#12/11 Gonzaga (23-2, 11-1 WCC) vs. Washington State (11-15, 6-7 WCC)
TUESDAY, FEB. 10 | 8 P.M. PT | SPOKANE | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
TELEVISION: ESPN2
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THE OPENING TIP
- Gonzaga returns home to the McCarthey Athletic Center to host Washington State Tuesday at 8 p.m. It will be the 154th meeting, with the Zags winning nine of the last 10, including the last eight straight.
- The Bulldogs are coming off an 81-61 road win at Oregon State Saturday. Graham Ike matched his career high with 35 points, making 13-of-18 from the field, in 39 minutes. He matched a game-high seven rebounds. Tyon Grant-Foster added 15 points. GU matched a program-low two turnovers and was 14-of-16 from the free-throw line. The Zags outscored OSU in the paint, 50-10, and led for 32 minutes.
- Graham Ike was named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Midseason Top Ten watch list.
- GU has clinched its 29th straight 20-win season, which ranks second for the longest active run in the nation.
- Gonzaga is two wins from the program's 19th straight 25-win season, extending its own NCAA Div. 1 record. The Zags have reached the 25-win plateau in 21 of the last 22 seasons, and 25 of the last 27.
- Braeden Smith is 12 points from being the sixth player on the roster to reach 1,000 points in a career.
- The Bulldogs' 32 kill shots, which are 10-0 scoring runs, are the most in the country. According to Evan Miyakawa, Gonzaga has four runs of 20+ and nine runs of 15+ this season.
- The Zags currently lead the WCC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.87, 7th in NCAA), assists (18.5, 10th), bench points (36.8, 5th), effective field goal percentage (.565), fast-break points (15.0), field goal percentage (51.2, 10th), field goal percentage defense (39.7, 22nd), defensive rebounds per game (28.6, 10th), rebounds (41.36, 15th), scoring margin (20.5, 6th), scoring offense (87.6, 15th), turnover margin (4.8, 5th), and turnovers (9.9). GU tops the nation in points in the paint at 46.4 per game, and made two-pointer differential at 281.
- Ike is 12th in the nation, and first in the WCC, with 12 double-doubles this season. Braeden Smith tops the WCC, and is 22nd in the nation, with a 3.28 assist-to-turnover ratio.
- Ike is first in the nation among active scorers in NCAA Div. 1 with 2,338 points, Indiana's Tucker DeVries is second at 2,317. Ike's 1,067 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 multiple outlets.
- Seven different Zags have led the team in scoring in a game this season. Six 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 COUGARS
- Washington State pushed Santa Clara before falling 96-92 in Pullman Saturday. Eemeli Yalaho and Ace Glass combined for 41 points, making 7-of-16 from behind-the-arc. ND Okafor and Rihards Vavers scored 13 and 12 points, and Adria Rodriguez added 10. Okafor grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. WSU made 13-of-25 from three-point range and 13-of-15 from the free-throw line. The Cougars outrebounded SCU 33-28.
- Glass averages a team-high 16.5 points. Vavers and Okafor add 11.1 and 11.0 points. Okafor adds 5.7 rebounds, shooting 60.4 percent from the field, with 40 blocked shots. Yalaho chips in 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds as well.
- Washington State is 1-8 on the road this season, and has lost five straight away from Pullman, since winning 67-62 at Portland to open WCC play on Dec. 28.
 
SERIES INFO
- This is the 153rd all-time meeting between Gonzaga and Washington State. The Cougars have an 98-55 all-time lead in the series.
- GU has won nine of the last 10 meetings, including each of the last eight.
- The Zags are 15-3 against WSU under Few.
- The Cougars last win in the series came in Pullman on Dec. 8, 2010, 81-59. Klay Thompson scored 24 points and had six assists for WSU, and the Cougars made 11-of-21 from three-point range. Sam Dower led GU with 11 points, while Rob Sacre grabbed 10 rebounds.
- In the first meeting this season in Pullman, Graham Ike had 23 points and 11 rebounds leading the Zags to an 86-65 win. Gonzaga outscored Washington State 52-12 in the paint, and the Cougars shot 8 of 24 inside the arc. Adam Miller added 13 points, making three threes, and Jalen Warley scored 11 points with four steals.
- Gonzaga won last season's meeting in Spokane, 88-75. Graham Ike had 21 points and seven rebounds. Nolan Hickman added 19 points and hit five 3-pointers, and Ben Gregg had 11 points and nine rebounds.
- WSU has a 54-37 advantage in the meetings in Spokane, including games at the Spokane Arena.
- Gonzaga is 30-33 against the Cougars in games on the GU campus all-time, but the Zags have won five of the six matchups in the McCarthey Athletic Center, including the last 90-74 in 2013.
- Washington State has a 45-22 advantage in the series at home in Pullman.
- Gonzaga won the first-ever meeting with Washington State, 21-18, in Spokane on Dec. 16, 1907.
 
