Portland Pilots Stun No. 2 Gonzaga Bulldogs

Shantay Legans' squad pulls off a major upset despite the head coach's recent Achilles injury

Feb. 5, 2026 at 1:15am

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The Portland Pilots, led by a 27-point performance from Joel Foxwell, defeated the second-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs 87-80 in a stunning college basketball upset. Portland head coach Shantay Legans, who recently tore his Achilles during practice, praised his team's defensive effort and composure in the victory, the first over an AP top 10 team in school history.

Why it matters

Gonzaga has been one of the most dominant programs in college basketball over the past two decades, making this upset all the more remarkable. The win boosts Portland's profile and NCAA tournament hopes, while raising questions about Gonzaga's vulnerability against tough defensive teams.

The details

Despite a recent string of poor performances, the Pilots were able to slow down Gonzaga's high-powered offense and capitalize on some key missed shots and free throws by the Bulldogs. Portland's balanced scoring attack, led by Foxwell's 27 points, allowed them to spread out Gonzaga's defense and run their offense effectively.

  • Portland head coach Shantay Legans tore his Achilles recently while participating in one of his team's practices.

The players

Shantay Legans

The head coach of the Portland Pilots, who recently suffered an Achilles injury but led his team to a major upset over Gonzaga.

Joel Foxwell

The Portland Pilots player who scored a game-high 27 points in the upset victory over Gonzaga.

Gonzaga Bulldogs

The second-ranked college basketball team that was upset by the Portland Pilots, ending their 20-year run as one of the best programs in the sport.

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What they’re saying

“We just had one of our worst weeks in basketball against Washington State and Pacific, and we haven't been really good on the road and we've been inconsistent. I knew our guys would step up in this game. I thought they played hard. I knew if we could slow down Graham, we'd have a good shot at it, and we tried to take out some of the shooters.”

— Shantay Legans, Head Coach, Portland Pilots

“Joel was good tonight, but other guys made plays. I think we got into their ball screen defense a little bit, and we kind of spread them out. And then once they started missing shots, I think they got a little tight. But we ran our offense pretty well. I know that we always try to do something differently against them, just to compete and stay in the game. I think our guys really paid attention and focused on the defensive end, which I was really proud of.”

— Shantay Legans, Head Coach, Portland Pilots

“It means a lot. You're coaching against one of the best coaches ever to coach college basketball, one of the best programs over the last 20 years in college basketball. You get a win like that, you're really happy for your program, you're happy for the university, but you're really happy for the players that really put all the work in.”

— Shantay Legans, Head Coach, Portland Pilots

What’s next

The win boosts Portland's profile and NCAA tournament hopes, while raising questions about Gonzaga's vulnerability against tough defensive teams.

The takeaway

This upset victory demonstrates that even with a depleted roster and an injured head coach, the Portland Pilots were able to devise a winning game plan and execute it against one of the best teams in college basketball. The win will surely be a highlight of the season for the Pilots and their fans.