#11/8 Gonzaga (25-2, 13-1 WCC) at San Francisco (15-13, 7-8 WCC)
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18 | 8 P.M. PT | SAN FRANCISCO | CHASE CENTER
TELEVISION: ESPN2
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THE OPENING TIP
- Gonzaga and San Francisco meet for the 101st time Wednesday at 8 p.m., inside the Bay Area's Chase Center. The Zags are looking for their 35th consecutive win over USF, dating back to 2012.
- It will be Gonzaga and San Francisco's 31st head-to-head game since 2014-15. That is tied for the second-most with Drake versus Bradley and Oral Roberts versus North Dakota State among NCAA Div. 1 matchups during that span, behind only Gonzaga versus Saint Mary's with 32 games.
- The Bulldogs are coming off a 94-86 win at Santa Clara Saturday. The victory moved GU to the top of the conference standings. Graham Ike had 21 points and a season-high 15 rebounds on 7-of-12 shooting. Adam Miller also scored 21 points, Tyon Grant-Foster added 20, and Emmanuel Innocenti had 16 points.
- Ike was named WCC Player of the Week for the fifth time this season, and to Wooden Top 20 watch list.
- Gonzaga clinched the program's 19th straight 25-win season, extending its own NCAA Div. 1 record. The Zags have reached the 25-win plateau in 22 of the last 23 seasons, and 26 of the last 28.
- The Zags currently lead the WCC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.86, 7th in NCAA), assists (18.5, 11th), bench points (36.6, 4th), effective field goal percentage (.566, 25th), fast-break points (15.3, 23rd), field goal percentage (51.5, 6th), field goal percentage defense (40.0, 21st), defensive rebounds per game (28.59, 10th), rebounds (41.19, 14th), scoring margin (20.4, 4th), scoring offense (87.6, 14th), turnover margin (4.9, 5th), and turnovers (10.0). GU tops the nation in points in the paint at 47.3 per game, and has outscored its opponents by 311 points inside-the-arc, which leads the country. The Bulldogs have also made 278 more shots from the field than their opponents. Gonzaga leads the nation in rebound and turnover combined margin (rebounds + turnovers forced minus opponents' total) at +397. Florida ranks second at +354.
- The Bulldogs' 33 kill shots, which are 10-0 scoring runs, are the most in the country.
- Ike has seven straight 20-point games, which is tied for the second-longest streak by a Gonzaga player in the past 20 seasons (Derek Raivio, 8 games, 2006; Ike, 7 games, 2024; Kyle Wiltjer, 6 games, 2015-16). Ike leads WCC with three 30-point games this season, all in the past seven games, matching the total from his first 131 career games. Ike is 11th in the nation, and first in the WCC, with 13 double-doubles this season.
- Ike is first in the nation among active scorers in NCAA Div. 1 with 2,414 points. His 1,096 rebounds also ranks second among active players. He is the only active player with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
- Eight different Zags have led the team in scoring in a game this season. Seven GU players have scored at least 20 points in a game, and 11 have reached double-digit scoring.
- Mark Few returns as a nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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SCOUTING THE DONS
- San Francisco picked up a 92-79 win at San Diego on Sunday. The Toreros led by five at halftime. David Fuchs and Vukasin Masic each reached 20 points in scoring with Masic notching 22 and Fuchs posting 21. Fuchs garnered a double-double with his 13 rebounds, and he also chipped in with two steals. USF shot just 50 percent from the field in the first half but came back and shot over 68 percent in the second half.
- Ryan Beasley averages team-highs of 13.8 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
- Tyrone Riley IV adds 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds.
- Fuchs grabs a team-high 7.4 rebounds, while scoring 11.8 points per contest. Fuchs and is shooting 51.1 percent from the field.
- Legend Smiley has made a team-high 42 three-pointers at 40 percent shooting from behind-the-arc.
 
