Gonzaga Basketball

N/A

Tag Type
Team
Slug
gonzaga-basketball
Short Name
Gonzaga
Abbreviation
GONZ
Sport ID / Foreign ID
2f4d21f8-6d5f-48a5-abca-52a30583871a
Visible in Content Tool
On
Visible in Programming Tool
On
Root
Men's College Basketball
Featured
Off
Auto create Channel for this Tag
On
Parents
WCC Basketball
Primary Parent
WCC Basketball
Primary Color
#022868
Secondary Color
#ffffff
Channel State
LiveGame
Eyebrow Text
Men's Basketball
Ticket Link
https://www.vividseats.com/gonzaga-bulldogs-mens-basketball-tickets--sports-ncaa-basketball/performer/4755?wsUser=899

Report: UConn, Gonzaga to Start Multiyear MCBB Series with Games in Seattle, NYC

May 16, 2023
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 25: Anton Watson #22 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs handles the ball against Alex Karaban #11 of the Connecticut Huskies of the Connecticut Huskies during the Elite Eight round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at T-Mobile Arena on March 25, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 25: Anton Watson #22 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs handles the ball against Alex Karaban #11 of the Connecticut Huskies of the Connecticut Huskies during the Elite Eight round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at T-Mobile Arena on March 25, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

The UConn Huskies and Gonzaga Bulldogs are set to begin a multiyear men's college basketball series with a game at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena in the 2023-24 season, according to Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today.

The teams will also play at New York's Madison Square Garden in 2024-25, per Rothstein. Dates and times have not been determined.

UConn and Gonzaga most recently met in the Elite Eight of the 2023 NCAA tournament. The Huskies defeated the Bulldogs 82-54 to reach the Final Four for the first time in nine years.

UConn then captured its first national title since 2014.

The Huskies and Bulldogs have met only six times, and Connecticut is 4-2. Gonzaga defeated UConn in the Bahamas in 2015 and in Boston in 2007. UConn won a 2008 meeting in Seattle and a 2005 matchup in Hawaiʻi. The Huskies also won another Elite Eight matchup in 1999 on the way to their first national title.

Both programs will look very different next season.

Four Huskies declared for the 2023 NBA draft this offseason: Jordan Hawkins, Andre Jackson Jr., Tristen Newton and Adama Sanogo.

However, UConn brought in the country's fourth-ranked recruiting class, per 247Sports, including 5-star prospect Stephon Castle; 4-stars Solomon Ball, Jaylin Stewart and Jayden Ross; and 3-star Youssouf Singare.

According to ESPN's Jeff Borzello, the Huskies' projected starting lineup includes Castle, Ball, Stewart, Alex Karaban and Donovan Clingan.

Gonzaga, meanwhile, is entering the post-Drew Timme era, as he declared for the draft alongside teammates Malachi Smith, Julian Strawther and Anton Watson.

The Bulldogs' recruiting class ranked 22nd with 4-star Dusty Stromer and 3-star Alex Toohey.

Gonzaga also landed transfers in Graham Ike (Wyoming), Ryan Nembhard (Creighton) and Steele Venters (Eastern Washington).

Borzello projected its starting lineup to include Nembhard, Venters, Ike and Nolan Hickman. He also included Smith, who may return for his fifth season. Otherwise, Ben Gregg could slot in.

With the new-look rosters, the matchup between UConn and Gonzaga should be a good one.

Ryan Nembhard to Transfer to Gonzaga After Creighton's Elite 8 Run in March Madness

Apr 21, 2023
DENVER, CO - MARCH 17: Ryan Nembhard #2 of the Creighton Bluejays is introduced against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the first round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Ball Arena on March 17, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 17: Ryan Nembhard #2 of the Creighton Bluejays is introduced against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the first round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Ball Arena on March 17, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Former Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard is transferring to Gonzaga ahead of the 2023-24 season, he told ESPN's Jonathan Givony on Friday.

Nembhard, ranked as the ninth-best player in the transfer portal this spring by 247Sports, chose Gonzaga over Arizona, Alabama and UCF.

The 20-year-old said that his brother, Andrew Nembhard, played a role in his decision to transfer to Gonzaga. Andrew Nembhard transferred to Gonzaga from Florida after the 2019-20 season and improved his NBA draft stock over two seasons with the program.

The Indiana Pacers went on to select Andrew in the second round of the 2022 draft.

"Of course my brother had been telling me for years what a great coach Mark [Few] was," Ryan Nembhard said. "And it's obvious Andrew was well prepared for the NBA by Coach Few and all the staff at Gonzaga the two years he was there; he started more games this year as a rookie than any other Pacers rookie has started in over 20 years.

