#9/9 Gonzaga (28-2, 16-1 WCC) at Saint Mary's (26-4, 15-2 WCC)
SATURDAY, FEB. 28 | 7:30 P.M. PT | MORAGA, CA | UCU PAVILION
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THE OPENING TIP
- Gonzaga closes the regular season at Saint Mary's Saturday. Having already clinched the top-seed at the West Coast Conference Tournament, the Zags can earn the outright WCC regular season title with a victory.
- The Bulldogs are coming off a dominant home win over Portland Wednesday, 89-48. Graham Ike scored 19 points and matched a modern program record with seven steals. Braeden Smith added 15 points. Mario Saint-Supery and Tyon Grant-Foster each scored 12, and Ike grabbed eight rebounds. Gonzaga matched a season-high with 14 three-pointers, while dishing out 25 assists and forcing 22 turnovers.
- GU has clinched the top seed in the WCC Tournament for the first time since 2022. Including this year, the Zags have been the top seed 12 of the 18 times the tournament has been in Las Vegas since 2009.
- The Bulldogs also clinched the eighth undefeated home season in McCarthey Athletic Center history (since 2004-05), and the 13th in conference play, along with the first since 2021-22.
- Ike set a program record in the modern era for most consecutive 20-point games, with nine straight, ending Wednesday versus Portland with 19 points (Adam Morrison, 8 games, 2006; Derek Raivio, 8 games, 2006; Ike, 7 games, 2024). Ike entered the Top 100 all-time leading scorers in NCAA Div. 1 history, and his 2,475 career points rank 94th. Ike is 16th in the nation, and first in the WCC, with 13 double-doubles.
- Ike is first in the nation among active scorers in NCAA Div. 1 with 2,475 points. His 1,114 rebounds also ranks second among active players. He is the only active player with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
- The Zags currently lead the WCC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.90, 6th in NCAA), assists (18.4, 12th), bench points (35.87, 4th), effective field goal percentage (.566, 24th), fast-break points (15.1, 22nd), field goal percentage (51.4, 5th), field goal percentage defense (39.9, 20th), three-point percentage defense (30.4), defensive rebounds per game (28.0, 14th), rebounds (40.33, 23rd), scoring margin (20.7, 2nd), scoring offense (86.9, 15th), turnover margin (5.3, 4th), turnovers forced (15.0, 16th), and turnovers (9.7, 27th). GU tops the nation in points in the paint at 45.8 per game, and has outscored its opponents by 332 points inside-the-arc, which leads the country. The Bulldogs have also made 309 more shots from the field than their opponents. Gonzaga leads the nation in rebound and turnover combined margin at +424. (Florida 2nd, +377)
- The Bulldogs' 35 kill shots, which are 10-0 scoring runs, are the second-most in the country.
- 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. Six Bulldogs are 1,000-point scorers.
- Head Coach Mark Few returns as a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
- Gonzaga has played six games against teams projected in the NCAA Tournament, going 5-1 in those games.
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SCOUTING THE GAELS
- Saint Mary's cruised to its seventh straight win, and 26th victory of the season, in impressive fashion Wednesday, beating Santa Clara in Moraga, 86-67. All five Gael starters scored in double-figures led by Mikey Lewis's 21 points and seven assists. Paulius Murauskas added 16 points and 11 rebounds. Joshua Dent had 14 points and eight assists. Dillan Shaw had 11 points and 14 rebounds, and Harry Wessels finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds. SMC outrebounded the Broncos 51-21, and turned 21 offensive rebounds into 30 points.
- It was Saint Mary's 25th straight win at home, which is tied for the fourth-longest streak in the nation.
- The Gaels are the best free-throw shooting team in the nation, making 80.4 percent from the line.
- SMC is fifth in the country with a plus-11.5 rebound margin. It is seventh in NCAA Div. 1 allowing only 64.4 points per game. The Gaels top the conference shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range, which is 13th in the nation, and are holding opponents to 30.4 percent from behind-the-arc.
- Andrew McKeever tops the WCC grabbing 9.2 rebounds per outing, and his 275 total is 14th in the nation. He is 16th in the country, and first in the conference, averaging 3.67 offensive boards per game.
- Joshua Dent leads the WCC at 35:59 minutes per game. He also tops the league, and is third in the country, shooting 92.7 percent from the free-throw line.
 
