the 2023 University Credit Union West Coast Conference Tournament in Las Vegas.
- The top two seeds earn triple byes in the event to the semifinals on March 6.
- GU has been the top seed in the WCC Tournament in 11 of the 15 years that the event has been in Las Vegas since 2009. Counting this season, the other four years, GU has been the two-seed.
 
BEHIND THE SCORING
- The Zags top the country in points per possession at 1.23, and lead making 32.9 field goals per game.
- The Bulldogs are second in the nation shooting 59.1 percent on two-pointers. They lead the country getting 49.4 percent of their points from two-pointers, after leading the nation in the category last season (48.9).
- Gonzaga leads the nation averaging 42.6 points per first half, after leading the country in the stat last season at 42.7. The Zags also lead in second half scoring this season at 44.0, and were first last season at 44.5.
- The Bulldogs average 43.7 points in the paint, scoring 50 or more in the paint seven times this season. GU outscored Pepperdine 70-46 in the paint on Dec. 31, 66-24 versus North Florida in the season-opener, and 84-12 against Eastern Oregon.
 
THE SLATE
- The Zags' non-conference schedule was the fifth-most difficult in the country per KenPom.
- Gonzaga's 7-2 record in true road games ranks seventh in the nation. The Bulldogs were 12-4 away from Spokane.
- The Bulldogs are 10-4 versus Quad 1 and 2 opponents this season, going 5-4 against Quad 1.
- GU's 55.6 win percentage against Quad 1 foes ranks ninth with teams that have played nine or more Quad 1 games.
 
BULLDOG BITES
- According to Bart Torvik's metric rankings, the Zags (.9539) have been the nation's top team since Jan. 22, followed by San Diego State (.9483) and UCONN (.9459).
- Three Zags have over 1,500 points in their collegiate careers led by Drew Timme's 2,175 points. Rasir Bolton has 1,832 points and Malachi Smith has 1,575. Julian Strawther is at 938 and Anton Watson has 873.
- Gonzaga is 16-0 when Julian Strawther scores 14 points or more in a game this season.
- The Bulldogs are 18-1 when Anton Watson scores 10 points and 10-0 when he scores 14 or more.
- GU is 13-0 when Rasir Bolton scores 12 or more, and 11-1 when he dishes out three or more assists.
- Gonzaga is 11-0 when Malachi Smith has two or more assists, and 13-1 when he grabs four or more rebounds.
- The Bulldogs have won 147 straight games when leading by 10 or more points at halftime.
- GU's eight 100-point games are a program record.
 
SENIOR DAY SEND OFF
- Gonzaga honored seniors Rasir Bolton, Malachi Smith, Drew Timme and Anton Watson in its regular season finale against Chicago State March 1.
- Seven Bulldogs finished in double-digit scoring, including all four seniors. The four seniors combined for 19-of-29 shooting from the field.
- The Zags led by as many as 44 points and won the game 104-65. GU scored 62 points in the second half.
- Gonzaga shot 60.7 percent from the field, including 13-of-26 from behind-the-arc. GU was 23-for-31 (74.2 percent) from the field in the second half.
- The Bulldogs' 156.7 offensive efficiency rating in the game ranks as the program's second-best mark since KenPom started in 2002.
 
TIMME REPEATS AS WCC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
- Drew Timme was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year for the second straight season. He shared this year's honor with Santa Clara's Brandin Podziemski.
- The Zags' Malachi Smith was voted as the league's Sixth Man of the Year. Timme was joined by Julian Strawther on the conference's first team, while Anton Watson earned honorable mention accolades.
- All five major individual awards – along with the All-West Coast Conference Teams and the All-Freshman Team – were voted on solely by the league's 10 head coaches.
- Timme is the second Bulldog to earn back-to-back WCC Player of the Year honors. Blake Stepp achieved the feat in 2003 and 2004.
- The West Coast Conference named a Zag Player of the Year for the fifth straight season. Timme was Gonzaga's 20th WCC Player of the Year selection.
- Smith joined Andrew Nembhard (2021) as the lone GU players to be named Sixth Man of the Year, which started as a recognition in 2021.
 
ZAGS HIT 25 WINS ... AGAIN
- Gonzaga has now won at least 25 games in each of the last 16 consecutive seasons.
- The Zags have reached the 25-win plateau in 19 of the last 20 seasons, and 21 of the last 25.
- Gonzaga now owns the NCAA Div. 1 record with 16 straight 25-win seasons. Kansas had 15 straight 25-win seasons from 2005 to 2020.
 
ELEMENTARY MY DEAR WATSON
- Anton Watson went on a tear during West Coast Conference play this season.
- He averaged 12.9 points during league play, which ranks third on the team.
- The Spokane native led the WCC shooting 64.8 percent (83-128) from the field in conference action.
- He was 10th in the WCC grabbing 6.2 rebounds per league game. His 2.5 offensive boards per WCC game ranked second.
- The senior was fourth with 1.9 steals and 14th dishing out 2.4 assists per conference contest.