Gonzaga Bulldogs Suffer Second-Half Collapse Against Saint Mary's Gaels

Gonzaga's lead evaporates as Saint Mary's rallies to earn share of WCC regular season title

Mar. 3, 2026 at 2:15am

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Gonzaga led Saint Mary's 36-29 at halftime, but the Gaels stormed back in the second half, going on an 8-0 run to start the half and never looking back. Sophomore guard Mikey Lewis led the way for Saint Mary's, scoring a season-high 31 points as the Gaels cruised to a 70-59 victory. The loss hands Gonzaga their third defeat of the season, but the Bulldogs will still earn the No. 1 seed in the WCC Tournament due to a better record against third-place Santa Clara.

Why it matters

This game highlights Gonzaga's struggles on the offensive glass and perimeter defense, two areas that could prove problematic for the Bulldogs as they look to make a deep NCAA Tournament run. The loss also raises questions about the health and availability of key Gonzaga players like Braden Huff and Jalen Warley heading into the postseason.

The details

Saint Mary's dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds compared to just 7 for Gonzaga. The Gaels also shot a blistering 48% from three-point range, with Mikey Lewis and Joshua Dent combining to go 11-19 from deep. Meanwhile, Gonzaga star Graham Ike was held in check in the second half, finishing with just 17 points on 7-14 shooting after a strong first half.

  • Gonzaga led 36-29 at halftime.
  • Saint Mary's opened the second half on an 8-0 run and never looked back.
  • The game was played on Saturday, February 29, 2026.

The players

Mikey Lewis

A sophomore guard for Saint Mary's who scored a season-high 31 points, including several key three-pointers down the stretch.

Graham Ike

Gonzaga's star forward, who was dominant in the first half but was held in check in the second half, finishing with 17 points and 4 turnovers.

Mark Few

The head coach of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who saw his team's lead evaporate in the second half against Saint Mary's.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

Gonzaga will have a full nine days off before their next game on Monday, March 9, which fans will hope gives Jalen Warley enough time to recover from his quad contusion.

The takeaway

This game highlights the importance of Gonzaga's perimeter defense and offensive rebounding, two areas that will need to improve if the Bulldogs hope to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The health and availability of key players like Braden Huff and Jalen Warley will also be crucial as Gonzaga looks to bounce back from this tough loss.