Gonzaga’s Grit Shows in 94-86 Road Win Over Santa Clara: 3 Key Takeaways
Gonzaga’s road win over Santa Clara on Saturday wasn’t always pretty, but it was packed with the kind of resilience and firepower that’s come to define this team during its late-season surge. The Zags weathered early struggles, leaned on their star big man once again, and got a timely boost from their supporting cast to secure a hard-fought 94-86 victory. Here’s what stood out.
Graham Ike Keeps Dominating - Even Through Adversity
It took Graham Ike a few minutes to get going-six, to be exact-but once he did, Santa Clara had no answer for him. The senior forward flipped the switch midway through the first half and turned the paint into his personal playground, racking up 17 points, nine rebounds, and a pair of assists before the break. Gonzaga, down by eight early, rode Ike’s surge to a 44-39 halftime lead.
Ike’s impact wasn’t just about scoring. His ability to draw defenders opened up clean looks for teammates-though the Zags couldn’t always capitalize from deep. Still, his presence was undeniable.
In the second half, foul trouble slowed him down. He picked up his fourth with just over six minutes left and had to take a seat. But even in limited second-half minutes, he added four points, six more boards, and two assists to finish with a monster 21-point, 15-rebound, 4-assist stat line.
That’s now seven straight games with 20 or more points for Ike, tying his own streak from 2024. The only Zag in the last two decades to top that?
Derek Raivio, who had eight. Ike’s been on a tear, averaging 26.7 points over that stretch and bumping his season average from 16.3 to 19.8.
He’s not just playing well-he’s anchoring Gonzaga’s identity.
Balanced Attack Returns at the Right Time
While Ike was the centerpiece, Gonzaga’s win wasn’t a solo act. The Zags got meaningful contributions across the board-something they’ve been searching for with more consistency-and it made a major difference.
Tyon Grant-Foster was relentless attacking the rim, especially in the second half. He poured in 13 of his 20 points after the break, marking just his second 20-point outing of the season.
The first? A 21-point performance against Alabama back in November.
Emmanuel Innocenti delivered a career-best 16 points and grabbed six boards. The sophomore was steady throughout, showing poise and confidence in big moments. Adam Miller added a season-high 21 points, including two of Gonzaga’s three made threes on the night-an area that still needs work, but his shot-making was crucial.
Mario Saint-Supery did a little bit of everything-eight points, four rebounds, five assists-while Davis Fogle gave the Zags a nice spark with six quick points and an assist in just over three minutes of second-half action.
When Gonzaga’s getting this kind of production from its rotation, they’re a different team-harder to guard, harder to wear down, and much more dangerous in crunch time.
Free Throws: A Rollercoaster Ride That Nearly Went Off the Rails
If there was one area that nearly cost the Zags on the road, it was the free-throw line. For much of the night, Gonzaga just couldn’t find a rhythm at the stripe, hovering below 50% deep into the second half.
Graham Ike, typically a reliable 78.7% shooter from the line, missed all three of his attempts-including a costly front end of a one-and-one. Grant-Foster went 6-for-11, leaving some points on the table. But others stepped up when it mattered.
Miller was clutch, hitting 7 of 8. Innocenti knocked down 4 of 5. And Saint-Supery calmly drained both of his attempts with just over a minute left to stretch the lead to 85-77-a critical cushion in a tight game.
In the end, Gonzaga finished 19 of 29 from the line (65.5%). Not great, but good enough.
Still, it’s a reminder that in close games, every trip to the stripe matters. The Zags escaped with a win this time, but they’ll want to tighten that up before March.
Bottom Line: Gonzaga’s win at Santa Clara wasn’t flawless, but it was the kind of gritty, team-driven performance that builds momentum. With Ike continuing to dominate and the supporting cast stepping up, the Zags are looking more and more like a team that’s figuring out how to win in different ways-and that’s a dangerous development for the rest of the WCC.