SERIES INFO
- This is the 101st all-time meeting between Gonzaga and San Francisco. The Bulldogs have a 77-22 advantage in the all-time series.
- It will be Gonzaga and San Francisco's 31st head-to-head game since 2014-15. That is tied for the second-most with Drake versus Bradley and Oral Roberts versus North Dakota State among NCAA Div. 1 matchups during that span, behind only Gonzaga versus Saint Mary's with 32 games.
- GU is 57-4 against San Francisco under Mark Few.
- The Zags have won 34 straight versus the Dons. San Francisco's last win in the series came on Feb. 18, 2012, 66-65, at USF.
- In the latest matchup, Jalen Warley scored 19 points and Davis Fogle added 15 points and a last-second rebound as Gonzaga edged San Francisco 68-66 in Spokane on Jan. 24. Tyon Grant-Foster added 15 points.
- In last season's meeting in San Francisco, Gonzaga rolled to a 95-75 win in the Chase Center. The Bulldogs led for 37 minutes and had four double-digit scorers. Graham Ike finished with 15 points and six rebounds. GU shot 57.6 percent from the field.
- GU is 28-18 all-time at San Francisco. The Bulldogs have won the last 13 matchups at USF.
- The Bulldogs and Dons have met in the WCC semifinals in five of the last seven tournaments, including the last three. GU has won seven of the eight all-time meetings in the West Coast Conference Tournament.
- Gonzaga has won 36 in-a-row in Spokane in the series, including all 21 in the McCarthey Athletic Center.
- The Bulldogs are 42-2 against USF in Spokane all-time. The Dons last won in Spokane in 1989, 67-64.
- San Francisco edged GU, 64-62, in the first-ever meeting at USF on Jan. 28, 1961.
 
UP NEXT
- The 26th all-time meeting between Gonzaga and Pacific. The Zags have won 24 of the previous 25 matchups in the series, including the last 22 straight.
- The Bulldogs are 22-0 against Pacific under Mark Few.
- The Tigers lone victory in the series came in Stockton in 1976, 70-60.
- In the latest meeting, Gonzaga rolled to a 78-61 win at Pacific, last season on Feb. 8. Braden Huff scored 17 points and Graham Ike added 13. The Zags led by as many as 28 points midway through the second half.
- The Bulldogs won the last meeting in Spokane, 102-76, on Feb. 17, 2024. Graham Ike went 9-for-9 from the field and led GU with 21 points. Ryan Nembhard had 18 points and 10 assists. Anton Watson and Braden Huff both scored 17 points.
- Gonzaga has won all 13 meetings in Spokane, including all 12 inside the McCarthey Athletic Center.
- Gonzaga has won 11 of the 12 meetings in Stockton, including the last 10.
- The Zags edged Pacific, 85-83, in the first-ever meeting in Stockton on Feb. 5, 1959.
 
BACK IN THE CHASE CENTER ...
- Gonzaga returns to the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, where it is 2-1 in its three appearances.
- In last season's final regular season game, GU rolled to a 95-75 win over San Francisco in the Chase Center. The win clinched the second-seed and a bye to the WCC Tournament semifinals for the Zags.
- In the penultimate game of the 2023-24 regular season, the Bulldogs pulled away from USF, 86-68. The win clinched the second-seed and a bye to the WCC Tournament semifinals for GU.
- In the 2022 NCAA West Regional Semifinal, the top-seeded Zags were upset by fourth-seed Arkansas, 74-68, in the Sweet 16.
- Graham Ike has totaled 41 points on 14-of-19 shooting from the field. He's made his only three-point attempt, and 12-for-13 from the free-throw line. He's added 13 rebounds and three blocks in a pair of wins.
 
IKE NAMED WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
- Helping Gonzaga move back into first place with a win at Santa Clara, Graham Ike won West Coast Conference Player of the Week Monday.
- Ike recorded his sixth and seventh straight 20-point games, matching his career-best, in wins over Washington State and at Santa Clara last week. After scoring 20 points and grabbing seven rebounds against the Cougars, Ike boasted 21 points and 15 rebounds in the victory at Santa Clara. Ike shot 72 percent from the field in the wins combined (18-of-25). He also added seven assists total and a block in both games.
- Ike has now won WCC player of the week five times this season and the Bulldogs own seven awards overall.
 
ZAGS REACH 25 WINS AGAIN
- The Bulldogs have reached 25 wins this season.
- Gonzaga has won at least 25 games in each of the last 19 consecutive seasons, which is a NCAA Div. 1 record.
- The Zags have reached the 25-win plateau in 22 of the last 23 seasons, and 26 of the last 28. (23 wins in 2006-07, 24 wins in 2002-03, and 24 wins in 1997-98)
 
POWERFUL IN THE PAINT
- In the win at Santa Clara, GU was 33-for-46 (72%) inside the arc. Those 33 two pointers are the most SCU has allowed in a regulation game in at least 30 years.
- In the victory, the Zags made 29 layups or dunks. The Bulldogs were 16/18 inside the arc in the second half.
- Since getting outscored by Portland in the paint, GU has outscored its last three foes, 166-74, in that area.
 
