Saint Mary's Upsets Gonzaga
Saint Mary's pulled off a major upset, defeating No. 9 Gonzaga 70-59 to split the WCC title with the Bulldogs. This win showcases their ability to compete with top-ranked teams and could have significant implications for NCAA tournament seeding. The result breaks Gonzaga's conference dominance in a crucial late-season matchup.
Saint Mary's sophomore guard Mikey Lewis delivered a career-high 31 points, including seven three-pointers, to power the Gaels' second-half comeback on February 28, 2026. The Gaels outscored the Bulldogs 41-23 in the second half, overcoming a seven-point halftime deficit. This victory marked Saint Mary's 26th consecutive home win. The win gave Saint Mary's a share of the West Coast Conference regular-season title for the fourth straight year, a first in the program's history. For two decades, either Gonzaga or Saint Mary's has won or shared the WCC crown. This was the final regular-season conference matchup between the two rivals before Gonzaga departs for the Pac-12 next season. Gonzaga's star forward, Graham Ike, was held to just four of his 17 points in the second half and eventually fouled out with four minutes remaining in the game. Saint Mary's dominated from beyond the arc, making 16 of 33 three-point attempts compared to Gonzaga's 5 for 17. Heading into the game, bracketologists like ESPN's Joe Lunardi projected Gonzaga as a No. 3 seed for the NCAA Tournament. Saint Mary's was largely projected as a No. 8 or 9 seed, with analysts suggesting a win could elevate them to a No. 7 seed, helping them avoid a potential second-round matchup against a No. 1 seed. Both teams now head to the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas, where Gonzaga will be the No. 1 seed and Saint Mary's will be the No. 2, with both having byes into the semifinals on March 9.
