Recap and highlights: Gonzaga finds unexpected spark, runs away with 95-76 win over Santa Clara
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara’s eighth 3-pointer rattled into the basket with just under nine minutes remaining in the first half. Graham Ike’s second foul came just two minutes later and Braden Huff’s third arrived moments after that.
In the closest thing Gonzaga’s had to a must-win scenario this year, a nightmare script was beginning to unfold for the Zags, who faced an eight-point deficit at the Leavey Center when deep reserve Ismaila Diagne strutted to the scorers table.
Diagne, a freshman center averaging 5.7 minutes, 3.7 points and 1.3 rebounds – virtually all of the floor time and production coming in garbage time of GU’s blowout wins – hadn’t played meaningful first-half minutes for the Zags all season before his name was called in a pressure game with serious WCC and NCAA Tournament implications.
Within 40 seconds, there was a Diagne dunk, followed by a Diagne block. Diagne dove for loose balls, contested Santa Clara layups, hauled down offensive boards and forced Bronco turnovers.
The 18-year-old’s emergence was arguably the most important – and easily most unexpected – development of Gonzaga’s 95-76 win over Santa Clara in front of an announced sellout crowd of 4,200 fans at the Leavey Center.
The result gives Gonzaga (22-8, 13-4) a two-game cushion on Santa Clara (19-11, 11-6) in the West Coast Conference standings, now guaranteeing the Zags won’t finish any worse than third place. It was GU’s first Quad 1 win since a mid-November victory over San Diego State at the Viejas Center, snapping a six-game skid in such scenarios.
Youtube
Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Khalif Battle (99) embraces guard Ryan Nembhard (0), with center Ismaila Diagne (24), guard Michael Ajayi (1), forward Ben Gregg (33) and guard Dusty Stromer (4) after GU defeated the Santa Clara Broncos during the second half of a college basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Leavey Center in Santa Clara, Calif. Gonzaga won the game 95-76. Nembhard broke the WCC single-season assist record in the game. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
First half
19:27 – SCU 2, GU 0: Zags win the tip, Ike misses a jumper, then Tilly makes a layup to give the Broncos the first lead. We’re finally underway in Santa Clara.
15:30 – SCU 13, GU 8: Broncos open on a 7-0 run and lead 13-3 before Gonzaga makes a pair of baskets off of steals at the first media timeout.
Broncos yet to miss, 5 of 5 from the field with three 3-pointers. Bryan, who scored 35 against Gonzaga in the last meeting, leads with eight points.
Ike and Nembhard have three points apiece for GU.
13:50 – SCU 17, GU 17: Ike converts a three-point play to tie it. Zags stick to their game plan and pull back once the Broncos miss a couple shots. Ike has 10 points.
11:56 – SCU 22, GU 19: Huff called for a second foul and Broncos will head to the line after the U12 media timeout. Tongue hit another 3-pointer as SCU retakes the lead. The Broncos are 5 of 5 from distance.
8:28 – SCU 33, GU 25: Unreal shooting from the Broncos, as Stewart hits their eighth consecutive 3-pointer and the Zags call timeout. SCU is 8 of 8 from 3 and 2 of 8 inside the arc. May as well stop shooting inside all together.
Meanwhile, GU is 1 of 6 from 3. Ike carrying the load with 14 points.
3:49 – SCU 40, GU 32: Battle steps out of bounds for a turnover at the U4 media timeout. Broncos finally missed a 3-pointer (8 of 9), but maintain their lead at the free throw line.
Diagne checked in with Huff and Ike on the bench with three and two fouls, respectively. Diagne had some positive minutes with a dunk on a pick-and-roll and a block.
0:58 – SCU 42, GU 41: Gonzaga guard Ryan Nembhard lobs to Michael Ajayi to set the West Coast Conference single-season assists record with 285, passing Saint Mary’s Emmett Naar’s mark in 2017-18.
Zags pull within one point after Battle hits a 3-pointer and the Broncos call timeout. SCU without a field goal the last 3:29 and one of their last eight from the field after a red-hot start.
Halftime
Khalif Battle converted a three-point play in the final minute to give Gonzaga its first lead, 44-42, over Santa Clara at halftime.
Battle and Graham Ike lead with 14 points. Ismaila Diagne played a big role with GU’s forwards in foul trouble. He adds four points, two rebounds, one steal and one block, while playing excellent defense.
The Broncos led for most of the half behind stellar 3-point shooting, making their first eight 3s. SCU cooled off down the stretch and did not hit a field goal the final 4:27.
Second half
15:24 – GU 57, SCU 50: Zags pad their lead to start the second half, but their two leading scorers Ike and Battle go to the bench with four fouls apiece. Diagne checks back in for GU, which is 6 of 7 from the field since halftime.
Broncos open the half 3 of 8 and 0 of 2 on 3-pointers. SCU 0 of 7 from distance since hitting its first eight.
11:28 – GU 67, SCU 56: Broncos turn it over at the U12 media timeout.
Zags have built a sizable lead even with Ike and Battle on the bench. Diagne having a breakout game with seven points and three rebounds in 11 minutes. Nembhard has 12 points and 10 assists.
7:02 – GU 74, SCU 61: Diagne loses it out of bounds at the U8 media timeout, but the Zags are in control.
Hickman scored five straight for GU with a layup, steal and a 3-pointer. He has nine points. Nembhard has 12 points and 12 assists. Ike and Battle still on the bench with four fouls.
Zags with a 30-19 advantage in the second half. Broncos 8 of 18 on 3-pointers, haven’t hit one since midway through the first half.
3:29 – GU 83, SCU 64: Hickman called for a foul at the U4 media timeout, but the Zags are up big. Great turnaround in a game they needed to win, in large part to the spark provided by Diagne off the bench.
Starting fives
Gonzaga starters: Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Khalif Battle, Ben Gregg, Graham Ike.
SCU starters: Carlos Stewart, Adama Bal, Tyeree Bryan, Johnny O’Neil, Christoph Tilly.
Bal back in the Broncos’ starting lineup after missing Saturday’s game with a calf strain.
Pregame
The Gonzaga men’s basketball team can still accomplish most of the goals it set out for this season.
The Zags just need to start producing results.
GU closes the regular season this week with games against Santa Clara and San Francisco. That begins tonight against SCU. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Two wins this week and the Zags (21-8, 12-4) will have the No. 2 seed for the West Coast Conference Tournament, and likely secure their spot in the NCAA Tournament field.
Two losses? The Zags will be thrust into a do-or-die conference tournament and need three wins to make the big dance.
The Broncos (19-10, 11-5) beat GU in the first meeting and are coming off a historic shooting performance in a rout of Washington State on Saturday.
Series history
Gonzaga holds a 71-32 all-time series lead over Santa Clara, but has lost two of the last three meetings. The Broncos won in Spokane on Jan. 18 for the first time since 2007. SCU’s win in Santa Clara last season was its first over GU since 2011.
Team stats
Individual leaders
Game preview
More on the Zags