In a thrilling showdown in Las Vegas, Gonzaga clinched the West Coast Conference Tournament title with a 79-68 victory over Santa Clara. Mario Saint-Supéry led the charge with 21 points, while Tyon Grant-Foster contributed 20, ensuring the Bulldogs (30-3) secured their sixth WCC tournament title in seven years.
With this win, Gonzaga not only grabbed the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament but also left fans eagerly speculating about their potential seeding. Their dominance in the WCC is undeniable, having claimed 12 titles in the last 14 years.
Santa Clara (26-8) now faces a wait until Sunday to see if they make the 68-team NCAA field. The WCC is shaping up to be a three-bid league, with Gonzaga, Santa Clara, and No. 21 Saint Mary's all ranking high in the NCAA's NET and KenPom metrics.
Gonzaga displayed impressive shooting, hitting 52.8% from the field. Graham Ike was perfect from the floor, adding 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting.
The Broncos, however, didn't make it easy. Christian Hammond led Santa Clara with 24 points, while Allen Graves chipped in 11.
Sash Gavalyugov, who had been a hero in the semifinals against Saint Mary's with a clutch 3-pointer, was held to just eight points, struggling with his shot at 3 of 13 from the field.
Santa Clara put up a fight, even leading 52-50 midway through the second half. But Gonzaga responded with a decisive seven-point run that sealed the game.
As Gonzaga looks forward to their next chapter in the revamped Pac-12 Conference alongside teams like San Diego State, Boise State, and Utah State, their immediate focus shifts to yet another NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bulldogs' journey continues, and fans are eager to see how far they can go this year.