No. 12 Gonzaga defeats Oregon State to move into WCC final
Graham Ike recorded 24 points and 11 rebounds and No. 12 Gonzaga advanced to the West Coast Conference tournament title game by dispatching Oregon State 65-56 on Monday night in Las Vegas.
Davis Fogle added nine points and six rebounds off the bench for the top-seeded Bulldogs (29-3), who held a 16-0 edge in fast-break points during the wire-to-wire victory.
Gonzaga will be looking to notch its 22nd WCC tourney title in the past 28 seasons on Tuesday. The Bulldogs will play either second-seeded Saint Mary's or third-seeded Santa Clara. Those squads play in Monday's late semifinal.
Jorge Diaz Graham registered 15 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for fourth-seeded Oregon State (17-16), who likely played its final game under Wayne Tinkle. The 12th-year coach was dismissed on Feb. 26 and is finishing out the season.
Ike averaged 26.8 points with a high of 35 in four games against the Beavers over the past two seasons.
The Bulldogs shot 47.2% from the field, including 3 of 14 from 3-point range.
The Beavers connected on 33.9% of their field-goal attempts and were 6 of 25 from behind the arc. Noah Amenhauser added 11 points for Oregon State.
Gonzaga led by 16 early in the second half before the Beavers used a 7-0 run to move within 46-37 with 12:45 remaining.
Tyon Grant-Foster responded with consecutive baskets to push the lead back to 13 with 11:06 left.
The margin was 10 before the Bulldogs ran off eight straight points. Ike hit a jumper, Fogle scored back-to-back hoops and Ike made two free throws to give the Bulldogs a 58-40 lead with 6:53 left.
Oregon State scored the game's final seven points to cut the margin into single digits before Tinkle and Gonzaga coach Mark Few shared a long embrace at midcourt.
Ike scored 12 first-half points as the Bulldogs led 38-24 at the break.
Gonzaga scored the game's first six points and later ripped off 11 straight to take a 21-6 advantage just 11-plus minutes into the contest.
The Beavers scored 13 of the next 19 points to move within eight before Adam Miller buried a 3-pointer and Jalen Warley contributed a dunk to make it 32-19 with 3:20 to play.