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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga’s Graham Ike, Spokane’s Tyson Degenhart named to Karl Malone Award Top 10 list

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (13) reacts during the first half of a college basketball game against the Saint Mary
Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (13) reacts during the first half of a college basketball game against the Saint Mary's Gaels on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga, Calif. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)
By Theo Lawson theol@spokesman.com(509) 459-5584

Two college basketball big men with ties to Spokane and the Inland Northwest were among the 10 candidates named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year top 10 watch list Thursday.

Gonzaga senior Graham Ike and Boise State senior Tyson Degenhart, a Spokane native and Mt. Spokane High product, were named to Thursday’s top 10 list after both appeared on the Karl Malone Award preseason watch list.

Ike is third in the country in player efficiency rating (PER), ranks fourth in the West Coast Conference in scoring at 17.6 points per game and has scored at least 20 points in 11 games this season, including in five of the past six.

The senior leads all WCC players in field-goal percentage (61.5%) and ranks ninth in the conference in rebounding at 7.2 per game.

Degenhart is averaging 17.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 33 minutes per game for Boise State. The preseason Mountain West Player of the Year is shooting 51.6% from the field and 80.3% from the free-throw line.

Degenhart has 22 double-digit scoring performances this season, tied for the most among the 10 players named to the Malone watch list.

Ike is one of two candidates from the WCC, joining Oregon State’s Michael Rataj, who totaled 46 points in two regular-season matchups with the Zags this season.

Gonzaga has encountered two other players on the watch list this season, facing Baylor and Norchad Omier in the season opener at the Arena before traveling to New York City to face Connecticut and forward Alex Karaban in December.

Other candidates include Auburn’s Johni Broome, Michigan’s Danny Wolf, Texas Tech’s JT Toppin, UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Villanova’s Eric Dixon.

Drew Timme became the first and only Gonzaga player to capture the Malone award in 2021 after guiding the Bulldogs to an unbeaten regular season and run to the national championship game in Indianapolis.