Gonzaga earned a hard-fought 91–82 victory over Oregon on Saturday night in Portland, surviving a physical and competitive battle against a Ducks team that proved far tougher than its record suggested. While Oregon entered the matchup with six wins and Gonzaga with 11, the contest remained in doubt deep into the second half.
The opening half was tightly contested from the tip. Oregon matched Gonzaga’s pace and physicality, trading baskets and preventing the Bulldogs from creating any real separation. Gonzaga carried a narrow 42–39 lead into halftime, but the Ducks’ defensive pressure and balanced scoring kept the game within reach.
Early in the second half, Gonzaga appeared ready to pull away. The Zags went on a brief run that extended the lead to 12 points, giving them momentum. Oregon responded with resilience, slowly chipping away at the deficit and keeping the margin manageable for much of the half. As the final five minutes approached, Gonzaga reasserted control with another decisive run, stretching the lead to as many as 15 points. Oregon made one final push, cutting the deficit to seven with 33 seconds remaining, but Gonzaga’s composure at the free-throw line sealed the outcome.
A major storyline was the breakout performance from guard Braeden Smith. Entering the night averaging just 4.3 points per game, Smith delivered a season-best outing with 21 points in 26 minutes, providing a crucial spark off the bench.
Forward Braden Huff also made his presence felt, scoring 20 points on an efficient 9-of-16 shooting night. Graham Ike added a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, anchoring Gonzaga in the paint.
As a team, Gonzaga shot 47 percent from the field and an impressive 43 percent from three-point range, capitalizing on key possessions late.
Oregon was led by center Nate Bittle, who finished with a game-high 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting and added nine rebounds. Kwame Evans Jr. Recorded 14 points and seven rebounds, while Takai Simpkins and Jackson Shelstad added 13 and 12 points, respectively. The Ducks shot 48 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc but struggled to close the gap late.
Gonzaga (12–1) travels to Malibu to face Pepperdine (5–8) in its first conference game of the season on Sunday, December 28. Oregon (6–6) looks to bounce back at home against Omaha (7–7) on Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET on BTN.
More college basketball news:
- Rick Pitino reacts to St. John’s opening win
- Ohio State loses point guard commitment
- AJ Dybansta makes debut for BYU
- Jalen Rose on TNT college basketball coverage