It can’t end like this. This doesn’t have to be the last matchup between the two West Coast college basketball powerhouses under coaches Randy Bennett and Mark Few.
Yes, the No. 9 Gonzaga Bulldogs (28-2, 16-1 WCC) fell to the Saint Mary’s Gaels (26-4, 15-2 WCC) in the regular season finale in Moraga, California, 70-59. The hatred between the schools will always make for high-level competition, none more proven on this ESPN national stage with the lively broadcast duo of Dave Flemming and Sean Farnham
on the call.
Few’s frontcourt came into tonight’s game already being hit hard with detriments, starting with redshirt junior forward Braden Huff, missing his 13th straight game with a left knee injury. On top of that, senior wing Jalen Warley was a scratch from the roster for the second straight game with a left quad contusion. He was invaluable when containing Saint Mary’s junior forward Paulius Murauskas in the second half of Gonzaga’s first winning matchup back on Jan. 31 in Spokane, Washington, 73-65.
Warley’s absence made for yet another starting lineup variation. The 13th of the season, in fact. That included freshman guard Mario Saint-Supery, graduate guard Adam Miller, junior wing Emmanuel Innocenti, graduate wing Tyon Grant-Foster, and graduate forward Graham Ike.
On a Saturday night in the small East Bay town, it was the Gaels’ three-point shooting that stole the show. Freshman wing Mantas Juzenas of Kaunas, Lithuania, started the streak with his first two makes from deep at the start of the first half, finishing with 12 points on 4-for-6 three-pointers. Didn’t even take a two-point attempt.
Those who are understanding of Saint Mary’s success since the turn of the century think of the Australian talent coming in. It’s been an entirely different recruiting change for Bennett and his staff recently. Moving to the likes of the Baltic states, with talent like Murauskas (nine points on 2-of-10 field goals, eight rebounds), combined with local Bay Area talent in the backcourt.
The majority of the three-point barrage for the Gaels in the win came behind a Zags’ killer over the past two years, sophomore guard Mikey Lewis. A proud native of ‘The Town’ fed off his home crowd’s energy, putting together a game-high 31 points on a memorable 7-for-13 from deep. The pride of Oakland, California, hit tough make after make in that second half. Lewis was the definition of dialed in.
It was a simple tale of two different halves for Few’s group. A great first half defensively, but then Gonzaga’s perimeter defense fell completely apart. The final 20 minutes lacked the effort that should be expected from a potential top-3 seed in the NCAA Tournament field.
Coming out of the locker room, Saint Mary’s opened up on a 13-2 run. A complete switch of perspective in the second half. The Gaels took advantage of the Zags’ lack of communication, going under screens and not willing to adjust. As a team, Saint Mary’s hit 16-of-33 looks from beyond the arc for 48 percent.
The young position battle at point guard with Australia’s sophomore Joshua Dent (14 points on 4-for-6 three-pointers) against Spain’s Saint-Supery (no scoring input, one assist/two turnovers in 20 minutes) was a highly-anticipated head-to-head in the backcourt coming in. Dent is yet another example from Down Under of what Bennett has been able to bring in at the lead guard spot, steadying that annoying slow offensive pace.
Gonzaga’s Ike, still the West Coast Conference Player of the Year favorite, is not to be blamed for this loss. He had to deal with opposing student section chants of “F**k you, Ike” early and over the course of the game. Ike did eventually foul out with 3:44 left on the clock in the second half, but put in his best effort with 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting, 2-for-5 three-pointers. There were many opportunities for the veteran to let his emotions get the best of him, but didn’t.
Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s came into the game tied exactly at 40.3 rebounds per game for the top of the West Coast Conference leaderboard. Winning the battle on the glass was the most important task in this historic bout, but the Zags failed in that department, 42-37. The Gaels’ seven-foot center combination of lone senior Andrew McKeever and redshirt junior Harry Wessels, plus impactful freshman wing Dillon Shaw, combined for 25 boards.
Grant-Foster was everywhere in the place of Warley’s starting spot early, especially when protecting the rim. He had three volleyball spike-type blocks and was even caught chirping Murauskas (nine points on 2-for-10 shooting, eight rebounds). The upbeat energy from Grant-Foster was infectious, but suddenly vanished in the second half. He still has an issue with being in control of his decision-making and shot selection through a full contest. Even with all the remarkable skills shown over his tenure, Grant-Foster can let the bright lights get into his head and his winning mindset at the inopportune times.
It can’t go unnoticed how much more confidence Miller has shown in the month of February for the Zags. That’s a noticeable player perspective from the maybe not-as-vocal leader heading into March. He’s starting to get in a groove. Feeling comfortable when stepping into his catch-and-shoot chances, even when penetrating the center off the floor with the high-arcing floater in his bag.
After Saint Mary’s now 25th straight home win, the Gaels have captured four straight West Coast Conference regular-season crowns. The lucky fact is that this loss didn’t affect Gonzaga’s standing while heading into the West Coast Conference Tournament at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Zags will still come in as the No. 1 seed in the bracket and receive a quadruple bye into the semifinals. The No. 3-seeded Santa Clara Broncos and No. 4 Oregon State Beavers are placed in the Sunday, March 8 quarterfinals.
If Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s somehow don’t both end up in the West Coast Conference Tournament title game in Sin City on Tuesday, March 10, this can’t be the last meeting between the two. Even with the lack of air-conditioning inside the University Credit Pavilion, it makes for the best that West Coast college basketball has to offer.
Understanding that Bennett and Few are close friends as well as competitors, a non-conference home-and-home series has to be finalized in the offseason. Those early talks have surely been had between the two well-acquainted minds after the Zags made the move to the Pac-12 Conference and will continue.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