"Winning, development, and overall happiness are all things I'm hunting. Andrew can't help me find them. I have to do that on my own. Gonzaga is the place for me, I can just tell."

Ryan Nembhard had a solid 2022-23 season with Creighton, averaging 12.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 37 games while shooting 43.2 percent from the floor and 35.6 percent from deep.

He helped lead the Bluejays to a berth in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

Now headed to Gonzaga, Ryan will attempt to held lead the Bulldogs to glory in the post-Drew Timme era.

Julian Strawther's Late 3 Leaves Twitter in Shock as Drew Timme, Gonzaga Beat UCLA

Mar 24, 2023
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 23: Julian Strawther #0 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after scoring a three-point basket against the UCLA Bruins during the second half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 23: Julian Strawther #0 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after scoring a three-point basket against the UCLA Bruins during the second half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Another UCLA-Gonzaga matchup, another storybook ending.

But unfortunately for the Bruins, it was Gonzaga's Julian Strawther's shot with one second remaining in the game that won it for the Bulldogs 79-76 and sent them to the Elite Eight to take on UConn at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

It looked like UCLA had found a way to steal the game after Amari Bailey knocked down a three with 13 seconds left to put the Bruins up one, but much like the 2021 Final Four matchup between to the two programs, it just wasn't meant to be.

Strawther was an unexpected hero for Gonzaga after struggling for long stretches of the game. He did finish with 16 points but went just 5-of-15 from the field.

In the span of a few seconds, however, he wrote himself into March Madness lore with one of the tournament's most clutch shots, and in front of his hometown crowd no less.

And Twitter could not get enough of it.

But Strawther would've never been in a position to knock down that three-pointer if it wasn't for the play of Gonzaga's star and senior leader Drew Timme.

Trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half, the Bulldogs rode Timme's 36-point, 14-rebound masterclass that helped them storm back, take the lead, almost blow it and then eventually win the game.

He now has the most 20-plus point games in tournament history with 10.

It looked like Timme's performance was going to be wasted in the first half as he scored 19 points but the Bulldogs seemed incapable of stopping a UCLA offense that had three double-digit scorers in the opening 20 minutes.

Timme's teammates combined for just 14 in the opening frame. But he kept the Bruins in the torture chamber all night and eventually got some help in the form of Strawther and Malachi Smith who poured in 14 points and six rebounds.

Timme did miss two late free throws which opened the door for Bailey's shot, but that'll be forgotten after the win.

It's the second-consecutive game in which Timme has had to drag Gonzaga back from a double-digit deficit, the Bulldogs trailed by 10 against TCU in the round of 32.

He refuses to let his illustrious collegiate career end and as the stakes have risen, so has his play.

The Bulldogs won't have a whole lot to celebrate the win as they move on to face UConn, who has looked like perhaps the most complete team in the entire tournament thus far, especially after dominating a talented Arkansas team 88-65 in an earlier game Thursday.

The Huskies have won each of their games by at least 15 points. The two teams will face off Saturday night.

Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.

Drew Timme, Gonzaga Heralded by Twitter for Strong 2nd Half in Win vs. TCU

Mar 20, 2023
DENVER, CO - MARCH 19: Drew Timme #2 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts to a play against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first half of the second round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Ball Arena on March 19, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 19: Drew Timme #2 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts to a play against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first half of the second round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Ball Arena on March 19, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Drew Timme was not ready for his illustrious college career to end.

The senior forward did everything to ensure that didn't happen, as he helped lead Gonzaga to a come-from-behind victory against TCU in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday, taking down the Horned Frogs 84-81 in an exciting matchup.

The Bulldogs trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half and were down five going into halftime, but an excellent second half from Timme, who finished with 28 points and eight rebounds, sparked a comeback.

Much of the second half was a back-and-forth affair, but Gonzaga managed to take control of the game with a little under nine minutes remaining, and the Bulldogs were able to hold off the Horned Frogs and their several late-game runs.

Mike Miles Jr. also had an excellent game for TCU finishing with 24 points and four assists, but it wasn't enough for his team to advance.

With the win, Gonzaga is advancing to its eighth consecutive Sweet 16, the longest active streak of any program—Houston is the next closest at four.

Twitter had plenty of love for Timme and his clutch performance.

The Zags are now set for a matchup against the No. 2 UCLA Bruins in a rematch of the legendary Final Four game between the two programs in 2021, which the Bulldogs won on an overtime buzzer-beater by Jalen Suggs to preserve what was then a perfect season.

