Kristian Ferrell
The Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball team has a rich history dating back to 1905. The team has had many notable achievements, including a strong record in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, with appearances in every tournament since 1999 and a Cinderella run to the Elite Eight that year. The Bulldogs have also compiled a record of 64-75 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll and have beaten top-3 teams seven times. They play their home games at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington, and have a well-known rivalry with the Gaels, considered one of the best college basketball rivalries on the West Coast. The team has produced several notable players, including Frank Burgess, Adam Morrison, Kelly Olynyk, and Anton Watson, who have gone on to have successful careers and receive individual accolades. With a combination of talented players, dedicated coaching, and a strong sense of community, Gonzaga has established itself as a major basketball powerhouse.
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What You'll Learn
Gonzaga's basketball history
Basketball at Gonzaga University began in February 1905, when a gymnasium was added to the college's new building. Initially, the team played in the gymnasium, nicknamed "the cave", before moving to the Spokane Coliseum in 1955. Construction began on a new athletic facility in 1964, and the first game took place in December 1965, against Washington State. This facility was later renamed the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre in 1986 after a donation allowed for a remodel of the arena.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team has represented the university with notable success, competing in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Bulldogs have appeared in 27 NCAA tournaments, including a streak of 26 consecutive appearances, and have made 9 straight Sweet 16 appearances from 2015 to 2024. They have also achieved a record of 64-75 against top-ranked teams in the AP Top 25 Poll, beating top-3 teams seven times.
Gonzaga has produced several standout players, including Frank Burgess and Adam Morrison, who led the nation in scoring during their respective eras. The university has also fostered a rivalry with Saint Mary's, with the two consistently being the top teams in their conference over the last two decades.
The women's basketball team at Gonzaga has also achieved recognition, with stories highlighting their success both on and off the court, including an annual cancer awareness game that holds special significance for coach Lisa Fortier.
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The Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have enjoyed considerable success over the years, appearing in 27 NCAA tournaments and making a Cinderella run to the Elite Eight in 1999. They have a record of 64-75 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll and have beaten top-3 teams seven times. The team has also won 20 out of the last 26 conference championship games, establishing a heated rivalry with Saint Mary's, whom they lead in the series 81-35.
Gonzaga has produced several notable players, including Frank Burgess, who led the nation in scoring in 1961 with 32.4 points per game, and Adam Morrison, who achieved the same feat in 2006 with 28.1 points per game and was named Co-National Player of the Year. The Bulldogs have also had 15 players receive the WCC Player of the Year award.
The team's success has continued in recent years, with a streak of 26 consecutive tournament appearances, including 9 straight Sweet 16 appearances from 2015 to 2024. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA tournament, interrupting this streak. However, the Bulldogs have continued to attract top prospects, with Ikenna Alozie, a highly-rated point guard, naming them as a finalist in his recruitment for the 2026 class.
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Player and coach achievements
Mark Few, the Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball coach since 1999, has led the team to numerous achievements. Few has guided the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament every season, except in 2019-20 when the tournament was cancelled. This stretch has solidified Gonzaga's reputation as a major basketball powerhouse. Few's teams have won at least a share of 22 West Coast Conference regular season titles and 20 WCC tournament titles. They have also participated in the National Championship game twice, in 2017 and 2021. Additionally, Few holds the highest winning percentage (minimum 600 games) at .830, and is the only coach to win 8 or more consecutive conference championships twice.
Few began his coaching career at Gonzaga as a graduate assistant in 1989, helping the team reach its first four postseason appearances. He was promoted to associate head coach in 1999, and soon after, became the head coach. In his first two years as head coach, Few guided the Bulldogs to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, making him only the second coach to achieve this feat since the expansion of the NCAA tournament. In 2001-02, he set an all-time record for NCAA Division I men's coaches by accumulating 81 wins in his first three years. Few has also produced the team's first seven first-team All-Americans, including Dan Dickau, Adam Morrison, Kelly Olynyk, and Rui Hachimura, among others.
Gonzaga's success has also been defined by its players. The Bulldogs have appeared in 27 NCAA tournaments, with a record of 47-27 (.635). They have beaten top-3 teams seven times and have a notable rivalry with the Gaels, with Gonzaga currently leading the series 81-35. The team has produced 15 WCC Players of the Year, including Frank Burgess and Adam Morrison, who led the nation in scoring. Morrison became the first player in team history to be named to the preseason Associated Press All-America team before the 2005-06 season, and was named Co-National Player of the Year for that season.
