Mar. 10—Pregame
The long wait is almost over.
The last team to take the court at the West Coast Conference Tournament, second-seeded Gonzaga is set to take on third-seeded San Francisco in the semifinals at 8:30 p.m. at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The game will air on ESPN2.
The winner between Bulldogs (23-8) and Dons (24-8) will play the winner of Pepperdine-Saint Mary’s in the championship game on Tuesday.
USF beat Washington State 86-75 in Sunday’s quarterfinal. That was without the help of second-leading scorer Marcus Williams, who is out due to a NCAA rules violation.
Williams was the Dons’ lone bright spot in a loss to Gonzaga on March 1, when he scored a team-high 28 points.
The Zags appear to be a lock for an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament, but can boost their standing with two wins in Las Vegas.
Series history
Gonzaga is looking to keep up an impressive streak against San Francisco, having won the last 32 meetings between the teams. GU holds a 76-22 series lead over USF since 1949.
Team stats
San Francisco (24-8)
Gonzaga (22-8, 13-4)
Points
75.9
87.6
Points allowed
68.4
70.0
Field goal pct.
45.7
50.4
Rebounds
35.3
38.9
Assists
13.9
19.9
Blocks
3.5
3.0
Steals
6.8
7.4
Streak
Won 1
Won 2
Individual leaders
POINTS
PPG
FG%
FT%
Malik Thomas (USF)
19.1
45.2
83.9
Graham Ike (GU)
17.0
59.9
79.5
REBOUNDS
RPG
DRPG
ORPG
Tyrone Riley IV (USF)
5.9
4.1
1.8
Graham Ike (GU)
7.4
5.3
2.1
ASSISTS
APG
TOPG
MPG
Marcus Williams (USF)
4.3
2.5
30.7
Ryan Nembhard (GU)
10.0
2.4
35.1
Game preview
Zags Basketball Insiders Podcast: Previewing GU-USF, lineup tweaks in tournament play and NCAA projections
Ready for some tea and hoops? — Read more
‘Frog-stomping’ time: The struggles Gonzaga has faced this season feel eerily familiar for the group that scrambled to make sure the NCAA magic didn’t die a quarter century ago
Even with so much talent returning, Gonzaga’s men finished second in conference play, and faced a critical challenge heading into the West Coast Conference basketball tournament. The Zags had been inconsistent during the regular season, at times performing below the massive expectations they shouldered. So it is today. So it was 25 years ago. — Read more
How the 3-ball has influenced Gonzaga’s season and past WCC and NCAA tournaments
3-point accuracy often has been a telling factor this season — 37.1% in GU’s 23 wins, 30.2% in eight losses — and past successes and failures in the postseason. — Read more
More on the Zags
USF guard Marcus Williams to be withheld from competition due to NCAA rule violation
San Francisco, a potential opponent for Washington State and Gonzaga at the West Coast Conference Tournament, could be without all-conference guard Marcus Williams as the Dons travel to Las Vegas to begin the postseason. — Read more
‘They’re competing on the ball.’ Gonzaga’s defensive progress evident to opposing WCC coaches
Washington State’s David Riley saw Gonzaga on both sides of a defensive turnaround that began taking shape in the middle of January after consecutive losses to Oregon State and Santa Clara. — Read more
‘I’m trying to get better every day’: Former Gonzaga standout Gary Bell Jr. continues post playing career as associate head coach with Northern Arizona
Gonzaga coach Mark Few recently loaned out McCarthey Athletic Center to Northern Arizona’s basketball team during the Lumberjacks’ visit to Eastern Washington. — Read more
Gonzaga sophomore forward Braden Huff named to WCC All-Academic team
Gonzaga’s Braden Huff was named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic team. — Read more
Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard, Graham Ike and Nolan Hickman voted first-team All-WCC
Ryan Nembhard, Graham Ike and Nolan Hickman — three-fifths of Gonzaga’s starting lineup — have been named first-team All-West Coast Conference. — Read more
Gonzaga bolsters NCAA resume, still highly motivated for WCC Tournament
Never one to pass up an opportunity, Ryan Nembhard had a question of his own after taking questions from the media Saturday night following Gonzaga’s 95-75 win over San Francisco. The point guard asked Bracketeer.org’s Rocco Miller where GU stood in his NCAA Tournament projections. Miller said he had the Zags as a nine seed, but likely moving up after two Quad 1 wins last week. — Read more
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