Next weekend's game has a whole lot to live up to.

Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.

'Lights Out' Julian Strawther Dazzles Fans as No. 3 Gonzaga Downs No. 14 Grand Canyon

Mar 18, 2023
DENVER, CO - MARCH 17: Julian Strawther #0 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after a play against the Grand Canyon Antelopes during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Ball Arena on March 17, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 17: Julian Strawther #0 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after a play against the Grand Canyon Antelopes during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Ball Arena on March 17, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Julian Strawther amassed 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead the No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs to an 82-70 win over the No. 14 Grand Canyon Antelopes in the first round of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on Friday.

Gonzaga found itself in some first-half trouble after GCU took a 28-21 lead, but the Bulldogs closed on a 19-8 run thanks in part to Strawther, who scored nine of his 16 first-half points during this span.

That put Gonzaga in position to put its foot on the gas in the second half, where it led by as many as 22.

The defense in particular took over, holding GCU scoreless for six minutes and 30 seconds.

Strawther was the star of this show, however, and Twitter took notice.

https://twitter.com/sheffsaysftwat1/status/1636876236298280967

Gonzaga will now play either No. 6 TCU or No. 11 Arizona State in the second round on Sunday.

Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.

Gonzaga Having 'Conversations' with Big 12 Commissioner amid Expansion Rumors

Mar 8, 2023
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 20: A basketball sets on the court next to the Bulldogs logo prior to the start of the game between the San Francisco Dons and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on February 20, 2020 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 20: A basketball sets on the court next to the Bulldogs logo prior to the start of the game between the San Francisco Dons and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on February 20, 2020 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)

Gonzaga is on the Big 12's radar.

"I like Gonzaga," Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark told reporters before the men's conference tournament. "Obviously a great program. My focus right now is to see what happens throughout our industry. There's a lot of moving parts. I continue to have conversations with Gonzaga."

Yormark also said he believes "the strength of this conference in basketball, I think, is unrivaled," which is notable given what he said the league is looking for in expansion targets.

"It's gotta be a good cultural fit first and foremost," he said. "Obviously, we look at geography. We want to be a truly national conference from a brand perspective and geographic footprint."

There aren't many realistic programs to target for expansion that would bolster a league's basketball standing more than Gonzaga. The Bulldogs are among the top teams in the nation on a seemingly yearly basis under head coach Mark Few and just defeated Saint Mary's by 26 points on Tuesday to win the WCC tournament title game for the fourth straight season.

This season will mark Gonzaga's 24th consecutive NCAA men's tournament appearance, and it has reached the national championship game twice, the Elite Eight five times and the Sweet 16 a total of 12 times during that span.

Both of the national championship game appearances came in the last seven years as the program continues to get closer to that elusive title.

The Big 12 will undergo radical changes in the coming years, with the departure of powerhouse football programs in Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC and the addition of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF.

Cincinnati and Houston, in particular, have strong basketball histories, and a focus on the sport while football has driven much of the conference realignment discussion would be notable.

A conference with Kansas, Gonzaga, Baylor, Houston and Kansas State, among others, would be a force on the hardwood, and it is clear Yormark is proud of the league's stature in the sport.

The Bulldogs would only add to that stature.

Report: 'Growing Interest' in Gonzaga Joining Big 12 After Commissioner Meets With AD

Nov 17, 2022
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 11: Rasir Bolton #45, Drew Timme #2, Joe Few #32 and Julian Strawther #0 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs celebrate after defeating the Michigan State Spartans 64-63 during the first half of the Armed Forces Classic aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on November 11, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 11: Rasir Bolton #45, Drew Timme #2, Joe Few #32 and Julian Strawther #0 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs celebrate after defeating the Michigan State Spartans 64-63 during the first half of the Armed Forces Classic aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on November 11, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

As the Texas Longhorns men's basketball team hosts the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Wednesday night, it could be looking at its replacement in the Big 12 ahead of its impending departure to the SEC.

According to Action Network's Brett McMurphy, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford met earlier Wednesday in Austin and there is "growing mutual interest" for the Bulldogs to join the Big 12.

Texas is set to leave the Big 12 along with Oklahoma and they will become official members of the SEC on July 1, 2025. The Big 12 has already announced that BYU, Houston, Cincinnati and UCF will join the conference beginning in July 2023.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported earlier this month that Gonzaga and the Big 12 were engaged in talks about joining the conference. The Bulldogs are a basketball powerhouse that plays in the West Coast Conference, which is a mid-major. Thamel noted that the school is fielding multiple discussions to move to a Power Five league.

