No. 6 Gonzaga Wary of Saint Mary's as WCC Rivalry Winds Down

The longtime West Coast Conference rivals will meet for the final time in the regular season before Gonzaga moves to the Pac-12.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 5:47am

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The rivalry between No. 6 Gonzaga and Saint Mary's has been one of the most intense in college basketball over the past two decades, with the Bulldogs winning 27 of the past 37 meetings. However, with Gonzaga moving to the Pac-12 next season, their yearly matchups in the West Coast Conference will come to an end. The teams will meet for the first of two regular-season games this Saturday in Spokane, Washington.

Why it matters

This game marks the beginning of the end of a storied rivalry between two of the top programs in the WCC. Gonzaga has dominated the series historically, but Saint Mary's has won six of the past 11 meetings, including both regular-season games last year before Gonzaga beat them in the WCC tournament final. The outcome of this game could have major implications for the WCC regular-season title race.

The details

Gonzaga (21-1, 9-0 WCC) has won 14 straight games, but coach Mark Few expects another tough battle with the Gaels (19-3, 8-1 WCC). Saint Mary's is led by Paulius Murauskas, who leads the WCC in scoring at 19.3 points per game. Gonzaga will get a boost with the return of star big man Graham Ike, who has missed the last three games with an ankle injury. The Bulldogs are still without forward Braden Huff, which nearly cost them in a close win over San Francisco last weekend.

  • The teams will meet for the first of two regular-season games this Saturday, January 31, 2026.
  • Gonzaga is moving to the Pac-12 conference next season, ending their annual matchups with Saint Mary's in the WCC.

The players

Mark Few

The head coach of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who has led the program to tremendous success over the past two decades.

Paulius Murauskas

The leading scorer for the Saint Mary's Gaels, averaging 19.3 points per game and also leading the team in rebounding.

Graham Ike

The star big man for Gonzaga who leads the team in scoring (18.1 ppg) and is second in the WCC in rebounding (8.8 rpg), but has missed the last three games due to an ankle injury.

Braden Huff

A standout forward for Gonzaga who has been sidelined, forcing the Bulldogs to narrowly escape a close game against San Francisco last weekend.

Randy Bennett

The longtime head coach of the Saint Mary's Gaels, who has led the program to 18 20-win seasons in the past 19 years.

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What they’re saying

“They're just really, really, really solid. They do not beat themselves. They almost always stay between you and the baskets. You have to make shots over the top of them. It sounds simple, but they're really, really solid there.”

— Mark Few, Head Coach, Gonzaga Bulldogs

“Guys are growing up. Our young guys are growing up. We've kind of established our roles and rotations, which I mean in years past, it's been in place earlier in the season, and this, we're just kind of getting to it now, but they've done a good job.”

— Randy Bennett, Head Coach, Saint Mary's Gaels

What’s next

The winner of this game will take a big step towards claiming the WCC regular-season title, as the two teams are currently tied atop the conference standings.

The takeaway

The end of the Gonzaga-Saint Mary's rivalry in the WCC marks the conclusion of one of the most intense and competitive rivalries in college basketball over the past 20 years. While Gonzaga has dominated the series historically, Saint Mary's has proven to be a tough out, and this final regular-season matchup could have major implications for the conference title race.