VIE FOR BYES IN VEGAS
- Gonzaga is two wins away from clinching one of the top two seeds in the West Coast Conference Championships at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
- The top two seeds earn byes in the postseason event to the semifinals on March 9.
- Gonzaga has been the top seed in the WCC Tournament in 11 of the 16 years that the event has been in Las Vegas since 2009. The other five years, GU has been the two-seed.
 
IKE NAMED TO WOODEN TOP 20 WATCH LIST
- Gonzaga's Graham Ike was named to the John R. Wooden Award, presented by Principal, 2025-26 Men's Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List.
- Selected by a panel of national college basketball experts, the list comprises 20 student-athletes who are frontrunners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball: the Wooden Award All-American Team and the Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player.
- The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2026 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year. Players not selected for the late midseason list remain eligible for inclusion on the Wooden Award National Ballot. The National Ballot will feature 15 top players who have demonstrated to their universities that they meet or exceed the Wooden Award qualifications.
- Wooden Award will rank 10 of the 15 players on the ballot in order of preference when voting opens during the NCAA Tournament. Voters will also consider performances in the tournament's early rounds, players' contributions to their teams and their character. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced during the week of the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight.
- The winners and the All Americans of the 2026 John R. Wooden Award, presented by Principal, will be honored at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
 
IKE NAMED TO MALONE TOP TEN
- Graham Ike was named one of the 10 candidates for the 2026 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year.
- Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its 10th year recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in November, which has now been narrowed to 10.
- The top 10 list includes Koa Peat (Arizona), Cameron Boozer (Duke), Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State), Malik Reneau (Miami), Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan), Caleb Wilson (North Carolina), Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue), JT Toppin (Texas Tech), and Alex Karaban (UConn).
 
BALANCED BULLDOGS
- Eight different Zags have led the team in scoring in a game this season. Seven GU players have scored at least 20 points in a game, and 11 have double-digits.
- Seven different Bulldogs have led in rebounds in a game. Six have grabbed at least eight boards.
- Seven Zags average at least seven points per game.
- Eight GU players are playing at least 18.8 minutes.
- Five Bulldogs have reached the 1,000-point mark in their careers, and Braeden Smith is eight points away.
 
GOLDEN GRAHAM
- Graham Ike is first in the nation among active players with 2,414 career points. His 1,096 rebounds rank second. No other player has 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Tucker DeVries of Indiana is second in points with 2,345 points. Notre Dame's Carson Towt's 1,319 rebounds are the most for an active player.
- Ike also leads the country with 926 field goals made in his career, and is fourth with 524 made free-throws.
- His 44 career double-doubles rank third.
- His 13 double-doubles this season ranks 11th 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.
- Ike recorded his WCC-leading 13th double-double of season in the win at Santa Clara, passing Drew Timme for the most games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds (16) by a Gonzaga player in the last 30 seasons.
- Ike ranks first in the WCC in scoring (19.8), second in rebounding (8.7), and second in field goal percentage (.579). In conference play, he is first in scoring (22.8), first in field goal percentage (.664), and rebounds (9.2).
- Ike's 1,636 points in his three seasons at Gonzaga ranks 12th in program history. He is 11 points from passing Jeff Brown for 11th, and 35 from Blake Stepp for 10th. Ike has 2,414 career points in 138 games. Drew Timme broke the program record with 2,307 points in 134 career appearances.
- 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.
 
SCORING BREAKDOWN
- Gonzaga tops the nation averaging 33.4 made field goals per game, and is second half scoring margin (10.3). The Bulldogs are second in extra scoring chances per game (8.9), and second in percentage of points from two-pointers (61.1).
- GU has outscored its opponents by 311 points inside-the-arc, which leads the country. (Arizona, 2nd, 216)
- The Bulldogs have also made 278 more shots from the field than their opponents, that also leads NCAA Div. 1, with St. Louis second at 208.
- The Zags' 33 kill shots, which are 10-0 scoring runs, are the most in the country. During the WCC games, GU has long runs of 21-0 (LMU), 18-0 (at Pepperdine), 17-0 (Santa Clara), 15-0 (Washington State), 12-0 (USF), 10-0 (San Diego, Pepperdine, and at OSU), 9-0 (at Washington State, at Seattle, and Saint Mary's), 8-0 (Seattle, at Portland, and at Santa Clara).
- All but six of GU's wins have been by double-digits.