No. 8 Gonzaga Beats No. 25 UCLA 82-72

In Seattle, No. 8 Gonzaga defeated No. 25 UCLA 82-72 on Saturday night at Climate Pledge Arena, extending its winning streak and showcasing a dominant performance from its frontcourt in a matchup of ranked West Coast powers.

Graham Ike led the Bulldogs with 25 points and five assists, including 15 in the first half capped by a tomahawk dunk that extended Gonzaga's lead to 23-19 with 8:02 remaining. The game remained tight early, with Gonzaga overcoming a 7-0 deficit to take its first lead on a 3-pointer by Adam Miller. At halftime, the Bulldogs held a slim 45-40 advantage after both teams traded possessions.

UCLA mounted a strong response in the second half, using a 9-0 run finished by Donovan Dent's transition layup to grab a 54-53 lead. The Bruins, who shot efficiently from beyond the arc, stayed competitive as the score seesawed. Gonzaga regained control for good with 10:37 left on a 3-pointer by Braeden Smith, pushing ahead 62-60. From there, the Bulldogs outscored UCLA 20-12 in the final stretch, pulling away despite struggling at the free-throw line, where they converted just 20 of 32 attempts for 62.5 percent.

Braden Huff supported Ike with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting,...