Ike puts Gonzaga on his back, Innocenti sparks the second half surge, and the Zags close out a rivalry win at home
Gonzaga beat the Saint Mary’s Gaels 73-65 Saturday night in the Kennel. They did exactly what was needed to get the win, speeding up the Gaels, protecting the ball, and leaning on a dominant return from Graham Ike who sat out the last three games with a bum ankle. The Zags went into halftime down by four, but Graham Ike could not be stopped. The win ended Gonzaga’s two-game home losing streak in the rivalry and reclaimed the Kennel in a matchup that has rarely allowed comfort on either side.
ESPN was up to its usual nonsense once again. Tipoff was pushed back ten minutes, then the live broadcast was bounced to ESPN-U while Tennessee-Auburn wrapped up, meaning anyone who recorded the game missed the opening stretch entirely. Worse, that delayed start meant DVR recordings would end before the Gonzaga-Saint Mary’s game actually finished. If you planned to watch later, tough luck. ESPN made sure you caught the wrong game early and missed the end of the one you wanted, a fitting reminder of how little the network prioritizes the viewing experience, and another reason Gonzaga’s exit from their ecosystem next season feels overdue…