Gonzaga Tops Saint Mary’s, Wins WCC Title and NCAA Bid

LAS VEGAS, NV — The Gonzaga Bulldogs secured the West Coast Conference championship by defeating the 19th-ranked Saint Mary's Gaels 58-51 on Tuesday night, marking their 22nd conference tournament title under head coach Mark Few.

In a game marked by strong defensive play, Gonzaga avenged two regular-season losses to Saint Mary’s and clinched an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs, boasting a record of 25-8, had already been projected to make the tournament regardless of Tuesday’s outcome.

Braden Huff led Gonzaga with 18 points in just his second start of the season. Senior guard Khalif Battle contributed 14 points and five steals, showcasing the Bulldogs’ sharp defense that forced Saint Mary’s into a dismal 0-for-16 from beyond the arc, a first in 787 games under coach Randy Bennett.

“We’ve had an inordinate amount of one-possession games,” said Few. “I think that’s why we’re such an interesting seed going into this NCAA tournament. I think we were 350th in luck in KenPom. We’ve had more banked threes hit on us than I can ever remember.”

While Gonzaga’s performance was commendable, the Gaels were hindered by their inability to score from long range, ultimately snapping their eight-game winning streak. Mitchell Saxen led Saint Mary’s with 20 points and seven rebounds, but the offensive struggle was evident as senior guard Augustas Marciulionis, the two-time WCC Player of the Year, managed just 12 points.

“We did not play well tonight,” Bennett stated postgame. “But we had a great year.”

The Bulldogs’ victory also solidified their impressive track record—20 of the 22 WCC tournament championships have come under Few, who has maintained a streak of appearances in the NCAA tournament since taking the helm in 1999.

With the upcoming NCAA tournament selection on Sunday, Gonzaga’s performance in the WCC Championship elevates their standing. Ranking metrics position the Bulldogs as a top ten team, with KenPom rating them ninth. However, they face scrutiny regarding their potential seeding with ESPN’s Joe Lunardi currently pegging them as a seven-seed, while CBS’ Jerry Palm lists them as a nine-seed.

Despite this, their dominant showing against Saint Mary’s contributes to a more favorable narrative going forward. The Zags have demonstrated resilience in their previous games, particularly with three of their Quad 1 wins occurring in their last four games.

“Winning the NCAA Tournament is the only thing we haven’t done under Few,” a Gonzaga spokesperson remarked. “The closest we’ve come were two runner-up trips in 2017 and 2021.”

As March Madness approaches, fans can anticipate Gonzaga’s journey and remember that in the unpredictable landscape of college basketball, anything is possible.