SERIES INFO
- This is the 121st all-time meeting between Gonzaga and Saint Mary's. The Bulldogs lead the series 84-37, winning 28 of the last 37 meetings.
- The Zags and Gaels have played more times than any other two teams in the nation over the last 10 years, meeting 30 times with GU winning 20 of the matchups.
- Gonzaga is 59-17 against SMC under Mark Few.
- In the first meeting this season in Spokane, Graham Ike scored 30 points and the Zags pulled away with a 73-65 win. Jalen Warley had 10 points and seven rebounds. Emmanuel Innocenti also scored 10, all during a three-minute stretch in the second half.
- The Bulldogs are 27-21 all-time at Saint Mary's.
- Saint Mary's won last season's matchup in Moraga, 62-58, on Feb. 1. Ike led the Bulldogs with 24 points and eight rebounds. The game featured six ties and six lead changes, GU had the lead with 6:15 remaining in regulation, and the score was tied at 58 with 50 seconds left.
- The Zags are 19-4 against SMC in the WCC Tournament, winning nine of the last 11 meetings in the event.
- Since the tournament moved to Las Vegas in 2009, only Gonzaga and Saint Mary's have won the title (GU 13 of 17). The programs have played every year in Las Vegas with two exceptions in 2015 and 2018. Prior to the event moving to Las Vegas, SMC and GU met only eight times in the tournament.
- The teams have faced off in the tournament 14 of the past 16 years, and in the finals in each of the past four years (GU 3-1), six of the last seven (4-2), and eight of the last 10 (6-2). The Gaels and Zags have met 15 times in the WCC Tournament finals, all since 2004, with GU winning 11.
- The Bulldogs won the first all-time meeting between the programs, 94-77, in Spokane in 1955.
 
UP NEXT
- The Zags will head to Las Vegas for the West Coast Conference Championships.
- Gonzaga is 68-17 all-time in the West Coast Conference Tournament with 22 titles and 31 finals appearances, including each of the last 28 seasons.
- The Zags are 54-6 under Mark Few in the WCC Tournament with title-game appearances in all 26 seasons.
- The Zags are 35-4 in the WCC Tournament since 2009, when the event moved to Las Vegas.
- GU's four losses in the event in Las Vegas have all been to Saint Mary's, the 2010, 2012, 2019 and 2021 championship games.
- The Bulldogs were 34-13 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 the opening game of tournament the past 28 years, dating back to a loss in 64-59 in the 1997 quarterfinals to fourth-seeded San Diego as a fifth-seed.
- The Bulldogs are 33-6 in opening games at the event, including 14-6 in the quarterfinals (nine straight wins).
- 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.
- Gonzaga is 13-4 in the WCC Tournament finals played in Las Vegas.
- The Bulldogs are 22-9 in championship games at the tournament.
 
THE BEST IN THE WEST ... COAST CONFERENCE
- Gonzaga and Saint Mary's have now finished in the top two of the West Coast Conference standings in 14 of the past 15 seasons, and 17 of the last 21 seasons. (SMC: second in 2021-22 and 2022-23, fourth in 2013-14 and third in 2006-07)
- The last 26 regular season titles have now been won or shared by Gonzaga or Saint Mary's. The Zags have won or shared 23, while SMC has won or shared four.
- The last 14 WCC Tournament titles have been won by either Gonzaga or SMC. GU has 11 of those 14 titles.
 
MAKE THAT NUMBER 27
- Gonzaga has clinched at least a share of its 27th West Coast Conference regular season title.
- Gonzaga has 27 WCC regular season titles, Coach Few has led the Bulldogs to 23 of those first place finishes.
- Since 1997-98, the Bulldogs have either won or shared 25 of the 29 regular season titles, sharing only four (2022-24 with Saint Mary's, 2015-16 with Saint Mary's, 2010-11 with Saint Mary's, 2001-02 with Pepperdine). SMC won the last two regular season titles, along with 2011-12, and Pepperdine took the 1999-2000 title, with Gonzaga second in all those years.
- The Zags shared the title with Santa Clara in 1995-96, and won it outright in 1993-94, 1997-98, and 1998-99.
 
BACK AS THE TOP SEED IN VEGAS
- Gonzaga has clinched the top seed in the West Coast Conference Championships in Las Vegas.
- The top two seeds in the postseason event earn four byes to the semifinals on March 9.
- Including this season, Gonzaga has been the top seed in the WCC Tournament in 12 of the 17 years that the event has been in Las Vegas since 2009. The other five years, GU has been the second seed.
 
NAMED FINALIST FOR HALL OF FAME
- For the second straight season, Mark Few is a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
- The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the selection of Finalists for its Class of 2026 from the following committees: North American, Women's, Men's Veterans, Women's Veterans, International, and Contributors. The finalists will then be put forward to the Honors Committee to be considered for election as members of the Class of 2026. The new class will be announced on April 4.
- There are 20 finalists, with 11 from the North American Committee, including coaches Gary McKnight, Dick Motta, Doc Rivers, Kelvin Sampson, and Jerry Welsh.
 
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 17.9 minutes.
- Six Bulldogs have reached the 1,000-point mark in their careers.
 