"Sources indicate that Gonzaga has been exploring its conference options, as it has emerged as one of the premier basketball programs in the country," Thamel wrote. "Both the Pac-12 and the Big East have been engaged with Gonzaga, according to sources, but the extent of those conversations is uncertain."

The last two NCAA men's basketball champions are Big 12 schools in Baylor and Kansas, respectively, so adding Gonzaga to that mix would be a major boost to what is already a strength of the conference. The Bulldogs have been the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament in four of the past five years.

However, there's a chance Gonzaga would not be welcomed with open arms to the Big 12. West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins told reporters he "would think it would be a tremendous awakening for Gonzaga" to join the conference because "you don't get to make your own schedule in the Big 12."

Alex Toohey, NBA Global Academy Product, Commits to Gonzaga over Villanova, Michigan

Nov 8, 2022
BENDIGO, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 29: Alex Toohey of Australia (L) looks to pass during the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifier match between the Australia Boomers and Iran at Red Energy Arena on August 29, 2022 in Bendigo, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
BENDIGO, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 29: Alex Toohey of Australia (L) looks to pass during the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifier match between the Australia Boomers and Iran at Red Energy Arena on August 29, 2022 in Bendigo, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Alex Toohey, an 18-year-old Australian forward who has been playing at the NBA Global Academy, has committed to Gonzaga over Villanova, Michigan and Davidson.

Toohey explained his decision to ESPN's Jonathan Givony on Tuesday.

"Gonzaga stood out with their history of winning and making international players better," Toohey said. "Being able to learn from a great coach in Mark Few will be special."

Givony called Toohey "one of the most promising international prospects committing to the college route" for the class of 2023.

The 6'8" Toohey made his debut for the Australian senior national team in Feb. 2021 and scored 12 points in 17 minutes during FIBA World Cup qualifiers in August 2022.

Givony provided highlights of the versatile Toohey:

The NBA Global Academy is based in Canberra, Australia. It is located in Basketball Australia’s (BA) Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Per NBA.com, the Centre of Excellence has been the home for numerous current and former NBA players, such as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey, who became the first-ever NBA Academy Graduate selected in the NBA draft.

The Centre of Excellence has also produced other players such as Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles and Patty Mills.

As for Gonzaga, the Bulldogs have already received a commitment from 4-star forward Dusty Stromer, who is ranked 42nd overall on the 247Sports' composite list of prospects.

Now they add a player with high upside in Toohey, who should help keep Gonzaga's winning tradition going.

Gonzaga Would Face 'Tremendous Awakening' If It Joined Big 12, Bob Huggins Says

Nov 3, 2022
West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins speaks to the media during Big 12 NCAA college basketball media day Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins speaks to the media during Big 12 NCAA college basketball media day Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Gonzaga is reportedly considering a move to the Big 12 amid the continued realignment in college sports, per ESPN's Pete Thamel. But West Virginia men's basketball coach Bob Huggins thinks the Bulldogs might be surprised by the strength of its new conference.

"I would think it would be a tremendous awakening for Gonzaga [to join the Big 12]," he told reporters Thursday.

Gonzaga has completely dominated the West Coast Conference since Mark Few took over as the head coach in the 1999-00 season, either winning or sharing the regular-season title in every season but 1999-00 and 2011-12. They've also won 18 conference tournament titles in that time.

But the Bulldogs have also fared well in the NCAA tournament, reaching two championship games, though a national title has eluded them.

And they've acquitted themselves well in non-conference games, with a 39-12 record against schools from the Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, Big East, ACC and SEC dating back to 2017. A Sweet 16 loss to Arkansas was Gonzaga's last result against such a school.

So when they've danced with the big boys, they've generally fared well.

But there's little doubt the Big-12 would be a major step up in competition compared to the WCC. The past two national champions, Baylor and Kansas, hail from the Big-12. Five teams from the conference—Nos. 5 Kansas and Baylor, No. 12 Texas, No. 14 TCU and No. 25 Texas Tech—are all opening the season as top-25 teams in the Associated Press poll.

While Texas and Oklahoma are departing for the SEC in 2025, Houston—which starts the year ranked No. 3—will join the conference next season.

"To get in this league and play who we play day-after-day, I would think it would be a tremendous awakening," Huggins said of Gonzaga's potential defection to the conference. "You don't get to make your own schedule in the Big 12."

Subscribe to Gonzaga Basketball