#24/25 Gonzaga (10-4, 1-0 WCC) vs. San Diego (10-6, 0-1)
SATURDAY, JAN. 6 | 6 P.M. | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER | SPOKANE
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THE TIP OFF
- Gonzaga and San Diego meet for the 102nd time Saturday at 6 p.m., in the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Zags have won 16 straight over USD dating back to 2014, and 23 straight in Spokane back to 2000.
- Gonzaga is 38-5 at home versus San Diego all-time, including 19-0 in the McCarthey Athletic Center.
- The Zags are coming off an 86-60 win over Pepperdine Thursday. Graham Ike scored 20 points, Anton Watson added 15 in their West Coast Conference opener for its 46th straight win over the Waves. Five Bulldogs scored in double figures including Nolan Hickman, who had 14 points. Hickman led the Zags with four 3-pointers.
- GU has now won 28 straight WCC openers, dating back to a 72-61 loss at Santa Clara in 1996. The Bulldogs have won all 25 WCC openers under Mark Few.
- The Zags are No. 24 in the Associated Press poll. The Bulldogs' 142 straight AP Poll appearances top the nation, and now ranks 11th all-time in the poll's history, one more appearance from tying for 10th.
- The Bulldogs have won 155 straight games when leading by 10 or more points at halftime.
- Anton Watson moved to No. 2 in program history with 182 steals in his career, trailing only John Stockton.
- Head Coach Mark Few currently boasts the best winning percentage among active head coaches at 83.6 percent, which also is the best in NCAA Div. 1 all-time with a minimum of 10 seasons.
- Few is two 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.
 
ABOUT THE TOREROS
- San Diego is coming off an 81-70 loss at home to Saint Mary's Thursday. USD got a career-high 34 points from junior guard Deuce Turner. Turner, who had 23 points at halftime, made 11-of-17 shots, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. Wayne McKinney III added 12 points and three steals, while Steven Jamerson grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
- The Toreros are 9-3 at home, but 0-3 in true road games.
- Turner, a transfer from Bucknell, averages a team-best 15.2 points per game, while McKinney III chips in 14.4 points and three assists. PJ Hayes is scoring 10.1 points per outing, and has made a team-high 32 three-pointers at 41 percent.
- Jamerson averages a team-best 7.6 rebounds per game.
 
SERIES INFO
- This will be the 102nd all-time meeting between Gonzaga and San Diego. GU has a 79-22 lead in the series.
- GU has won 16 straight versus the Toreros, 27 of the last 28, and 49 of the last 52 matchups.
- The Bulldogs are 50-4 against San Diego under Few.
- The Toreros' last win in the series came on Feb. 22, 2014, 69-66, at San Diego.
- In the last matchup, Drew Timme had 22 points and 13 rebounds to help No. 12 Gonzaga beat San Diego 97-72 in Spokane on Feb. 23. Ben Gregg scored 18 points in 18 minutes, and Nolan Hickman added 10 points.
- Gonzaga is 38-5 at home versus San Diego all-time, including 19-0 in the McCarthey Athletic Center.
- GU has won 23 straight games at home in the series, dating back to an 82-70 loss on Feb. 17, 2000.
- Gonzaga is 34-13 all-time at San Diego. The Zags have won 13 of their last 14 at USD.
- The Zags won the first-ever meeting, 72-62, on Feb. 1, 1980, in San Diego.
 
UP NEXT
- The 101st all-time meeting between Gonzaga and Santa Clara. GU owns a 70-30 advantage in the series.
- GU has won 49 of the last 51 meetings against the Broncos, including the last 26 straight matchups.
- Santa Clara's last win in the series was an 85-71 home victory on Jan. 20, 2011.
- The Bulldogs are 46-4 against SCU under Mark Few.
- Gonzaga is 26-23 all-time at Santa Clara, but have won 22 of their last 23 at SCU. The Zags have won 12 straight at Santa Clara.
- In last season's meeting in Santa Clara, Drew Timme and Nolan Hickman scored 20 points each and No. 9 Gonzaga beat Santa Clara 81-76. Julian Strawther had 18 points and Ben Gregg grabbed eight rebounds to help the Bulldogs. GU trailed by 14 points in the first half but shot 48.3% (14 of 29) — including 4 of 7 from beyond the arc — the rest of the way to pull out the win.
- In the last meeting, No. 12 Gonzaga defeated Santa Clara 88-70 in Spokane. The Bulldogs outscored the Broncos 28-4 in the paint and held an eight-rebound advantage in the first half. A 13-1 run midway through the first gave GU a 16-point lead it wouldn't relinquish. Anton Watson scored 11 points to pace the Zags in the first, finishing with 18.
- The Bulldogs are 35-6 all-time in Spokane in the series, and has won 15 straight at home versus the Broncos. SCU's last win in Spokane was on Feb. 12, 2007, 84-73.
- Santa Clara won the first all-time meeting between the programs, 67-62, in Santa Clara on Feb. 3, 1959.
 
CONFERENCE OPENING SUCCESS
- Gonzaga has now won 28 straight West Coast Conference openers, dating back to a 72-61 loss at Santa Clara in 1996.
- The Zags have won all 25 WCC openers under Mark Few.
 
HONORING THE 1994-95 SQUAD
- During Saturday's game, Gonzaga will honor the 1994-95 Zag team that advanced to the program's first NCAA Tournament.
- The Bulldogs will be wearing retro royal blue uniforms.
- Led by 13th-year head coach Dan Fitzgerald, the Bulldogs were 18–8 overall in the regular season (7–7 in WCC, fourth).
- The Zags opened the season with just one loss in 12 non-conference games, but dropped their first six games in conference. In the next eight WCC games, they lost only once, and finished fourth in the standings.
- Gonzaga advanced to the final of the WCC tournament at Santa Clara, and defeated second-seed Portland to secure their first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.
- Ten days later in the West regional,[8] the Bulldogs lost to 10th-ranked Maryland in Salt Lake City to finish at 21–9.
 
WHERE WE RANK
- Gonzaga is 14th in the country in rebound margin (10.6), and 12th averaging 42.71 rebounds per game.
- GU is 27th in the nation in field goal percentage (49.3) and 23rd in field goal percentage defense (38.7).
- The Zags lead the WCC in scoring offense (83.7).
- Ryan Nembhard tops the WCC in assists per game (5.8).
 
FEW CLOSING IN ON 700
- Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few is two 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.