Gonzaga’s Depth Takes Big Hit as Braeden Smith, Steele Venters Enter Transfer Portal
With the NCAA transfer portal officially opening on Tuesday, two more names from Gonzaga’s 2025-26 roster have thrown their names into the hat. Both falling out of the rotation’s favor by season’s end, Braeden Smith and Steele Venters are both headed to the portal, becoming the third and fourth Zags to do so at this point in the offseason.
Smith began the year as GU’s starting point guard before getting lapped by freshman Mario Saint-Supéry midway through the season, as the Spaniard brought more to the floor offensively and defensively. The 6-0 redshirt junior continued to get into each game, but his minutes both dwindled and became inconsistent.
Venters entered the season healthy for the first time in three years after suffering a torn ACL and Achilles, respectively, before each of the two previous seasons kicked off. The 6-7 graduate student was meant to be a sniper from the outside, and even though he shot 36.7% from the outside – the second-highest mark on the team – it wasn’t enough to make up for his deficiencies defensively, even for a Bulldogs group that was devoid of three-point shooting.
Gonzaga MBB Stays Course, Downs Oregon State To Reach WCC Title Game
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).
Preview: Gonzaga Set to Face Oregon State in WCC Tournament Semifinals
After four-seeded Oregon State (16-16, 9-9) pulled out a slim 78-77 quarterfinals win over five-seed San Francisco on Sunday, the Gonzaga Bulldogs (28-3, 16-2) finally know their first opponent in the WCC tournament. The Zags and Beavers will square off on Monday in the Orleans Arena at 6 PM PT, with the winner advancing to the conference championship game on Tuesday.
These two teams met just once during the regular season, with the contest being GU’s first action since one of the worst losses in its program’s history, an 87-80 defeat to Portland. To say Gonzaga responded on the road against OSU would be an understatement, as it topped the Beavers 81-61 on February 7 and featured WCC Player of the Year Graham Ike matching his career-high in scoring with 35 points.
But Oregon State has won four of its six games since that blowout loss, so how do they stack up this time around versus the Bulldogs?
Gonzaga Cruises in Senior Night Win Over Portland, Clinches No. 1 Seed in WCC
There was no semblance of an upset this time around. In Gonzaga’s final game of the season at the McCarthey Athletic Center, the Bulldogs (28-2, 16-1) annihilated Portland (12-18, 5-12) on Senior Night 89-48, clinching the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and at least a share of the regular season title in the program’s final year as a member of the WCC.
It capped off their first undefeated season at home since 2021-22, and with the Zags cutting down the net on their home court afterwards, the postgame emotions were certainly different compared to when they suffered their lone conference loss to the Pilots three weeks ago. It was a true beatdown on both ends, as GU notched its largest margin of defeat of West Coast play, and its most lopsided victory since Dec. 7, when it beat North Florida by 51.
Fueling Portland in its previous matchup against Gonzaga was freshman Joel Foxwell, who drilled several contested and back-breaking shots on the way to a 27-point performance. His game tonight started similarly, as he knocked down two stepback three-pointers over Mario Saint-Supéry before drawing a foul on a third attempt from distance. But his scoring magic did not continue, with the Bulldogs locking in defensively on Foxwell – who finished with just 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting – and the rest of the Pilots’ offense to hold them to several scoreless stretches.
Gonzaga Pounds Pepperdine 96-56 to Open WCC Play
50 straight victories over another program is a different level of dominance, and Gonzaga secured the historic feat over Pepperdine in style, capturing a 40-point rout on the road in its first WCC game of the season. What stood out in the Bulldogs’ record-breaking win?
Analysis: Grading Each Gonzaga Player Prior to WCC Play
With a strong 12-1 start to the season, Gonzaga has executed as well as it could have expected after a lot of turnover in the rotation this offseason. How did each player on the roster perform during the non-conference slate?
Bra(e)dens Have Big Games, Gonzaga Closes Non-Conference Play With 91-82 Win Over Oregon
Gonzaga has had some undefeated non-conference slates in past, but the Bulldogs’ 12-1 record before WCC play this season has been their most impressive, at least to Mark Few. Beating Oregon on an NBA floor, who contributed to their fifth straight victory?
Braden Huff Drops Career High 37 Points, Gonzaga Cruises Past Campbell 98-70
Donning a throwback jersey, Braden Huff put together a historic performance in Gonzaga’s big win over Campbell. What feats and records did the 6-10 big man set during the Zags’ victory on Wednesday night?
Gonzaga Bounces Back with Emphatic 94-59 Win Over Kentucky in Music City Madness Matchup
After suffering the worst loss in the Mark Few era against Michigan nine days ago, No. 11 Gonzaga played all the right notes in a 35-point rout of No. 18 Kentucky at Music City Madness in Nashville Friday night. How did the Zags get it done against a ranked foe?
WATCH: Breaking Down Gonzaga Bulldogs’ Red Hot Start to 2025-26 Season
The 2025-26 season just kicked off, but only five games in, Gonzaga looks the part of a formidable NCAA tournament threat. Where have the Bulldogs shown the most improvement amid a 5-0 start and what must they prove next to emerge as a true contender?
Tyon Grant-Foster Records Double-Double as Gonzaga Rolls Over Arizona State in 77-65 Road Win
In a game filled with fouls and ugly shooting percentages, Gonzaga knocked off Arizona State in Tempe to move to 4-0 on the season. What unfolded for the Zags to capture their first road win of the year?
Graham Ike Cracks 2,000 Points, Gonzaga Crushes Creighton 90-63 Behind Second Half Surge
Leading an overpowering second half by Gonzaga, Graham Ike reached a major milestone and a suffocating defense created a “nightmare” for Creighton as the Zags pulled away in the final 20 minutes for a blowout win in a battle of ranked teams.
Preview: What to Expect From Gonzaga MBB in the 2025-26 Season
After an unfamiliar finish in March, Gonzaga looks to be a national championship contender once again. Anchored by Graham Ike and Braden Huff in the frontcourt, the other key for the Zags will be fresher, yet experienced, faces finding their strides.
Wing Depth Stands Out in Gonzaga's Exhibition Win Over Northwest
The household names for Gonzaga did their thing in the Zags’ first exhibition game, but the team’s leading scorer and a near double-double came from unlikely sources in the win versus Northwest.
Excitement Exudes as 2025 Kraziness in the Kennel Kicks off Gonzaga’s Basketball Season
Gonzaga men’s basketball hosted its annual Kraziness in the Kennel event on Saturday, teasing its 2025-26 team to the world. What were the takeaways from the event?
How Will Gonzaga's Offense Translate With Braeden Smith Running the Show?
Ryan Nembhard put together one of the best point guard seasons in college basketball history last season. How can his successor keep the ball rolling for Gonzaga in 2025-26?