BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Mikey Lewis delivered a career-defining performance Saturday night, drilling seven 3-pointers and pouring in 31 points as Saint Mary’s Gaels defeated the ninth-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs 70-59 to earn a share of the West Coast Conference regular-season championship.
The victory capped a surge for the Gaels (27-4, 16-2 WCC), who extended their winning streak to seven games and pushed their home-court dominance to 26 consecutive victories. It also marked the fourth straight season Saint Mary’s has claimed at least a portion of the conference title, underscoring the program’s sustained excellence within the WCC.
Lewis set the tone in the second half, spearheading a decisive 23-6 run that shifted momentum permanently in Saint Mary’s favor. After the Gaels trailed by seven at halftime, they gradually tightened defensively and found rhythm offensively. With 11 minutes remaining, they erased the deficit entirely, and Lewis soon took over, knocking down three long-range shots in rapid succession as the home crowd roared.
Joshua Dent added 14 points, and Mantas Juenaz contributed 12, providing balance alongside Lewis’ perimeter barrage. The Gaels’ defensive discipline and rebounding effort limited Gonzaga’s second-chance opportunities and forced difficult looks during critical stretches.
For Gonzaga (28-3, 16-2), Graham Ike scored 17 points before fouling out with four minutes to play. Adam Miller finished with 14 points, while Tyon Grant-Foster added 13. The Bulldogs, who had already secured the conference tournament’s top seed entering the night, struggled with early shooting inconsistency and endured key droughts that prevented them from regaining control.
Gonzaga missed seven of its first nine shots and endured a three-minute scoreless stretch in the opening half, allowing Saint Mary’s to stay within striking distance. Grant-Foster briefly steadied the Bulldogs with six points in a three-minute span, and Ike followed with a quick eight-point burst, including a three-point play that kept the game tight before intermission.
But in the final 20 minutes, Saint Mary’s dictated the tempo. The Gaels’ defensive rotations disrupted Gonzaga’s interior touches, and Lewis’ shot-making stretched the floor. His confidence from beyond the arc forced the Bulldogs to extend their coverage, opening driving lanes and interior passing angles that Saint Mary’s exploited efficiently.
The matchup carried added significance as the final regular-season meeting between the long-standing WCC rivals before Gonzaga’s move to the Pac-12 next season. For more than two decades, the programs have defined the conference’s competitive landscape, combining to win or share the regular-season title in each of the past 27 years. Saturday’s contest reflected that legacy, featuring physical defense, momentum swings and a charged atmosphere.
Although Gonzaga had already clinched the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament and the accompanying multiple byes into the semifinals on March 9, Saint Mary’s played with urgency befitting championship stakes. The Gaels, who will enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed with their own semifinal bye, demonstrated the cohesion and shot-making that have made them a consistent postseason threat.
As the final buzzer sounded, Saint Mary’s players celebrated at midcourt, aware they had both preserved home dominance and secured their share of another conference crown. For Lewis, the performance served as a statement — a reminder that in one of college basketball’s most enduring rivalries, a single night of perimeter brilliance can tip the balance of power.
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