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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga, San Francisco to return to Chase Center on March 1

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Nolan Hickman (11) waves to fans as he heads to the locker room after defeating the San Francisco Dons during the second half of a college basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. Gonzaga won the game 86-68. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)
By Theo Lawson theol@spokesman.com(509) 459-5584

Gonzaga and San Francisco will return to the Chase Center for a regular-season West Coast Conference finale on March 1, the schools announced Wednesday morning.

Located in downtown San Francisco, the home venue of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors also hosted the Zags and Dons during the final week of the 2023-24 regular season.

A second-half surge from Gonzaga allowed the Bulldogs to outscore the Dons 51-34 after halftime and cruise to an 86-68 victory in front of 6,480 fans. Gonzaga forward Graham Ike scored 26 points and guard Nolan Hickman chipped in 22.

USF plays the majority of its home games at War Memorial Gym, a smaller venue located roughly 4 miles from the Chase Center that seats 5,300 people.

The Dons are scheduled to host one other opponent at the Chase Center, squaring off with Memphis on Nov. 21 before the Tigers travel to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational.

The Zags could potentially return to the venue later in March with the Chase Center hosting Sweet 16 and Elite Eight NCAA Tournament games March 27-29.

Gonzaga’s only other visit to the Warriors’ arena came during the 2022 NCAA Tournament, when Chet Holmgren, Drew Timme, Andrew Nembhard and the top-seeded Bulldogs lost to Arkansas 74-68 in the Sweet 16.

The Chase Center will be one of at least three NBA venues the Zags will visit during the course of the 2024-25 season.

Gonzaga is traveling to Madison Square Garden, the home of the New York Knicks, for a nonconference game against reigning national champion UConn on Dec. 14, The Bulldogs will also face UCLA in another nonconference game at the Los Angeles Clippers’ new Intuit Dome.

Gonzaga brings back four returning starters and could be a strong favorite to win the WCC this season. USF returns the starting backcourt tandem of Malik Thomas and Marcus Williams, along with fellow All-WCC selections Ndewedo Newbury and Ryan Beasley.

The general public can purchase tickets for the March 1 game between Gonzaga and USF starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.