LAS VEGAS — Once again, a Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s West Coast Conference title game proved inevitable, as the Zags turned a halftime deficit into a convincing 85-76 victory over the University of San Francisco just hours after the Gaels handedly crushed Pepperdine’s Cinderella aspirations.
The Zags (24-8, 14-4 WCC) were led by Graham Ike, who dominated in the interior with 27 points and 10 rebounds off 9-for-13 shooting. GU’s top scorer would get into foul trouble late, picking up his fourth foul with six minutes left to play.
USF (24-9, 13-5) was led by their backcourt duo of Malik Thomas and Ryan Beasley, who combined for 40 points.