8-seed Gonzaga (25-8) vs. 9-seed Georgia (20-12)
THURSDAY, MARCH 20 | 1:35 P.M. PT | WICHITA, KS | INTRUST BANK ARENA
TELEVISION: TBS
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THE OPENING TIP
- Gonzaga will meet Georgia in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament in Wichita, Kansas. It's the Zags' sixth meeting with Georgia as GU leads the series 3-2.
- GU is making its 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearance and 27th overall. The 26 straight berths to the field ranks as the third-longest current streak in the nation (Kansas 35 and Michigan State 27).
- The Zags are 46-26 all-time in the 26 previous NCAA Tournament appearances with 14 trips to the Sweet 16, six trips to the Elite Eight, two Final Fours and two appearances in the national championship game.
- Gonzaga is the eight seed, for the third time in program history, in the Midwest Region. GU plays in Wichita in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
- The Zags are 43-24 in the NCAA Tournament under head coach Mark Few with a berth in all 26 seasons.
- Mark Few's 43 NCAA Tournament wins ranks fourth among active coaches Calipari (56), Self (56), and Izzo (54).
- Gonzaga is one of only two teams to win its opening-round NCAA Tournament game each of the last 15 tournaments, Kansas is the other at 17. The Zags are the only program to appear in the last nine Sweet 16s.
- The Bulldogs have the most wins in the NCAA Tournament since 2017, going 22-7, Kansas is next at 17-6. GU's 27 wins in the tournament since 2015 is also the most, with Duke and North Carolina second at 23.
- Gonzaga has earned more NCAA Tournament "units" than any program in the country in the last seven seasons.
- The Bulldogs are 37-20 all-time as a single-digit seed, with a 17-2 record in first round games.
- In 2023-24, fifth-seeded GU defeated 12th-seeded McNeese State (86-65) and fourth-seeded Kansas (89-68) in Salt Lake City, Utah, advancing to the Sweet 16 in Detroit, where it fell to eventual national runner-up Purdue.
- Nolan Hickman, Graham Ike, and Ryan Nembhard were named First Team All-West Coast Conference. Ike and Nembhard earned the honor for the second straight season, while Hickman was second team in 2023-24.
- Ryan Nembhard broke the West Coast Conference for most assists in a single season (currently at 325, previous record was 284) and most assists in conference play, finishing at 181.
- Nembhard became the 51st player in NCAA Div. 1 history to reach 800 career assists, and is now at 863. His 325 assists are first in the nation, to only 76 turnovers. He broke his own single season assist program record. Nembhard's 9.8 assists per game also tops the country. His 4.28 assist-to-turnover ratio is second. As a team, the Zags are first in the nation in assists per game at 19.7 and assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.09. Gonzaga's 366 assists were the most in conference play broke the league's record of 341 set by Loyola Marymount in 1989-90.
- GU is second in the country at 86.6 points per game, second in field goal percentage (50.0), and third in free-throw percentage (80.1).
- Since Jan. 24, Bart Torvik computer ratings ranks GU eighth in the nation, with the 13th best offense and 14th best defense.
- Khalif Battle is third in the nation from the free-throw line at 92.9 percent (1st in WCC). Graham Ike (59.6%) is second in the WCC, and 18th in the country, in field goal percentage.
- Gonzaga extended its NCAA Div. 1 record to 18 consecutive seasons with 25 victories.