Prime-seeded Gonzaga has its sights set on one final West Coast Convention match title earlier than it bids adieu to the league and departs for the rebuilt Pac-12.
The No. 12-ranked Bulldogs will start pursuit of their twenty second match title up to now 28 campaigns once they meet Oregon State within the semifinals on Monday night time in Las Vegas.
The fourth-seeded Beavers (17-15) reached the semis by edging fifth-seeded San Francisco 78-77 on Sunday night time. Oregon State did not rating till 6:22 had elapsed and later led by 9 factors with 85 seconds left earlier than holding off a frantic rally by the Dons.
The Beavers are also leaving the WCC after the season to return to the Pac-12. They spent the previous two seasons within the WCC after the Pac-12 imploded with colleges transferring to a few totally different conferences.
Oregon State will return to the Pac-12 with out Twelfth-year coach Wayne Tinkle, who was dismissed on Feb. 26 however will stay the crew’s coach till the season’s finish.
“It would take a yeoman’s effort (Monday),” Tinkle stated after the win over San Francisco. “We will take pleasure in this somewhat bit and know we’ve got a extremely robust problem towards Gonzaga.”
The Bulldogs (28-3) have received 11 of the final 13 match crowns, with second-seeded Saint Mary’s successful the opposite two (2019, 2024).
Gonzaga went 16-2 in WCC play throughout the common season, stunningly dropping to host Portland on Feb. 4 and falling at Saint Mary’s on Saturday within the regular-season finale.
Bulldogs massive man Graham Ike was the WCC Participant of the 12 months. He averaged a conference-best 19.7 factors per recreation, ranked second with 8.3 rebounds, and led the WCC with 56.4% taking pictures from the sphere.
Ike performed his first two faculty seasons at Wyoming earlier than suiting up for 3 seasons with Gonzaga. He leads all lively gamers nationally with 2,492 profession factors and is second with 1,118 rebounds.
“Attempt to dominate as a lot as I can,” Ike stated of his strategy. “Rebound as a lot as I can. I do not know, man, I simply love enjoying this recreation with nice ardour. Simply attempting to do all of the little issues to assist us win.”
Ike has excelled in three matchups towards Oregon State over the previous two seasons, with outputs of 35, 26 and 22 factors. The 35-point outing got here on this season’s lone assembly, an 81-61 street win for the Zags on Feb. 7.
“It is about getting our guys extra dialed into the sport plan,” Tinkle stated of defending Ike. “He is actually good.”
The Beavers and Bulldogs cut up final season’s two conferences.
Gonzaga stays with out Braden Huff (knee), who has missed the previous 13 video games. His 17.8-point scoring common is second-best on the squad.
Jalen Warley (quadriceps) missed the ultimate two regular-season video games however is anticipated to be out there Monday. He is averaging 7.1 factors.
“Clearly, it actually impacts us as a result of he does a lot and he positively retains us organized,” Bulldogs coach Mark Few stated of Warley’s absences. “He makes all these hustle performs and all these necessary performs.”
Oregon State has drawn motivation and incentive from the dismissal of Tinkle, who led this system to the Elite Eight in 2021.
However with Tinkle having simply two 20-win seasons throughout his time in Corvallis, athletic director Scott Barnes determined it was time to strive a brand new strategy at the side of the change in conferences.
Enjoying their second recreation for the reason that dismissal announcement, the Beavers began the sport 0-for-6 taking pictures with 5 turnovers and observing an 11-0 deficit earlier than getting issues collectively.
Dez White scored 18 factors on six 3-pointers, and Josiah Lake II additionally had 18 factors for the Beavers.
“It has been a extremely emotional 10 days,” Tinkle stated. “… We tried actually exhausting to make it about us, the crew, and performed our ball.”
Second-seeded Saint Mary’s will face third-seeded Santa Clara within the different match semifinal on Monday night time.
–Subject Stage Media
