Gonzaga vs. San Francisco: A Thrilling Matchup
In a thrilling matchup on Saturday evening, No. 8 Gonzaga narrowly defeated San Francisco with a score of 68-66, clinching their 14th consecutive win of the season and extending their dominance over the Dons to 34 straight victories.
Key Players and Contributions
Jalen Warley was instrumental in the victory, contributing 19 points, while Davis Fogle added 15 points and a crucial late-game rebound. Despite missing their top two scorers for the third consecutive game—Braden Huff (17.8 points per game) sidelined due to a knee injury and Graham Ike (averaging 18 points per game) anticipated to return shortly from his ankle issue—Gonzaga (21-1, 9-0 West Coast Conference) managed to secure the win.
San Francisco’s Struggles
The Dons, with a record of 13-9 and 5-4 in conference play, have not triumphed against Gonzaga in over a decade, their last victory dating back to 2012, and their last win in Spokane occurring in 1989.
Game Highlights
San Francisco showcased impressive shooting from beyond the arc, converting 14 of 28 3-point attempts, which nearly led to an upset. Junjie Wang‘s late basket and free throws narrowed Gonzaga’s lead to 60-57 with five minutes remaining. However, following a scoring drought, a key basket by Tyon Grant-Foster and a 3-pointer pushed Gonzaga ahead 67-57 with two minutes left.
Despite a late surge by the Dons, with Vukasin Masic hitting two 3-pointers to cut the deficit to just two points, they were unable to score on the final possession. Wang’s long-distance effort at the buzzer went off the rim, allowing Fogle to secure the rebound as time expired.
First Half Overview
The game began with Gonzaga dominating, racing to a 12-0 lead while San Francisco struggled offensively, missing their initial eight shots before finally getting on the board with Tyrone Riley‘s 3-pointer around the mid-point of the first half. The Dons managed to close the gap to 26-21 by netting four more 3-pointers before Gonzaga went on another scoring run, establishing a 36-25 lead at halftime.
Second Half Comeback Attempt
In the second half, San Francisco made a comeback attempt with six early 3-pointers, including a trio by Legend Smiley, but ultimately fell short.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, San Francisco will face Santa Clara on Wednesday, while Gonzaga is set to host rival Saint Mary’s next Saturday.