SCORING BREAKDOWN
- Gonzaga tops the nation averaging 33.1 made field goals per game, and in second half scoring margin (10.7). The Bulldogs are first in extra scoring chances per game (9.0), and second in percentage of points from two-pointers (60.6).
- GU has outscored its opponents by 332 points inside-the-arc, which leads the country. (Arizona, 2nd, 225)
- The Bulldogs have also made 309 more shots from the field than their opponents, that also leads NCAA Div. 1, with St. Louis second at 220.
- The Zags' 35 kill shots, which are 10-0 scoring runs, are the second-most in the country. During the WCC games, GU has long runs of 21-0 (LMU), 18-0 (at Pepperdine), 17-0 (Santa Clara), 16-0 (Portland), 15-0 (Washington State), 12-0 (USF), 10-0 (San Diego, Pepperdine, and at OSU), 9-0 (at Washington State, at Seattle, Saint Mary's, and at San Francisco), 8-0 (Seattle, at Portland, and at Santa Clara).
- All but seven of GU's wins have been by double-digits.
 
GOLDEN GRAHAM
- Graham Ike is first in the nation among active players with 2,475 career points. His 1,114 rebounds rank second. No other player has 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Tucker DeVries of Indiana is second in points with 2,367 points. Notre Dame's Carson Towt's 1,339 rebounds are the most for an active player.
- Ike also leads the country with 951 field goals made in his career, and is fourth with 530 made free-throws.
- His 44 career double-doubles rank third.
- Ike scored at least 20 points in nine straight, before finishing with 19 points against Portland, which is the longest streak by a Gonzaga player under Head Coach Mark Few (Adam Morrison, 8 games, 2006; Derek Raivio, 8 games, 2006; Ike, 7 games, 2024).
- Ike leads WCC with three 30-point games this season, all in the past 10 games, matching the total from his first 131 career games.
- His 13 double-doubles this season ranks 16th 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 (8.4), and first in field goal percentage (.566). In WCC play, he is first in scoring (22.3), in field goal percentage (.621), and second in rebounds (8.5).
- Ike is close to being just the 17th Bulldog, and first since 2015-16, to end a season averaging 20 points.
- Ike's 1,697 points in his three seasons at Gonzaga ranks ninth in program history. He is 27 points from passing Ronny Turiaf for eighth.
- Ike has the best player efficiency rating (30.5), true shooting percentage (.645), usage percentage (29.7), and win shares per 40 minutes (.276) all-time at GU
- Ike has 732 rebounds in his three seasons at Gonzaga, just 25 away from the program's Top-10.
- His 59.2 field goal percentage ranks ninth currently all-time at Gonzaga.
- In the 10 games this season against Oklahoma (19 pts), Creighton (20), Arizona State (20), Alabama (21), Maryland (13), Kentucky (28), UCLA (25), Oregon (17), Santa Clara (34), and Saint Mary's (30); Ike has averaged 22.7 points on 55.9 percent shooting from the field. He's added 8.8 rebounds, 25 assists, five blocks, and five steals. He made 11-of-23 from three (47.8) and 54-of-65 from the free-throw line (83.1). He has six double-doubles over that 10-game span.
- Ike was named preseason All-American by CBS Sports and ESPN. During his career he was named First Team All-Mountain West Conference, First Team All-WCC twice, All-District twice, Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Top 10 three times, Associated Press honorable mention All-American.
 
BULLDOG BLOCKADE
- Gonzaga's defense has held seven opponents to their season-lows in scoring this season.
- Against Portland in Spokane on Feb. 25, the Zags held the Pilots to a season-low 48 points, and forced Portland into a season-high 22 turnovers.
- In back-to-back games, against Washington State in Spokane, the Cougars were limited to season-lows of 53 points and 21 rebounds. In Corvallis, Oregon State also grabbed a season-low 21 rebounds. The Beavers were limited to a season-low 43 attempts from the field, which matched the second-fewest by a GU opponent since 2004. WSU's 46 field goal attempts were its second-lowest output of the season.
- Seattle also committed a season-high 18 turnovers against the Bulldogs on Jan. 17.
- Campbell had a season-high 20 turnovers.
- Kentucky was held to a season-low 26.7 percent shooting from the field, with a season-low 16 made shots from the field.
- Southern Utah was held to a season-low 50 points on a season-low 29.5 percent from the field, 16 percent from three (4/25), grabbed a season-low 26 rebounds, and committed a season-high 23 turnovers.
- Arizona State was held to a season-low 36.2 percent shooting from the field with a season-low 21 makes.
- Oklahoma committed a season-high 16 turnovers.
- Texas Southern was held to a season-low 43 points, with season-lows of 15 makes from the field and 25.4 percent shooting, including 14 percent from 3 (3/21).