- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Gonzaga Beats Santa Clara to Claim WCC Tournament Title
Bulldogs overcome double-teams on star forward Graham Ike to win back-to-back conference championships
Published on Mar. 11, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Gonzaga forward Graham Ike knew he would be the focus of Santa Clara's defense in the West Coast Conference tournament championship game, but the Bulldogs' supporting cast stepped up to help secure a 79-68 victory. Ike and teammate Tyon Grant-Foster discussed the team's rebounding, chemistry, and the strong performances of freshmen Mario Saint-Supéry and Davis Fogle in the win.
Why it matters
Gonzaga's victory marks their 23rd WCC tournament championship, continuing the program's legacy of sustained excellence. The Bulldogs' ability to overcome Santa Clara's defensive game plan and get contributions from multiple players demonstrates their depth and versatility, which will be important as they look to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
The details
Despite being double-teamed throughout the game, Ike was able to impact the game in other ways beyond just scoring, recording blocks, rebounds, and providing leadership. Gonzaga's perimeter players, including freshmen Saint-Supéry and Fogle, stepped up to create offense and take pressure off Ike. The Bulldogs also dominated the glass, limiting Santa Clara's second-chance opportunities.
- Gonzaga and Santa Clara met twice during the regular season, with Ike averaging over 27 points on 70% shooting against the Broncos.
The players
Graham Ike
Gonzaga forward and the reigning West Coast Conference player of the year.
Tyon Grant-Foster
Gonzaga guard who discussed the team's rebounding and chemistry.
Mario Saint-Supéry
Gonzaga freshman who stepped up with a strong performance in the championship game.
Davis Fogle
Gonzaga freshman who also contributed key minutes in the win over Santa Clara.
Herb Sendek
Santa Clara head coach who devised a defensive game plan to try to limit Ike's impact.
What they’re saying
“I think it was just the rebounding. We played good defense, but it doesn't matter if we allowed them to get second-chance points. A lot of them can rebound. So we just started securing the ball.”
— Tyon Grant-Foster, Gonzaga guard (si.com)
“Can't get tired of winning championships, man, such a great feeling. We just want to continue to keep doing this. I'm glad the team rallied. It was a great 40 minutes, hard fought 40 minutes. Everybody pushed through, stuck with the plan, continued to fight.”
— Graham Ike, Gonzaga forward (si.com)
“It was really the team just sticking with the plan, man; guys creating for themselves and creating for others. I just wanted to continue to impact the game without scoring the ball, and I'm glad I could do that with blocked shots, rebounds and really just energy and effort and leadership. Just continue to keep the team together and have great huddles. I'm just proud of this group.”
— Graham Ike, Gonzaga forward (si.com)
“I would just say, our teammates trusting us, allowing us to play basketball. I would say that would be the main thing, because I think [Ike] only had like two shots at halftime. And I promise you, [Ike] kept telling me, like, 'Keep going. Look for me, but if you got an opening, keep going.'”
— Tyon Grant-Foster, Gonzaga guard (si.com)
“This year, just building from the jump. Doing team activities, staying connected, team dinners, all kinds of sorts of things. And then just showing up every every day to work, to enjoy the work, to enjoy the fight. There's definitely something that we talked about this entire year, and just having a championship mentality every single day and just trying to win the day. And that's what we did.”
— Graham Ike, Gonzaga forward (si.com)
What’s next
Gonzaga will await their seeding and opponent for the upcoming NCAA Tournament, where they will look to make a deep run after winning their conference tournament title.
The takeaway
Gonzaga's ability to overcome adversity and get contributions from multiple players demonstrates the depth and versatility of the Bulldogs' roster. Their sustained excellence in the West Coast Conference has them poised for another strong showing in the NCAA Tournament.
