#7/7 Gonzaga (15-1, 3-0 WCC) vs. Loyola Marymount (10-6, 1-2 WCC)
SUNDAY, JAN. 4 | 6 P.M. PT | SPOKANE | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
TELEVISION: KAYU FOX 28/ESPN+
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS
 
THE OPENING TIP
- Gonzaga welcomes Loyola Marymount to the McCarthey Athletic Center Sunday at 6 p.m. This is the 105th all-time meeting between Gonzaga and Loyola Marymount, and GU has won 34 of the last 36 meetings.
- The Bulldogs are coming off an 80-72 overtime victory at home over Seattle University Friday. GU trailed by 13 points twice in the second half, but rallied for the win in the first meeting in 36 years with the in-state foe. Braden Huff, Graham Ike, and Tyon Grant-Foster combined for 71 points. Huff led all scorers with 28 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field. Ike had his ninth double-double of the season with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Grant-Foster had 19 points and five blocks. The Zags outscored Seattle 18-6 to close regulation.
- In the win, Huff became the fifth Zag on the roster to reach the 1,000-point club in his career.
- Ike eclipsed the 1,000 career rebound mark at Pepperdine. Only two players in West Coast Conference history achieved that feat, Bill Cartwright and Yoeli Childs. Only Jerry Vermillion reached 1,000 rebounds in a career at GU, grabbing 1,670 rebounds from 1952-55. Ike had 382 of his 1,024 rebounds while at Wyoming.
- Ike tops the nation among active scorers in NCAA Div. 1 with 2,211 points, Indiana's Tucker DeVries is second at 2,197. Ike's 1,024 rebounds also ranks second among active players. He is the only active player with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. Ike was named preseason All-American by CBS Sports and ESPN, and to the NABC, Wooden, Lute Olson, and Naismith Player of the Year watch lists.
- GU is one of four teams in the nation with both its offense (6th) and defense (12th) in KenPom's Top 12.
- The Zags currently lead the WCC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.91, 7th), assists (20.1, 8th), bench points (37.8, 12th), effective field goal percentage (.580, 23rd), fast-break points (15.9), field goal percentage (52.3, 9th), field goal percentage defense (39.4), rebound margin (11.1, 14th), defensive rebounds per game (30.19, 8th), rebounds (43.19, 11th), scoring margin (23.6, 7th in NCAA), scoring offense (92.2, 12th), three-point percentage (37.3), turnover margin (4.3, 25th), and turnovers (10.6). GU tops the nation in points in the paint averaging 48.7 per game, and has made 175 more twos than its opponents.
- Ike is fourth in the nation, and first in the WCC, with nine double-doubles this season. Huff is first in the country with 135 made field goals, and is seventh making 67.5 percent from the field (71.1% inside-the-arc). Braeden Smith tops the WCC, and is ninth in the nation, with a 4.16 assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
- Loyola Marymount is coming off a 78-76 loss at Washington State Friday. The Lions' Jan Vide took over in the second half scoring 21 of his career-high 28 points to help LMU erase a double-digit second half deficit. LMU led 24-10 in the first half, but trailed 34-32 at halftime. Washington State converted an and-1 on their final offensive possession to take a 78-76 lead with 10 seconds to play. LMU was not able to convert a final shot bringing the game to a close. Jalen Shelley added 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists for the Lions, while Rodney Brown had 12 points.
- Three Lions are averaging 14 points per game, led by Brown's and Myron Amey Jr.'s 14.9. Vide adds 14.2 points. Shelley is averaging 12.6 points.
- Brown and Amey lead with 48 and 47 made threes. Brown is shooting 41 percent from behind-the-arc.
- Shelley has a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game, and Vide dishes out a team-best 4.9 assists.
 