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Rivalries
The Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team has had a rich history of rivalries with other collegiate basketball teams. One of the most notable rivalries is with the Saint Mary's Gaels. Analysts and media personalities alike have touted the rivalry between the "Gaels and Zags" as one of the best college basketball rivalries on the West Coast, if not the best. This rivalry is fuelled by the consistent performance of both teams, who have been the top two teams in the conference for the last two decades. Combined, Gonzaga and Saint Mary's have won 24 out of the last 26 conference championship games, with Gonzaga claiming 20 of those victories. The two teams have met a total of 116 times, with Gonzaga currently leading the series 81-35.
Gonzaga also has an in-state rivalry with Washington State. The two schools are both based in Eastern Washington, with Pullman only 79 miles away from Spokane. The Cougars lead the series 98-54, but Gonzaga has been on a roll lately, winning 15 of the last 18 matchups, including the two WCC Conference games in the 2024-25 season.
Another notable rivalry is with Brigham Young University (BYU). BYU and Gonzaga first played each other in 1949, with Gonzaga securing the win. They didn't meet again until 2011, in the third round of the NCAA tournament, where BYU defeated the Zags and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
Gonzaga's most heated in-state rivalry is with the University of Washington Huskies. They played a 10-year home-and-home series from 1997 to 2006, and after a brief hiatus, they resumed their rivalry in 2015. The Huskies currently lead the series 30-20.
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Notable players
Gonzaga's basketball programme has produced several notable players over the years, with the team's prominence on the college basketball scene dating back to the late 1990s. Here is a list of some of the most notable players in Gonzaga's basketball history:
Frank Burgess is arguably the best player in the history of the Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball programme. He is the school's all-time leader in career points (2,196), scoring average (28.1), made field goals (800), single-season scoring average (32.5 in 1960-61), and most points in a single game (52 vs. UC Davis in January 1961). He was a consensus All-American in 1961 and led the nation in scoring with 32.4 points per game that same year. He is one of only three Gonzaga players to have had his jersey retired.
John Stockton is a Hall of Fame point guard and one of the most well-known players in Gonzaga basketball history. He totalled 1,340 points for his career and averaged 20.9 as the 1984 West Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Stockton is best known for his passing skills, averaging a career-high 7.2 assists as a senior. He is also a formidable defender, ranking fifth in school history with 554 steals and leading the team with 262 steals. Stockton's number 12 jersey was retired by the programme.
Calvary is one of the most popular figures in Gonzaga basketball history. Standing at 6 feet 8 inches tall, Calvary improved every season he played for the Zags. By his senior year, he averaged 19 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, earning WCC Player of the Year honours. Over his career, he totalled more than 1,500 points, made 569 field goals, and pulled down 757 rebounds. His 207 blocks are the most in the history of the Bulldogs.
Dan Dickau transferred to Gonzaga and made an immediate impact on the programme. In his two seasons with the Zags, he averaged 20.1 points on 45.8 per cent shooting from the field and 46.5 per cent from beyond the three-point line.
Kelly Olynyk is a 7-foot-tall centre who put together a memorable junior season with the Zags after redshirting the 2011-12 campaign. He averaged 17.8 points on 62.9 per cent shooting, pulled down 7.3 rebounds, and recorded 36 blocks, earning WCC Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American honours.
Kevin Pangos is a beloved member of the Gonzaga basketball community, starting all but one of the 142 games he played for the Zags. He is the school's all-time leader with 322 made three-pointers and ranks among the top 10 in points (1,824), made field goals (566), assists (536), and steals (177).
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Frequently asked questions
The Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball team has been very successful. They have appeared in 27 NCAA tournaments and have made it to the Sweet 16 nine times in a row from 2015 to 2024. They have also been in every final AP poll since 2008-2009. The team has beaten top-3 teams seven times and has had 15 players receive the WCC Player of the Year award.
Basketball started at Gonzaga in February 1905 after a gymnasium was added to the college's new building.
Analysts and media members have touted the Gaels vs. Zags rivalry as one of the best college basketball rivalries on the West Coast. Gonzaga's most heated in-state rivalry is with Washington.
