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’ final-round opponent will be third-seeded Santa Clara, which defeated second-seeded Saint Mary’s 76-71 in the late semifinal.
Jorge Diaz Graham registered 15 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for fourth-seeded Oregon State (17-16), which 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.
–Field Level Media
