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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga-Xavier men’s basketball history

Gonzaga coach Mark Few and his Bulldogs awaited their March 16, 2006, NCAA Tournament game against Xavier. (Brian Plonka / The Spokesman-Review)

Gonzaga’s last hurdle before reaching the program’s first Final Four is the Xavier Musketeers, whom the Bulldogs have beaten three times in their four meetings.

Both schools have made it to the Elite Eight three times, but neither has reached the final four.

Xavier and Gonzaga both own 27 NCAA Tournament wins.

The Bulldogs have beaten Xavier in the last three matchups, with the latest being a 72-65 victory on New Year’s Eve in 2011.

The year before, Gonzaga beat the Musketeers 64-54 on Dec. 22, 2010, in Spokane.

In 2006, the third-seeded Zags were paired with Xavier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga edged out a 79-75 victory despite trailing 39-36 at the half. Adam Morrison scored 35 points for the Bulldogs.

The first meeting between the programs resulted in a Xavier win, 87-82 on Dec. 23, 1960.