SERIES INFO
- This is the 105th all-time meeting between Gonzaga and Loyola Marymount.
- Gonzaga has an 83-22 advantage in the series.
- GU has won 34 of the last 36 meetings.
- The Bulldogs are 51-4 against LMU under Mark Few.
- Gonzaga is 42-7 at home against the Lions.
- In the last meeting, the Zags beat Loyola Marymount, 73-53, in Spokane on Feb. 6. The Bulldogs trailed 46-45 at the 10:27 mark of the second half, before going on a 28-5 run to put the game away. GU led for 36 minutes in a game that featured eight ties and eight lead changes. Gonzaga led 27-24 at halftime. Khalif Battle's 24 points led GU. Braden Huff added 14 points for the Bulldogs, while Graham Ike had eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
- In last season's first matchup in Los Angeles, Graham Ike scored 27 points, Khalif Battle added 26 and No. 19 Gonzaga rolled to a 96-68 victory at LMU.
- The Zags won the first all-time meeting between the programs, 75-71, in Spokane in 1953.
 
UP NEXT
- The 105th meeting between Gonzaga and Santa Clara Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in the McCarthey Athletic Center.
-  The Bulldogs own a 72-32 advantage in the series.
- GU has won 51 of the last 55 against the Broncos.
- The Zags are 48-6 against SCU under Mark Few.
- Gonzaga is 36-7 all-time in Spokane in the series.
- In the latest matchup, the Bulldogs rolled to a 95-76 win at Santa Clara on Feb. 25. With 15 assists, Ryan Nembhard broke the WCC single season assist record. Graham Ike scored 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field.
- Gonzaga is 27-24 all-time at Santa Clara, but have won 23 of their last 25 at SCU.
- In last season's meeting in Spokane on Jan. 18, the Broncos upset No. 16 Gonzaga, 103-99. Nolan Hickman led Gonzaga with a career-high 24 points, hitting a career-high six 3-pointers. Graham Ike scored 21 points, and Ryan Nembhard had 16 points and a career-high 15 assists to one turnover. The victory snapped a 16-game home win streak for the Zags.
- Santa Clara won the first all-time meeting between the programs, 67-62, in Santa Clara on Feb. 3, 1959.
 
BULLDOGS OFF TO GREAT START
- Gonzaga is off to its best start to a season since 2020-21, when the Zags won every game (31-0) until the national championship loss to Baylor.
- This is also the sixth-best start in program history.
- Previously, the Bulldogs have opened conference play with no losses or one loss in non-league action only six times.
               Start      Finish    
2020-21: 9-0      31-0       31-1       NCAA Runner-up (1-seed)
2019-20: 14-1*  27-1       31-2       NCAA Canceled
2016-17: 12-0    29-0       37-2       NCAA Runner-up (1-seed)
2014-15: 11-1    29-1       35-3       NCAA Elite Eight (2-seed)
2012-13: 13-1    17-1       32-3       NCAA 2nd Round (1-seed)
1994-95: 11-1    11-1       21-9       NCAA 1st Round (14-seed)
* loss was to Michigan in Battle 4 Atlantis finals
 
HUFF JOINS 1,000-POINT CLUB
- Braden Huff became the 52nd Bulldog to join the program's 1,000-point career scoring club.
- He needed 15 points entering the home game against Seattle and finished with 28 on 11-of-14 shooting.
- The Illinois native is the fifth Zag on the roster with at least 1,000 points in their career.
- Huff currently leads the conference in scoring (18.8), and tops the country in field goals made (135).
 
GOLDEN GRAHAM
- Graham Ike is the nation's active leading scorer with 2,211 career points. His 1,024 rebounds rank second. No other player has 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
- Ike also leads the country with 844 field goals made in his career, and is fourth with 493 made free-throws.
- His 40 career double-double rank second.
- His nine double-doubles this season ranks fourth in the nation. He had two games with nine rebounds with double-digit scoring. He's reached double-digit scoring in all but one game.
- In the WCC, Ike is currently fourth in scoring (16.8), third in field goal percentage (51.7), and second in rebounds (8.6).
- Ike was named preseason All-American by CBS Sports and ESPN, and to the NABC, Wooden, Lute Olson, and Naismith Player of the Year watch lists.
 
NEW YEAR, SAME ZAGS
- Gonzaga's 30 wins in the 2025 calendar year were tied for the fifth-most in the country.
               Houston: 38-3 (92.7)
               Duke: 36-3 (92.3)
               Florida: 32-8 (80.0)
               Michigan State: 31-6 (83.8)
               Louisville: 30-5 (85.7)
               Saint Mary's: 30-5 (85.7)
               Gonzaga: 30-6 (83.3)
               Arizona: 30-8 (78.9)