Gonzaga surges past Santa Clara 79-68 to leave WCC with 23rd tournament championship | Recap and highlights
LAS VEGAS – With both eyes focused on the basket, Gonzaga’s Davis Fogle drove from the right sideline, curled up and around the hoop and laid the ball off the glass while drawing contact from Santa Clara’s Christian Hammond.
As he stood up, the freshman wing pumped his fist and exchanged a high-five with a Gonzaga fan sitting courtside.
After a spotty start at Orleans Arena, the top-seeded Zags turned the tide in Tuesday’s West Coast Conference Tournament championship game, taking their first lead midway through the second half and emerging with a 79-68 victory.
In Gonzaga’s final WCC season, it signifies the 23rd conference tournament championship for Mark Few’s program and sealed the school’s ninth 30-win season.
Mario Saint-Supery led an inspired second-half effort from Gonzaga, scoring 21 points on 6 of 12 from the 3-point line. Tyon Grant-Foster had 20 points on 7 of 11 shooting, Graham Ike scored 15 points on 7 of 7 shooting and Fogle was the fourth Zag to finish in double figures, adding 13 points on 4 of 7 shooting.
It didn’t always look like a slam dunk for the Zags, who faced someone other than Saint Mary’s in the WCC title game for the first time since 2020-21.
Santa Clara grabbed a 9-1 lead less than four minutes into Tuesday’s game and led 33-29 at the halftime break. It was the first time since a 40-point loss to Michigan the Zags didn’t lead at any point in the first half.
The Zags flipped the script in the second half, using defensive stops to ignite their transition offense.
Gonzaga outscored Santa Clara 50-35 after the break and finished the game with a 27-0 advantage in fastbreak points.
The quartet of Gonzaga players to reach double figures accounted for all but two of the team’s points after the break. Saint-Supery had 15 second-half points, followed by 12 from Grant-Foster, 11 from Ike and 10 from Fogle.
First half
18:30 – SCU 2, GU 0: Hammond opens the scoring with a pair of free throws, after a couple of turnovers and a block on either end. The WCC Tournament championship is officially underway.
15:55 – SCU 9, GU 4: Saint-Supery hits a 3-pointer ahead of the first media timeout to break and ice-cold start for the Zags.
GU opened 0 of 3 from the field with two turnovers. Innocenti scored the Zags other point, splitting two free throws.
Broncos open 3 of 5 from the field to take an early lead.
11:39 – SCU 16, GU 14: Cochran called for a foul at the U12 media timeout, as the Zags chip away at the Broncos lead.
Grant-Foster gets involved with an ally-oop and a 3-pointer. Ike also got on the board with a dunk.
GU has found more of a flow on offense, but are lacking on the glass. Santa Clara has six offensive rebounds and nine second chance points.
7:54 – GU 19, SCU 19: Ike called for his first foul as the Zags tie things up on another 3-pointer from Grant-Foster at the U8 media timeout.
Grant-Foster off to one of his best starts this season, making up for a quiet half from Ike. Grant-Foster has eight points, making all three of his field goal attempts.
3:37 – SCU 28, GU 22: Zags fall back into a rut, but will have two free throws after the U4 media timeout.
Ike remains quiet, with just one shot attempt. GU will need to get him going soon.
1:50 – SCU 33, GU 25: Gavalyugov makes a 3-pointer and Gonzaga calls timeout.
Gonzaga has been out-hustled in the first half. Broncos have 11 offensive rebounds and lead in second chance points 14-0. Zags have also been brutal from the free throw line, making 3 of 9 attempts.
Halftime
Santa Clara leads Gonzaga 33-29 at halftime of the WCC Tournament championship. The Zags should be happy it’s only that much.
After an uninspired 20 minutes, the Bulldogs are still well within striking distance. Gonzaga was outscored 13-0 on second chance points, made 3 of 9 free throws and its leading scorer Graham Ike only attempted two shots.
Tyon Grant-Foster paces GU with eight points and Mario Saint-Supery adds six.
Christian Hammond leads Santa Clara with 12 points. Broncos have been hindered by poor outside shooting, making 4 of 20 3-point attempts.
Second half
19:12 – SCU 35, GU 32: Saint-Supery knocks down a 3-pointer for GU’s first second chance points of the game and Ensminger is down holding his back with an apparent injury on the play. Would be a big loss for the Broncos.
15: 27 – SCU 47, GU 42: Ike slams a monster dunk, but Hammond answers with a 3-pointer on the other end ahead of the U16 media timeout. Broncos finding answers early in the second half, have made 4 of their last 5 attempts from the field.
Hammond has 17 points for the Broncos. Grant-Foster leads GU with 12 and Ike is up to eight.
10:28 – GU 52, SCU 52: Ike has arrived, now up to 13 points as the Zags briefly take the lead, lose it on a 3-pointer and have the big man tie it back up with a putback.
Saint-Supery will shoot free throws on the other end of the U12 media timeout. Zags playing with much more urgency in the second half.
8:56 – GU 57, SCU 52: Zags get two big blocks on back-to-back possessions and Santa Clara calls timeout with GU on a 7-0 run.
Ike and Saint-Supery came up with the stuffs that turned into points in transition.
7:07 – GU 62, SCU 56: Fogle finds Ike for a layup ahead of the U8 media timeout, as GU builds its largest lead of the game.
Grant-Foster leads Gonzaga with 16 points, Ike adds 15 (7 of 7) and Saint-Supery has 13.
3:27 – GU 70, SCU 63: Fogle makes a layup through contact and will shoot a free throw on the other end of the U4 media timeout.
Gonzaga’s freshman have been excellent. Fogle has 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. Saint-Supery has 19 points, making six 3-pointers with four rebounds, and four assists.
1:38 – GU 72, SCU 65: Hammond scores from inside and the Broncos call timeout.
Zags in control late, but have struggled at the free throw line if Santa Clara ties to extend the game.
0:50 – GU 75, SCU 65: Fogle converts a three-point play, Broncos miss on the other end and the Zags are going to close out their time in the WCC with another tournament championship. We’ll be back shortly with a full recap.
Starting five’s
Gonzaga: Jalen Warley, Mario Saint-Supery, Adam Miller, Emmanuel Innocent, Graham Ike
Santa Clara: Brenton Knapper, Christian Hammond, Jake Ensminger, Elijah Mahi, Bukky Oboye
Pregame
LAS VEGAS – One last time for the West Coast Conference crown.
Top-seeded Gonzaga will make its 29th consecutive appearance in the WCC Tournament championship game tonight when it tips off from Orleans Arena against third-seeded Santa Clara at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
The Zags (29-3) scored a comfortable win over Oregon State on Monday, while the Broncos (26-7) knocked off Saint Mary’s to reach the title game for the first time since 2001.
A win would serve as a fitting end to Gonzaga’s stay in the WCC, before it departs to the new Pac-12 next season. GU is seeking its 23rd conference title since 1995.
Santa Clara has won the tournament in 1987 and 1993. The Broncos likely secured their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1996 with Monday’s win.
Gonzaga is projected as a No. 3 or 4 seed in the NCAAs and a win should give it a bump.
Follow along with this thread for updates throughout the night.
Semifinal coverage