#12/10 Gonzaga (7-0) vs. #7/6 Michigan (6-0)
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 26 | 6:30 P.M. PT | LAS VEGAS | MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA
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THE OPENING TIP
- Gonzaga and Michigan square off in the finals of the 2025 Players Era Championship Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Wolverines won the only other previous meeting between the programs, beating the Zags in the 2019 Battle 4 Atlantis Championships in The Bahamas.
- The Bulldogs cruised to a 100-61 win over Maryland in the second game of the tournament. Eleven Zags scored led by Braden Huff's 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting. Mario Saint-Supery had nine of GU's 30 assists on 37 made shots from the field. Emmanuel Innocenti made five of his seven three-point attempts, while Steele Venters made 4-of-7 from deep. Gonzaga finished 14-for-33 from behind-the-arc.
- Following the win, GU jumped to No. 1 in KenPom's rankings, with its offense and defense both being fourth in the country. One of two programs with both being in the Top 10, Duke is third (off.) and seventh (def.).
- The Zags currently lead the West Coast Conference in scoring margin (32.9, 2nd in NCAA), field goal percentage (53.0, 9th in NCAA), scoring offense (95.0, 9th in NCAA), three-point field goal percentage defense (24.9, 15th in NCAA), rebounds (45.57, 13th in NCAA), defensive rebounds per game (31.1, 14th in NCAA), turnover margin (5.9, 18th in NCAA), steals (9.4), and turnovers forced per game (16.29).
- Graham Ike eclipsed the 2,000-point mark in his career in the win over Creighton. He needed nine points to reach the mark and finished with 20. He sits at 2,078. Ike ranks second among active scorers in NCAA Div. 1, Indiana's Tucker DeVries is first at 2,082. Ike's 958 rebounds also ranks second among active players. He is the only active player with 1,500 points and 900 rebounds in a career. Ike was named preseason All-American by CBS Sports and ESPN, and to the NABC, Wooden, and Naismith Player of the Year watch lists.
- GU opens the season 7-0 for the first time since 2021-22, when the team entered the national championship game at 31-0. The Zags have now opened 7-0 eight times under Few (2008-09, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21). With the exception of 2008-09, all those previous teams moved to 8-0.
 
SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
- Michigan rolled to a pair of victories in its two games at the Players Era Championship, 94-54 over San Diego State, and 102-72 over No. 21 Auburn.
- In Tuesday's victory over Auburn, six Wolverines finished in double-digit scoring led by Yaxel Lendeborg and Roddy Gayle Jr., who both finished with 17 points. Aday Mara grabbed eight rebounds. Michigan made 51.5 percent from the field, including 14-of-35 from behind-the-arc. Auburn was held to 35.5 percent shooting from the field. The Wolverines outrebounded the Tigers, 51-35.
- Four Wolverines average double-digit scoring, with three more at 8.5 points or more.
- Lendeborg is scoring a team-high 15.3 points per game at 60.4 percent shooting. Morez Johnson Jr. adds 13.5 points per outing. Mara pulls down 9.5 rebounds a game, while shooting 63.4 percent from the field.
- Lendeborg was named Preseason All-Big Ten. The Wolverines were picked second in the conference's preseason poll by the media.
 
SERIES INFO
- Gonzaga and Michigan meet for only the second time.
- The Wolverines won the first meeting in the 2019 Battle 4 Atlantis Championship Game, 82-64. Isaiah Livers scored 21 points to lead Michigan, while Jon Teske added 19 points and 15 rebounds. Killian Tillie scored 20 points for the No. 8 Bulldogs, and Filip Petrusev chipped in nine points and nine rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
- Gonzaga travels to Nashville, Tenn., for a matchup with Kentucky in Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 5.
- It will be the fifth all-time meeting between GU and Kentucky. The series is split at 2-2 all-time.
- Last season in Seattle, the No. 4 Wildcats rallied from an 18-point deficit early in the second half to pickup a 90-89 win in overtime. The No. 7 Zags' Graham Ike led all scorers with 28 points and 11 rebounds.
- In 2023, the Zags won at No. 17 Kentucky, 89-85.  Graham Ike scored a team-high 23 points, while Braden Huff added 12. Ryan Nembhard dished out nine assists.
- In 2022, No. 2 Gonzaga beat No. 4 Kentucky in Spokane, 88-72. Rasir Bolton scored 24 points, Drew Timme added 22, and Julian Strawther had 20 points and 14 rebounds. Anton Watson had 10 points and 10 rebounds and spent the evening guarding reigning player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe.
- In the first matchup, the Wildcats beat Gonzaga 80-72 in the 2002 Maui Invitational. Kentucky was ranked 15th and the Zags were No. 20. Blake Stepp scored a game-high 24 points with five three-pointers to lead GU.
 
ABOUT PLAYERS ERA CHAMPIONSHIP
- The 2025 Players Era Championship in Las Vegas is the second edition of the event.
- GU is one of 18 teams in the elite field this year, with the tournament hoping to expand to 32 in 2026.
- Nine games on Monday and Tuesday will be played between MGM Grand Garden and Michelob Ultra Arena.
- The 18-team Players Era Championship features 13 programs ranked or receiving votes in the preseason AP Poll: No. 2 Houston, No. 5 St. John's, No. 7 Michigan, No. 15 Alabama, No. 16 Iowa State, No. 18 Tennessee, No. 19 Kansas, No. 20 Auburn, No. 21 Gonzaga, No. 23 Creighton, Oregon (98 votes), San Diego State (74 votes), and Baylor (one vote).
 
GIVING THANKS FOR THESE EVENTS
- Gonzaga is 50-14 under Mark Few in events during the
week of Thanksgiving, and 39-8 in the last 10 Thanksgiving week events.
- Under Mark Few, GU has won seven tournaments
during the week of Thanksgiving, and played in 12 of
the 19 tournament championship games.
- Last season at the Battle 4 Atlantis in The Bahamas, the Zags were upset in overtime by West Virginia, before easing to wins over Indiana and Davidson.
 
VIVA LAS ZAGAS
- Prior to this year, the Bulldogs played eight regular season games in Las Vegas, falling to UNLV in 1965 and 1977, a loss to Seattle in 1977, and beating No. 3 Georgia Tech, 85-73, in 2004.
- In 2021, top-ranked Gonzaga beat Central Michigan (107-54) and No. 2 UCLA (83-63) in the Empire Classic at T-Mobile Arena, before falling to No. 5 Duke, 84-81.
- On Dec. 2, 2023, No. 11 Gonzaga beat USC, 89-76, the Legends of Basketball Las Vegas Invitational in the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
- Gonzaga is 35-4 in the WCC Tournament since 2009,
when the event moved to Las Vegas. The four losses in the tournament in Las Vegas have all been to Saint Mary's, the 2010, 2012, 2019, and 2024 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 17.
- Gonzaga has won in the WCC tournament semifinals in each of the past 28 years. The Zags last loss in the
WCC semifinals was 1994, 83-75, to San Diego in Santa Clara.
- The Bulldogs are 31-2 in semifinal games at the tournament, winning all 17 in Las Vegas.
- GU is 13-4 in the WCC Tournament finals played in Las Vegas. The Bulldogs are 22-9 in championship games at the WCC tournament all-time.