SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Gonzaga Bulldogs (21-8, 12-4 WCC) take on the Santa Clara Broncos (19-10, 11-5) at the Leavey Center on Tuesday, February 25 at 8 p.m. PT.
How to Watch and Stream
Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara will be televised on CBS Sports Network, which can be accessed on most TV providers starting at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
You can stream CBS Sports Network directly on CBSSports.com and The CBS Sports apps, but a TV provider login is required. Various other streaming platforms carry CBS Sports Network, including Paramount+, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, and DirecTV Stream. Some free trials, like on fuboTV, may be available.
Odds
Gonzaga heads to Santa Clara as 6.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 162.5.
THE OPENING TIP
– Gonzaga plays its last true road game of the season in the Leavey Center at Santa Clara Tuesday at 8 p.m.
– GU is coming off a 74-67 home loss to No. 24 Saint Mary’s Saturday. Graham Ike had a game-high 19 points, while Nolan Hickman added 14 points. Ryan Nembhard scored 11 points.
– Ryan Nembhard is fourth in WCC history with 280 assists this season, four away from the league record. The senior set a new WCC record for most assists in a single conference play season, he is currently at 150 (previous record was 136).
– Nembhard became the 51st player in NCAA Div. 1 history to reach 800 career assists, and is now at 818. His 280 assists are first in the nation, to only 67 turnovers. He broke his own single season assist program record. Nembhard’s 9.7 assists per game also tops the country. His 4.18 assist-to-turnover ratio is third.
– As a team, the Zags are first in the nation in assists per game at 19.7 and assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.07.
– Gonzaga is second in the country averaging 87.1 points per game, second in field goal percentage (49.9), and sixth in free-throw percentage (80.4).
– Since Jan. 24, Bart Torvik computer ratings ranks GU eighth in the nation, with the 15th best offense and 24th best defense.
– Khalif Battle is third from the free-throw line at 93.6 percent (1st in WCC). Graham Ike (58.6%) and Braden Huff (57.1%) are first and second in the WCC in field goal percentage.
– Ike is fifth in the WCC averaging 17.4 points, while shooting a WCC-best 59 percent from the field in league games.
He is third grabbing 8.1 rebounds per conference game.
– Gonzaga clinched its 28th straight 20-win season. The Zags’ 28-straight 20-win seasons ranks as the second longest active run in the country. (Kansas 33)- Mark Few was named one of 17 finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a first-time nominee.
– Ryan Nembhard was named to the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Top 10 Watch List. Graham Ike was named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Top 10 Watch List.
– Graham Ike and Nembhard Named to Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watchlist.
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
– Santa Clara has won five of its last six games with the lone loss being at Saint Mary’s by nine points. The Broncos won those five games by an average margin of 25.8 points.
– In Saturday’s game, set a new WCC and program record, and tied the NCAA D1 record for a road team with 23 3-pointers as they exploded for a 109-79 win at Washington State. SCU made 15-of-19 from three-point range by halftime and led 61-33. Five Broncos finished in double-digit scoring led by Carlos Stewart’s 22 points. Four Santa Clara players finished with four or more threes.
– It was SCU’s 19th win, which tied for the most wins of Herb Sendek’s tenure (2022-23) and the most since 1994-95.
– Four Broncos average double-digit scoring led by Bal’s 13.1 points. Carlos Stewart Jr. averages 12.4 points. Tilly and Elijah Mahi chip in 12.3 and 11.4 points.
– Santa Clara leads the WCC at 10.7 threes made per outing.
SERIES INFO
– This is the 104th meeting between Gonzaga and Santa Clara. The Bulldogs own a 71-32 advantage in the series.
– GU has won 50 of the last 54 against the Broncos.
– The Zags are 47-6 against SCU under Mark Few.
– Gonzaga is 26-24 all-time at Santa Clara, but have won 22 of their last 24 at SCU.
– In last season’s matchup at Santa Clara, the Broncos scored the game-winning basket with 4.6 seconds left to pull off the 77-76 upset over No. 23 GU. Ryan Nembhard scored 21 points, and Braden Huff added 14 points.
– In the meeting earlier this season in Spokane, the Broncos upset No. 16 Gonzaga, 103-99. Nolan Hickman led Gonzaga with a career-high 24 points, hitting a career-high six 3-pointers. Graham Ike scored 21 points, and Ryan Nembhard had 16 points and a career-high 15 assists to one turnover.
– Santa Clara won the first all-time meeting between the programs, 67-62, in Santa Clara on Feb. 3, 1959.
UP NEXT
– The 98th all-time meeting between GU and San Francisco at the Chase Center in San Francisco Saturday at 8 p.m.
– The Bulldogs have a 75-22 advantage in the series.
– Gonzaga is 54-4 against San Francisco under Mark Few.
– The Zags have won 31 straight versus the Dons. USF’s last win in the series came on Feb. 18, 2012, 66-65, at USF.
– In the first meeting this season in Spokane on Feb. 13, Gonzaga beat San Francisco 88-77. Three Bulldogs finished with double-doubles, and five total finished in double-digit scoring with a sixth at nine points. Graham Ike finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Ryan Nembhard had 18 points and 13 assists. The game was tied at 38 at halftime, before GU opened the second half on a 20-8 run.
– In last season’s meeting in San Francisco, No. 23 Gonzaga pulled away from the Dons for an 86-68 in the Chase Center. Graham Ike led with 26 points, while Nolan Hickman scored 22 points and Ryan Nembhard added 15. The Zags led 35-34 at halftime, before opening the second half on a 13-0 run.
– Gonzaga has won 35 in-a-row in Spokane in the series, including all 20 in the McCarthey Athletic Center.
– The Bulldogs are 41-2 against USF in Spokane all-time. The Dons last won in Spokane in 1989, 67-64.
– GU is 27-18 all-time at San Francisco. The Bulldogs have won the last 12 matchups at USF.
– The Zags and Dons have met in the WCC semifinals in five of the last seven tournaments, including the last two.
– San Francisco edged GU, 64-62, in the first-ever meeting at USF on Jan. 28, 1961.
20/28 VISION
– GU has clinched its 28th straight 20-win season.
– The Zags’ 28-straight 20-win seasons rank second for the longest active run in the country. (Kansas 33)
– Prior to the previous 27 seasons, the Bulldogs reached 20 wins in a season eight times since 1907-08.
– Gonzaga has won at least 25 games in each of the last 17 consecutive seasons, which is a NCAA Div. 1 record.
