In Las Vegas, the Gonzaga Bulldogs achieved a decisive 85-76 win over the San Francisco Dons in a thrilling semifinal of the West Coast Conference Tournament on Monday night at Orleans Arena. This victory propels Gonzaga into its 28th consecutive championship game in this tournament. Graham Ike delivered an impressive performance, scoring 27 points and pulling down 10 rebounds, while Khalif Battle added 21 points to the Bulldogs’ tally.
The Bulldogs, holding the second seed with a record of 24-8, will now face off against the top-seeded, 19th-ranked Saint Mary’s Gaels in the tournament’s final on Tuesday. The winner will secure an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament. Earlier, Saint Mary’s had dispatched ninth-seed Pepperdine with a score of 74-59 in their semifinal showdown. Gonzaga continues its remarkable streak against San Francisco, securing their 33rd consecutive victory over the third-seeded Dons, who finished the season at 24-9. Previously in the regular season, Saint Mary’s emerged victorious in both clashes against Gonzaga.
San Francisco’s Ryan Beasley had a strong first half, scoring 10 points and sinking a crucial three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer, giving the Dons a narrow 37-35 lead. For Gonzaga, Graham Ike was instrumental with 10 points, and Michael Ajayi contributed significantly from the bench, scoring nine and collecting seven rebounds.
In the second half, Ike scored the first two baskets, after which Gonzaga maintained its lead throughout. Although San Francisco stayed close and reduced the deficit to a single point on three occasions—last at 62-61 when Saba Gigiberia scored—the Bulldogs managed to pull away decisively. Ike’s three-point play and subsequent layup cemented their victory.
Completing San Francisco’s efforts, Malik Thomas excelled with five three-pointers, achieving a team-high of 27 points and eight rebounds. Beasley ended the game with 13 points and five assists, while Wang also contributed 10 points.
The Gaels have a historic victory over San Francisco, dating back to a 66-59 triumph in 1997, which marked the last time Gonzaga did not compete for the title. Gonzaga strives for its 22nd tournament title since 1995, with previous experiences including a split with Portland in 1995 and 1996 championship games. As for the Dons, their last championship game appearance was in 1998, where they triumphed over Gonzaga with an 80-67 victory.
