Recap and highlights: Saint Mary’s holds off Gonzaga 74-67 to win WCC regular-season title
There were seniors celebrating at Gonzaga’s McCarthey Athletic Center on Saturday night.
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they were wearing Saint Mary’s uniforms.
Led by Mikey Lewis’ 18 points and Mitchell Saxen’s 16, the Gaels spoiled Senior Night for GU, beating the Zags 74-67 and clinching their second straight West Coast Conference regular-season title.
The loss dropped GU (21-8, 12-4 WCC) into a tie for second place with San Francisco. The top two teams in the regular season earn a bye into the WCC Tournament semifinals. The last Gonzaga team to lose four conference games in a season was in 1997-98.
Saint Mary’s (25-4, 15-1) has won four of the last five against GU.
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On a night celebrating Gonzaga’s six seniors — Ben Gregg, Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Khalif Battle, Michael Ajayi and surprise starter Joe Few — the Zags found themselves down 11-0 to start the game. Graham Ike, listed as a senior but with a season of eligibility remaining, came off the bench to score GU’s first bucket, a dunk with 17 minutes left.
Gonzaga clawed back from a 41-31 halftime deficit to tie it at 46-all on an Ajayi free throw with 12:51 left.
Saint Mary’s pushed the lead back to 10, 67-57, after a 9-0 burst — a four-point play by Lewis , a 3-pointer by Luke Barrett and two foul shots by Lewis with 4:40 left. Gonzaga never got closer than six the rest of the way.
Ike finished with 19 points and Hickman 14 for GU, which hadn’t gone back-to-back seasons without at least a share of the WCC title since 1991-93. The Zags have won or shared 21 of the past 23 WCC titles.
Gonzaga hits the road on Tuesday to face Santa Clara, before wrapping up the regular season at San Francisco next Saturday.
during the second half of a college basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Wash. The Saint Mary's Gaels won the game 74-67. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
First half
18:46 – SMC 4, GU 0: Saxen scores on the first shot from the field, Barrett adds a layup after a Zags miss and the Gaels take an early lead. We’re underway in the Kennel.
17:49 – SMC 8, GU 0: Bad start for the Zags who call timeout after Few fouls Saxen on a made layup. Senior Day lineup exits after a couple minutes of action.
GU 0 of 3 from the field, SMC 4 of 4.
15:25 – SMC 15, GU 6: Ajayi makes a layup through a foul from Murauskas – his second – at the first media timeout.
Gaels start red-hot, 7 of 8 from the field behind Saxen’s seven points. Ike finally got the scoring going for GU with a dunk after SMC went up 11-0.
11:17 – SMC 22, GU 17: Zags make up some ground with 3-pointers from Nembhard and Hickman, Gaels attempt goes out of bounds to signal the U12 media timeout.
Gregg making a difference down low, as SMC doubles Ike in the post. Gregg has two points, two offensive rebounds and an assist.
Gaels keeping pressure on offensive end, 10 of 13 from the field.
6:23 – SMC 32, GU 23: Lewis hits his second 3-pointer since coming off the bench and the Zags call timeout.
Saxen has been dominant for SMC in the post with 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting. Hickman leads GU with seven points.
SMC 14 of 22 from the field, 3 of 6 on 3-pointers. GU 10 of 22, 2 of 9.
}3:59 – SMC 36, GU 27: Gaels hold their lead and have possession at the U4 media timeout.
Huff provides a spark for GU with back-to-back baskets, but SMC answers.
Halftime
Saint Mary’s got ahead by double-digits with Gonzaga’s Senior Day lineup on the court and kept the pedal down to lead 41-31 at McCarthey Athletic Center.
The Gaels opened the game on an 11-0 run. The Zags twice cut the deficit to three points, but couldn’t close the gap.
SMC has been stellar on the offensive end, shooting 52% from the field and making 4 of 9 3-point attempts. Michtell Saxen leads with 11 points and Luke Barrett adds seven points and six rebounds.
The Zags shot 44% from the field and hit 2 of 9 3-pointers. Ryan Nembhard leads with seven points and four assists. Nolan Hickman also has seven points.
Graham Ike hasn’t been a big factor with four points and four rebounds. He has two fouls and has struggled against SMC’s double-teams.
Second half
19:06 – SMC 41, GU 35: Zags open the second half with back-to-back baskets from Ike and Hickman. Good start as they try to come back from double digits.
15:17 – SMC 46, GU 42: Hickman hits a 3-pointer and Saxen loses the ball out of bounds for a turnover at the U16 media timeout.
Near-perfect start for the Zags, who have a 11-5 advantage since halftime. Hickman with seven points in the half to give him a team-high 14 in the game.
Gaels 1 of 6 from the field in the second half. Murauskas has three fouls.
11:49 – SMC 49, GU 46: Zags come all the way back to tie it, but Saxen answers with a three-point play on the other end to retake the lead.
Innocenti called for his second foul at the U12 media timeout. GU much improved in the second half, but yet to lead tonight.
7:45 – SMC 55, GU 53: All focus on the battle in the post between Ike and Saxen. Ike winning more in the second half, up to 13 points. Saxen blocked by Ajayi at the U8 media timeout and Gaels maintain possession, keeping the Zags at reach down the stretch.
Great test for the Zags resolve here tonight, they’ve struggled mightily in close games this season.
5:18 – SMC 65, GU 57: Quick 7-0 run from the Gaels, who get two 3-pointers from Lewis – one a four-point play – and another 3 from Barrett that leads to a Zags timeout.
Lewis has 13 points on four 3-pointers. Gaels took all the momentum after GU cut the lead to one point.
3:46 – SMC 69, GU 61: Battle with a steal and a layup, but Barrettt answers with a jumper on the other end ahead of the U4 media timeout. Zags in need of a run or the Gaels will win the WCC regular-season title on their home court.
2:02 – SMC 72, GU 63: Battle blocks Wessels’ layup, but the Gaels grab the rebound and call timeout. Getting late for the Zags now.
0:39 – SMC 72, GU 65: Saxen steal, Hickman sends Marciulionis to the line and that will about do it. Gaels win the WCC regular-season title. We’ll be back shortly with a full recap.
Starting fives
Gonzaga starters: Joe Few, Ryan Nembhard, Nolan HIckman, Michael Ajayi, Ben Gregg.
Few, Ajayi getting Senior Night starts.
SMC starters: Augustas Marciulionis, Jordan Ross, Luke Barrett, Paulius Murauskas, Mitchell Saxen.
Pregame
There always seems to be high stakes when Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s get together.
That’s the case again this evening where Gaels will try to capture the West Coast Conference regular-season title on the Bulldogs’ home court. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. at McCarthey Athletic Center on ESPN2.
The Gaels (24-4, 14-1 WCC) beat the Zags (21-7, 12-3) 62-58 on Feb. 1 in Moraga, California, during the teams’ first meeting this season.
The two teams are in line for the conference’s top two seeds in the WCC Tournament and automatic byes in to the semifinals, though a loss could drop Gonzaga into a tie with San Francisco in third place.
The Zags have won five straight since losing to the Gaels. SMC’s only conference loss was by one point to USF on Feb. 6.
Series history
Gonzaga holds a 81-36 all-time series lead over Saint Mary’s, but the Gaels have won three of the last four meetings.
Team stats
Individual leaders
Game preview
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