> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Gonzaga MBB Stays Course, Downs Oregon State To Reach WCC Title Game - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/gonzaga-bulldogs-stay-course-down-oregon-state-reach-wcc-title-game/ - Published: 2026-03-10T03:57:23.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:53:31.000Z - Author: Connor Benintendi - Tags: Game Day, Analysis, Gonzaga Men's Basketball, Graham Ike, Davis Fogle, Braeden Smith \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4048"\] ![ Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) shoots the basketball against Oregon State Beavers forward Johan Munch (24) during the first half at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/usatsi_28450915-format-original.jpg) Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) shoots the basketball against Oregon State Beavers forward Johan Munch (24) during the first half at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images \[/caption\] Despite a slow start, the result was never in doubt as Gonzaga men’s basketball advanced to its 29th straight West Coast Conference championship with a 65-56 win over Oregon State on Monday, March 9, at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. West Coast Conference Player of the Year Graham Ike led the way for the Zags as he has all year, with another 20-point double-double. The only time Gonzaga looked susceptible to the Beavers’ attack was when Ike was on the bench, and he didn’t sit for long (36 minutes played). Here’s what we learned from another WCC semifinal win for the Zags. ### **Slow start becomes an expected gap** It took 2.5 minutes for Bulldogs freshman guard Mario Saint-Supery to take the lid off the basket as both teams began the game ice cold. Oregon State was extra cold, however, missing its first nine shots from the field. But the Beavers stayed in it, putting equally as much pressure on the Zags’ offense. It was 10-6 in favor of Gonzaga with 11:30 left in the first half — putting the Bulldogs well below their season average of 86 points per game. Then Gonzaga began to look like the physical team we’re accustomed to. The Bulldogs slowed it down, dissecting the Beavers’ defense and forcing turnovers with the occasional full-court press. Ike asserted his dominance inside, as he has all season, getting Gonzaga back to a sense of normal. An 11-0 run put Oregon State on its heels, and the star power of the Zags began to overwhelm and already tired Beavers' rotation. Oregon State had nine first-half turnovers, and Gonzaga’s halftime lead could’ve been much bigger if not for six turnovers of its own. The Zags took a 38-24 lead into halftime, looking well on their way to a championship bid, led by 12 points and four rebounds from Ike. Guard Josiah Lake II led Oregon State with eight points, two rebounds and two assists. ### **Maintaining the advantage** Gonzaga came out of the locker room with the same tenacity it had shown in the first half. But Oregon State wasn’t going to go down quietly. Shortly after taking a 16-point lead, the Beavers stormed back while Ike was on the bench. The Zags’ lead was reduced to 10 as Oregon State’s second-half effort looked like it was potentially going to make the game interesting. However, as soon as Ike returned, the lead ballooned back up. When freshman Davis Fogle pushed Gonzaga’s lead back to 16 with seven minutes left on a monster alley-oop from junior Braedan Smith, it felt like the nail in the Beavers’ coffin. It peaked at 18 points, falling more in line with the expected spread, even as the Zags were under pace for their average offensive output. Ike, who finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, checked out for the final time with just under a minute remaining in an expectedly comfortable win. Fogle was second for the Zags in scoring with nine points, also adding six rebounds. Jorge Diaz Graham (15 points) led the Beavers, followed by Noah Amenhauser (11). ### **Proven excellence** In his 27 seasons as Gonzaga’s head coach, the Bulldogs have never not reached the WCC championship. He and the Zags have won 20 titles in that span, and they will have a chance for another on Tuesday. Without the shooting firepower of past teams, the Zags (29-3, 16-2 WCC) are somewhat flying under the radar this season. But the excellence of Ike and the balanced output of the rest of the lineup keep them as a huge threat in the national landscape. Regardless of what happens in the championship, Gonzaga will be playing in the NCAA Tournament that begins on Tuesday, March 17. Gonzaga won’t have to wait long to learn who they will play. It’ll be either Santa Clara (25-7, 15-3 WCC) or Saint Mary’s (27-4, 16-2 WCC) in the title game against Gonzaga, and that game will tip off at 6 p.m.