UP NEXT
- The 106th meeting between Gonzaga and Santa Clara Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at SCU. The Bulldogs own a 73-32 advantage in the series.
- GU has won 52 of the last 56 against the Broncos.
- The Zags are 49-6 against SCU under Mark Few.
- In the first meeting this season in Spokane, the Bulldogs beat the Broncos, 89-77 on Jan. 8. Graham Ike finished one point off his career-high with 34 points. He made 13 of 17 field goal attempts and went 7 for 8 on free throws. Emmanuel Innocenti added 13 points for the Zags, who shot 58% from the floor to 43% for Santa Clara. GU led 80-57 with 5:44 left in the game.
- 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 Santa Clara, 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. Ismaila Diagne came off the bench to chip in nine points on 4-of-4 shooting from the field, with four rebounds and a block.
- Gonzaga is 37-7 all-time in Spokane in the series.
- Santa Clara won the first all-time meeting between the programs, 67-62, in Santa Clara on Feb. 3, 1959.
 
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 Award the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
- 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).
 
HOLMGREN NAMED NBA ALL-STAR
- Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren joins John Stockton and Domantas Sabonis as the third former Gonzaga Bulldog to be named an NBA All-Star.
- Holmgren will be a reserve for the Western Conference at this year's All-Star Game in Los Angeles Feb. 15.
- The No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft is currently averaging 17.8 points on a shooting split of 57.1 field goal percentage/37.7 three-point percentage/77.4 free throw percentage, 8.6 rebounds (No. 17 in the league), and 2.0 blocks per game (No. 3 in the league).
HISTORIC EFFORT IN CORVALLIS
- Gonzaga's two turnovers in the win at Oregon State matched a program record for fewest in a game.
- The Bulldogs had two turnovers in a road win at Santa Clara in 2019, and two turnovers against San Francisco in the 2024 WCC Tournament semifinals.
- It's the second time this season the Zags have committed five or less turnovers in a game. GU had five in the win over Oregon in Portland on Dec. 21.
 
BALANCED BULLDOGS
- Seven different Zags have led the team in scoring in a game this season. Six GU players have scored at least 20 points in a game, and 11 have reached 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 18.7 minutes.
- Five Bulldogs have reached the 1,000-point mark in their careers, and Braeden Smith is 12 points away.
 
GONZAGA LOVES FEBRUARY
- Since 2016-17, the Bulldogs are 65-8 in the month of February, that 90.1 percent win percentage ranks second in the nation over that time span. (Vermont 62-7, .910)
- GU is 35-6 in February since 2020-21, which is second in the country. Vermont's 34-4 record leads the nation.
 
20/29 VISION
- Gonzaga clinched its 29th straight 20-win season.
- The Zags' 29-straight 20-win seasons rank second for the longest active run. (Kansas 37, NCAA record)
- Prior to the previous 28 seasons, the Bulldogs reached 20 wins in a season eight times since 1907-08.
- Gonzaga has won at least 25 games in each of the last 18 consecutive seasons, which is a NCAA Div. 1 record.
 
ZAGS CLOSE IN ON 25 WINS ... AGAIN
- The Bulldogs are three wins from 25 wins this season.
- Gonzaga has won at least 25 games in each of the last 18 consecutive seasons, which is a NCAA Div. 1 record.
- The Zags have reached the 25-win plateau in 21 of the last 22 seasons, and 25 of the last 27. (23 wins in 2006-07, 24 wins in 2002-03, and 24 wins in 1997-98)
 
GOLDEN GRAHAM
- Graham Ike is first in the nation among active players with 2,373 career points. His 1,074 rebounds rank second. No other player has 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
- Ike also leads the country with 908 field goals made in his career, and is fourth with 520 made free-throws.
- His 43 career double-doubles rank third.
- His 12 double-doubles this season ranks 12th 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 ranks first in the WCC in scoring (19.7), second in rebounding (8.5), and second in field goal percentage (.566). In conference play, he is first in scoring (23.3), first in field goal percentage (.654), and second in rebounds (8.8).
- 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 33.2 made field goals per game, and in second half scoring margin (10.8). The Bulldogs are second in extra scoring chances per game (8.8), and second in percentage of points from two-pointers (60.2).
- GU has outscored its opponents by 281 points inside-the-arc, which leads the country. (Arizona, 2nd, 209)
- The Bulldogs have also made 256 more shots from the field than their opponents, that also leads NCAA Div. 1, with Saint Louis second at 195.
- The Zags' 32 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), 12-0 (USF), 10-0 (San Diego, Pepperdine, and at OSU), 9-0 (Washington State, at Seattle, and Saint Mary's), 8-0 (Seattle, and at Portland).
- All but five of GU's wins have been by double-digits