Santa Clara wanting to prevail in last WCC assembly with No. 12 Gonzaga

Santa Clara is having fun with a memorable season, however it could enhance its success to a different stage when it hosts No. 12 Gonzaga on Saturday night time in a battle for first place within the West Coast Convention.

The Broncos have received 9 straight video games since shedding 89-77 to the Bulldogs on Jan. 8 in Spokane, Wash. This contest additionally marks the final regular-season battle between packages which have been in the identical convention for the previous 46 seasons and first met in 1959.

“We’ll maintain it easy,” Santa Clara guard Sash Gavalyugov stated. “It is our final recreation towards Gonzaga within the WCC, so we glance to beat them for a goodbye. We glance to be undefeated for the remainder of the season.”

The Broncos (22-5, 13-1 WCC) stand a half-game forward of the Bulldogs (24-2, 12-1) with Saint Mary’s (22-4, 11-2) looming shut behind in third place.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few feels Santa Clara should have no hassle being a part of March Insanity regardless of the varsity final qualifying in 1996.

“They’re an NCAA Event workforce,” Few stated. “They move the attention take a look at.”

The Steve Nash-era Broncos went to the event thrice within the Nineteen Nineties and went 2-3, together with the still-talked about upset of No. 2 seed Arizona in 1993.

Santa Clara is 13-0 at residence coming into the conflict with Gonzaga, and coach Herb Sendek is doing his finest to downplay the hype.

“It is the subsequent recreation on our schedule,” Sendek stated after the Broncos’ 84-72 residence win over Seattle College on Wednesday. “We do not take a look at the identify on the jersey or the tip time or the climate or whether or not it is a vacation or every other factor that may enter somebody’s thoughts.

“When it is time to play, our convention schedule calls for one of the best of us.”

Gavalyugov, a freshman, made 5 3-pointers and scored 21 factors towards Seattle. He had scored in single digits seven straight instances since his explosive 37-point outing towards Loyola Marymount on Jan. 10.

One recreation forward of his career-best outing, he had eight factors on 2-of-7 taking pictures towards Gonzaga. Bulldogs star Graham Ike scored 34 factors on 13-of-17 taking pictures and picked up 11 rebounds within the Gonzaga win.

“We guarded them actually, actually good and rebounded the ball nicely,” Few stated of the competition that was tied at halftime and noticed the Bulldogs lead by as many as 23 within the second half.

Ike has scored 30 or extra in three of his previous six appearances and has made 21 of 28 field-goal makes an attempt over the previous two video games. He matched his profession better of 35 factors whereas making 13 of 18 pictures in an 81-61 rout of Oregon State on Feb. 7, and he adopted up with 20 factors on 8-of-10 taking pictures in an 83-53 residence shellacking of Washington State on Tuesday.

Freshman Davis Fogle added 17 factors on 8-of-11 taking pictures off the bench vs. the Cougars and was lauded by Few for his protection. Fogle had a season-high three blocked pictures and matched his excessive of three steals in 23 minutes.

“I believe on the defensive finish, the sport’s slowed down quite a bit,” Fogle stated. “… Nonetheless engaged on it daily in apply and taking all the recommendation I can from coaches.”

Regardless of the Broncos splitting the regular-season collection with the Bulldogs the previous two campaigns, that is one other a type of WCC rivalries lengthy owned by Gonzaga.

The Bulldogs had received 26 straight matchups and 35 of 36 previous to the latest splits.

Gonzaga has received 22 of the previous 24 conferences at Santa Clara. The Broncos received in 2011 and 2024.

Gonzaga will transfer into the rebuilt Pac-12 subsequent season.

–Area Stage Media