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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga is 5-0 all-time against Baylor. Here’s a look back at those wins.

Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke, who scored 36 points, creates an open shot with a pump fake that sent Baylor’s Mark Vital airborne during the Bulldogs’ 83-71 win in Salt Lake City in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
By Ryan Collingwood ryanc@spokesman.com(509) 459-5473

INDIANAPOLIS – They’ve met in an NCAA Tournament, an NIT season tipoff and other neutral sites spanning Dallas, Texas, to Fresno, California.

Now top-ranked Gonzaga (31-0) and No. 2 Baylor (27-2) meet at college basketball’s ultimate neutral site: The NCAA national title game.

The Bulldogs and Bears – considered the top teams in the country by a large margin throughout the season – meet on Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in an attempt to win their school’s first national title.

Four months after they were scheduled to meet in Indianapolis – the game was canceled shortly before tipoff due to coronavirus concerns – they’ll meet in the same city on a more significant stage.

Gonzaga is 5-0 all-time against the Waco, Texas, school, and Mark Few is 3-0 against longtime Baylor coach Scott Drew.

Here’s a look back at their previous five meetings.

Gonzaga 83, Baylor 71

March 23, 2019

Brandon Clarke had his way with the No. 9 seed Bears in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah, totaling 36 points and five blocks, a dunk-a-thon performance that helped elevate the forward’s first-round stock in the 2019 NBA draft. No. 1 seed Gonzaga was also boosted by sophomore Corey Kispert’s 16 points. Baylor guards Mark Vital and Jared Butler, who still lead the Bears, combined for 28 points in a losing effort.

Gonzaga 94, Baylor 87

Dec. 28, 2012

Kevin Pangos drilled seven 3-pointers and scored 31 points to boost the No. 13 Bulldogs past the Bears at the Kennel. Gonzaga, which would eventually in its first No. 1 ranking later in this season, was also paced by future NBA forward Kelly Olynyk (21 points). Baylor, coming off a season in which it reached the Elite Eight, was a week removed from ending Kentucky’s 55-game home winning streak and was led by former College of Southern Idaho star Pierre Jackson (26 points).

Gonzaga 68, Baylor 64

Dec. 18, 2010

At the home of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks – roughly 100 miles away from Baylor’s campus – shorthanded Gonzaga upset the ninth-ranked Bears thanks to a late 3-pointer by reserve sophomore Kelly Olynyk. Without senior guard and leader Steven Gray, who left the game early with back spasms, 7-foot senior Robert Sacre had 17 points to lead the unranked Bulldogs. Baylor was paced by future first-round draft pick Perry Jones’ 19 points and eight rebounds.

Gonzaga 78, Baylor 69

Nov. 15, 2006

Gonzaga jumped out to an 11-point lead and never looked back, securing a win over Baylor in the NIT Season Tip-Off at the Arena, its 47th straight home win. Senior guard Derek Raivio scored 18 points for Gonzaga, which had five players reach double figures. Henry Dugat had 16 points to lead the Bears, who would finish with a 15-16 record.

Gonzaga 77, Baylor 75

Nov. 29, 1991

Jarrod Davis’ scored 24 points to help Gonzaga sink Baylor at the Coors Light Classic at Fresno State in Fresno, California. Baylor star and future NBA player David Wesley scored a team-high 24 points, but missed a late jumper to set up Gonzaga’s Jeff Brown’s game-sealing free throws. The Bulldogs shot 32 for 41 from the line.