NCAA basketball

LAS VEGAS – If you had played the odds and bet an Eastern Washington team would make the West Coast Tournament women’s championship game, chances are you would have had a winner.

LAS VEGAS – Graham Ike raced off the floor to celebrate after the buzzer sounded and went airborne trying to chest bump every player on Gonzaga’s bench.

So for the fourth straight year and 13th time in 17 championship games at Orleans Arena, it’s Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s for the trophy. GU holds a 12-4 edge in those clashes.

LAS VEGAS – In a town that lives on people taking chances, trying to beat the odds, a Gonzaga win over San Francisco had to be one of the surest things in town.

BOISE – Bolstered by a relentless defensive effort and a solid shooting performance, sixth-seeded Idaho defeated Portland State 80-70 in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Conference tournament Tuesday night at Idaho Central Arena.

LAS VEGAS – Lisa Fortier confessed: A year ago, she and her players lied when her Gonzaga women’s basketball team seemed emotionally demolished after an upset loss to Portland.

Maisie Burnham led the second-seeded Portland Pilots to a 72-57 win over the Washington State Cougars on Monday in the West Coast Conference Tournament semifinals at Orleans Arena.

BOISE – The Idaho women’s basketball team begrudgingly affirmed Monday afternoon the coach-speak mantra of “It’s tough to beat a team three times in a season.”

Gonzaga did what was necessary in a win-or-go-home opportunity, riding monster second halves from Graham Ike and Khalif Battle to an 85-76 victory over San Francisco at Orleans Arena.

For a third straight season, the Gonzaga women's basketball team exits the Orleans Arena on the wrong side of a close game

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LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The first 20 minutes played out in typical Gonzaga-San Francisco fashion.

LAS VEGAS – For the first eight minutes, ninth-seeded Pepperdine looked very much like the squad that pulled off a pair of upsets to make an improbable run to the West Coast Conference Tournament semifinals.

LAS VEGAS – Here are three observations from Gonzaga’s 85-76 win against San Francisco in Monday’s West Coast Conference Tournament semifinals at Orleans Arena.

LAS VEGAS – In a quiet locker room tucked away in the bowels of Las Vegas’ Orleans Arena, where Washington State tumbled out of the WCC tournament with a quarterfinal loss to San Francisco Sunday evening, three Cougars were open about their plans for the future.

LAS VEGAS – These Cougars may not be boarders, but they definitely are battlers.

LAS VEGAS — A wide smile washed over Nate Calmese’s face as he looked to the sideline. Washington State’s starting point guard locked eyes with teammate ND Okafor, who was waiting on the bench, so as the Orleans Arena crescendoed with the Cougars making up a deficit against San Francisco, they leaped into the air and collided in celebration.

LAS VEGAS – If Gonzaga is going to win the West Coast Conference Tournament for the first time since 2021-22 – and the fifth time under coach Lisa Fortier – it’ll likely have to beat a team for a third straight time this season.

LAS VEGAS – Good basketball teams benefit from many things.