Gonzaga Looks to Regroup in Corvallis After Stunning Loss to Portland
After Wednesday night’s stunning 87-80 loss to Portland - a result that sent shockwaves through the college basketball world - Gonzaga suddenly finds itself in unfamiliar territory: damage control mode.
This wasn’t just any loss. Portland, ranked No. 216 at KenPom, pulled off one of the most improbable upsets of the Mark Few era. And with that, every team left on the Zags’ schedule just got a little more confident.
Senior forward Graham Ike didn’t mince words after the game. “(Portland) did a great job last night,” he said.
“I can promise it won’t happen again.” That’s the kind of fire Gonzaga fans want to hear, especially with a tricky road matchup looming in Corvallis.
Oregon State Awaits - and They’ve Done This Before
The Zags head to Gill Coliseum on Saturday to face an Oregon State team that’s already proven it can hang with Gonzaga. In fact, the Beavers handed the Bulldogs one of their rare conference losses last season, a wild overtime affair that ended with OSU fans storming the court.
That night, Ike hit a clutch three to send the game into OT, but the Beavers took control in the extra period. Now, they’ll try to replicate that magic in front of a home crowd that’s seen its team go 10-4 at Gill this season - part of a strong follow-up to last year’s 15-3 home record.
Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. PT, and while the game will be broadcast on KHQ, the network’s crew will be calling it remotely from Pac-12 studios in San Ramon as part of their Super Bowl coverage.
Gonzaga Needs a Response - Fast
At 22-2 overall and 10-1 in WCC play, Gonzaga is still firmly in the mix for the conference title. But after the Portland loss, every game from here on out carries a little extra weight. Santa Clara currently holds a half-game lead in the standings, though the Zags own the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to a 12-point win in Spokane.
To stay in striking distance, Gonzaga needs to bounce back - and that starts with tightening up defensively.
Before Wednesday, the Zags had been lights-out on that end, stringing together five straight games of high-level defense. But against Portland, that effort unraveled. The Pilots shot a blistering 59.3% from the field - a season-high for them in WCC play, aside from a 58.6% mark against Santa Clara.
Few didn’t hold back in his postgame assessment.
“It’s hard to find any consistency on the defensive end, let’s start with that,” he said. “We got some real, real inconsistent efforts from some guys. There were probably some guys who didn’t bring what they’re supposed to bring.”
Few’s frustration was visible. The Zags have built a reputation on “kill shots” - three straight defensive stops that swing momentum.
But Wednesday? It was the Pilots landing those blows, scoring on six straight possessions during one stretch in the first half.
With junior forward Braden Huff still out due to a knee injury, Gonzaga has been forced to tinker with its rotations. They’ve used as many as 10 players in recent games, but when crunch time hits, the staff typically narrows things down to a core group of five to seven. Against Portland, that rotation shuffle never quite clicked.
Ike Keeps Rolling, But Needs Help
While the defense struggled, Graham Ike’s offense hasn’t missed a beat. The senior big man is averaging 27.7 points over his last four games and was dominant in two matchups against Oregon State last season, putting up 49 points on a scorching 19-of-26 shooting.
He’ll be the focal point again on Saturday, especially with Huff still sidelined. But Ike can’t do it alone - the Zags need more consistent contributions across the board, particularly on the defensive end, if they want to avoid another letdown.
Beavers Reloaded, But Still Dangerous
Oregon State might not have the same roster that knocked off Gonzaga last year - all five starters from that team transferred to high-major programs - but this group still has bite.
Guard Josiah Lake II leads the way with 13.5 points per game, while transfer guard Dez White and forward Isaiah Sy are just shy of double digits at 9.6 apiece. All three are threats from deep, too, each shooting better than 36.7% from beyond the arc.
That perimeter shooting, combined with OSU’s strong play at home, makes this a dangerous spot for Gonzaga. The Beavers are coming off a 74-64 win over Washington State and will be looking to ride that momentum into Saturday.
Bottom Line
Gonzaga’s loss to Portland was a wake-up call - not just for the Zags, but for the rest of the WCC. The margin for error is razor-thin now, and every game feels like a must-win.
Saturday’s matchup in Corvallis won’t be easy. Oregon State has already proven it can take down Gonzaga, and this year’s squad has enough shooting and home-court swagger to make things interesting again.
For the Zags, it’s about getting back to basics - defending with purpose, locking in their rotation, and letting their star big man lead the way. If they can do that, Wednesday’s stumble might just be a blip.
If not? Things could get even more complicated in the WCC title race.