Gonzaga Holds Off Kennesaw State in March Madness Thriller

Third-seeded Bulldogs survive late push from No. 14 seed Owls in 73-64 win

Mar. 20, 2026 at 10:19am

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In a hard-fought defensive battle, third-seeded Gonzaga defeated No. 14 seed Kennesaw State 73-64 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Despite a late surge from the Owls, the Bulldogs held on behind 19 points from Graham Ike and 17 from Davis Fogle to advance to the second round.

Why it matters

Gonzaga, a perennial March Madness contender, survived a scare from the upstart Owls, who were making just their second tournament appearance. The win keeps the Bulldogs' hopes of a deep tournament run alive, while Kennesaw State's Cinderella story comes to an end.

The details

Gonzaga built a double-digit lead late in the second half, but Kennesaw State refused to go away, capitalizing on a series of Bulldog fouls to get within 3 points in the final minutes. However, Ike hit a key jumper and Gonzaga held on for the victory. The Bulldogs were led by Ike's 19 points and Fogle's 17, while RJ Johnson and Amir Taylor each scored 15 for the Owls.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
  • Gonzaga led 33-27 at halftime and stretched the lead to 42-31 early in the second half.

The players

Gonzaga

A perennial NCAA Tournament contender, the Bulldogs are making their 27th straight tournament appearance.

Kennesaw State

The No. 14 seed Owls were making just their second March Madness appearance after winning the Conference USA Tournament.

Graham Ike

The Gonzaga guard scored a team-high 19 points in the win.

Davis Fogle

The Gonzaga forward added 17 points to help the Bulldogs hold off the Owls.

RJ Johnson

The Kennesaw State guard scored a team-high 15 points in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We battled the storms. This team is built for adversity from the jump, and I'm just super proud of how we handle it.”

— Graham Ike

“I'm really happy that we got through this one. It wasn't pretty. But the bottom line is you just win. And we get to move on.”

— Mark Few, Gonzaga Head Coach

“Just couldn't get over that hump. That's a really good team and coach Few does a tremendous job. That dude Graham is a handful, but I thought our guys battled and stuck to the game plan. We will be back, it was a great taste.”

— Antoine Pettway, Kennesaw State Head Coach

What’s next

Gonzaga will face No. 11 seed Texas on Saturday in the West Region.

The takeaway

Gonzaga's victory over the scrappy Kennesaw State squad showcases the Bulldogs' resilience and ability to win close games, a trait that will be crucial as they continue their pursuit of a national championship.