Jalen Suggs named WCC Tournament MVP; Corey Kispert, Drew Timme named to all-tournament team

LAS VEGAS – It was the first and almost surely the last West Coast Conference Tournament for Jalen Suggs, so Gonzaga’s freshman phenom made sure to finish it with a flourish.

Suggs scored 23 points and buried a few late 3-pointers to help the top-ranked Bulldogs hold off second-seeded BYU on Tuesday evening at the Orleans Arena, leading Gonzaga to an 88-78 win in the WCC championship game.

Gonzaga players made up 60% of the WCC’s All-Tournament team, with Suggs joining teammates Corey Kispert and Drew Timme. BYU’s Alex Barcello and Pepperdine’s Colbey Ross rounded out the five-man team.

The Bulldogs and Cougars were tied at 73-73 when Suggs drove the lane to finish a layup and put GU out in front. The unbeaten Zags led the rest of the way, largely because Suggs got hot at the right time, making a 3-pointer with 2:20 left to push Gonzaga out to a six-point lead and following with another on the next possession to hand Mark Few’s team its largest lead at 82-73.

It was the fourth-highest scoring game of the season for Suggs, who fell four points shy of his career-high 27. The Minnesota native finished 4 of 7 from beyond the arc, made 5 of 8 from the free throw line and had five rebounds and five assists.

Kispert’s 3-point shooting was also crucial for a GU team that trailed by 12 points at halftime. The senior wing made three shots from distance early in the second half, trimming BYU’s lead to three points, and finished with 17 points – including 14 in the second half.

Timme scored 14 points to finish with 32 in two WCC Tournament games. The sophomore forward shot 14 of 19 from the field in wins over Saint Mary’s and BYU and also had 15 rebounds and seven assists.