Memorable Games Gonzaga 64 Oklahoma State 62 Dec. 10, 2005 Seattle, WA Adam Morrison took a step back to elude two defenders and banked a 3-point shot high off the backboard with 2.5 seconds to play as ninth-ranked Gonzaga defeated Oklahoma State in the third annual Comcast Battle in Seattle. Morrison, who claimed he called the bank shot, finished with 25 points. Morrison, trying to shake off a tough OSU defense all day, finally made a 3-pointer off a screen with 2:40 left to get Gonzaga within 6059, the closest the Bulldogs had been since 5:40 remained in the first half. J.P. Batista’s shot from the low blocks with 1:20 remaining gave Gonzaga its first lead since 6:14 remained in the first half. Oklahoma State’s Jamaal Brown answered with two free throws to put the Cowboys back ahead, 62-61, with 47.2 seconds remaining - setting up Morrison’s amazing finish. Gonzaga 64 San Diego 63 Jan. 21, 2006 San Diego, CA Erroll Knight’s 3-pointer from the right corner with 8 seconds left gave No. 6 Gonzaga a 64-63 victory over San Diego and was a key victory that would help carry the Bulldogs to a 14-0 West Coast Conference regular season. J.P Batista scored all 16 of his points in the second half and added 10 rebounds for his 10th career double-double, and scored 14 straight points in a 6:20 span in the second half to keep Gonzaga in the physical game. After Knight hit his 3-pointer, San Diego had one last shot at the upset but a jumper fell short. At the buzzer, the Zags mobbed Knight near midcourt as the senior from Seattle, who missed the first eight games of the season with a knee injury, had a season-high 10 points. Gonzaga 80, Stanford 76 Feb. 11, 2006 Spokane, WA The eyes of the basketball nation were focused on Spokane as ESPN College Game Day came to the West Coast for the first time. And the Bulldogs didn’t let them down. Adam Morrison scored 12 of his 34 points in the final 3 minutes to help the No. 5 Bulldogs hold off Stanford 80-76. Gonzaga led 67-66 when Morrison made a long 3-pointer to begin the 3-minute surge in which he outscored the entire Stanford team. J.P. Batista added 24 points and eight rebounds for Gonzaga.
Gonzaga 96, San Diego 92 (OT) Mar. 5, 2006 Spokane, WA The West Coast Conference Tournament came to the Gonzaga campus for the first time in its present format, and San Diego almost ruined the event for Gonzaga and its fans as the Bulldogs got 24 points form Adam Morrison in a 96-92 overtime semifinal victory. With J.P. Batista sidelined in the first half with a knee sprain and unable to start the second half, USD took advantage of Gonzaga’s big man being on the bench and used a 10-2 run to go up 51-50 at the 13:15 mark. Batista returned midway through the period with a wrap on his left knee and finished with 21 points and some crucial overtime free throws. The Bulldogs were held without a field goal for more than 11 minutes during the second half, but hit 11-of-12 from the free throw line in that span. Derek Raivio added 21 points for the Bulldogs, including three 3-pointers. Morrison was held to one field goal in the second half, but was 8-for-9 from the line during that span and in overtime. Gonzaga 68, Loyola Marymount 67 Mar. 6, 2006 Spokane, WA After escaping in overtime the previous night, Gonzaga dodged another near-miss in the championship game of the West Coast Conference Tournament to defeat Loyola Marymount 68-67 to cut down the nets in front of the home fans for the first time in WCC Tournament history. And a near-miss it was as LMU’s Chris Ayer missed a lay-in in the waning seconds after the Lions inbounded the ball with 10.6 seconds left. J.P. Batista, playing despite a badly sprained knee and quad injury that sidelined him the second half the previous night, got the winning tip-in off an Adam Morrison miss with a minute to play. LMU built a 15-point lead in the second half, the most Gonzaga had ever trailed since moving into the McCarthey Athletic Center for the 2004-05 season, but the Zags used a 20-7 run to tie the score at 53 with 7:02 left, mostly on the efforts of reserves Jeremy Pargo and David Pendergraft. LMU led by eight at halftime, and went on a 12-2 run to take a 48-33 lead with 13:36 remaining. Gonzaga replied with a 16-2 run and Morrison’s layup, his first basket of the second half, cut Loyola’s lead to 50-49 with 7:37 left. Pendergraft’s two free throws tied the game at 53. Pargo sank a layup and a 3-pointer for a 66-61 Gonzaga lead. LMU replied with six straight to give the Lions a 67-66 lead with 1:41 left. Batista’s tip
and the dramatic waning seconds followed. UCLA 73, Gonzaga 71 Mar. 23, 2006 Oakland, CA After disposing of tradition rich University of Indiana in the second round in Salt Lake City, Utah, to advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, two of the best programs on the West Coast in recent years tangled at the Oakland Arena as third-seeded Gonzaga faced second-seeded UCLA. And for 36:34 there was little doubt Gonzaga was the best team on this night. But the Bulldogs, who led 71-62 with 3:26 to go on the strength of two free throws for the final two of Adam Morrison’s 24, saw the Bruins stage one of the most remarkable comebacks in the annals of the NCAA Tournament. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute scored underneath with 10 seconds left to give the Bruins a 72-71 lead, the Bruins would add a free the with :02 to play and the 73-71 victory brought a shocking end to the Bulldogs season and, ultimately, Morrison’s collegiate career as the juni0r would announce later his intentions to enter the NBA Draft. Gonzaga 78, Baylor 69 Nov. 15, 2006 Spokane, WA Derek Raivio scored 18 points to lead five Gonzaga players in double figures as Gonzaga punched its ticket to the NIT Season Tipoff in Madison Square Garden with a 78-69 victory over Baylor in the West Region pod championship game in the Spokane Arena. Gonzaga jumped to a 16-5 lead as Baylor made just 2 of its first 14 shots. The Bulldogs led 39-27 at halftime, connecting on 14-of26 from the field and 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the opening half. A pair of monster dunks by Josh Heytvelt keyed a 9-2 run to open the second half that lifted Gonzaga to a 48-29 lead and the lead didn’t get under double digits until 68-59 with 3:11 remaining. The Bulldogs had advanced to the title game with an 88-50 win over Rice the previous night.
GONZAGA MEN’S ’ BASKETBALL 2009-10
93