The Beavers took on the No. 16 Gonzaga Bulldogs this Thursday evening, beating them 97-89 in overtime at a packed Gill Coliseum.
This game is a preview for a future Pac-12 member, as the Bulldogs are set to start playing in the conference in July 2026. Gonzaga has made it to the big dance the last 25 tournaments and is sure to be a common opponent in future seasons under a rebuilt Pac-12.
“We hope that we’re building this thing to where we can be at the top this year, next year, and where we’re at after that… I mean, what a huge shot in the arm when it was announced that they would be joining the new Pac. But, that’s down the road,” said head coach Wayne Tinkle.
The Beavers controlled the pace for the first half of the game, holding the lead for nearly 16 minutes and leading by up to eight points. However, this started to fall apart in the second half, when the Zags started to consistently lead by a basket or two.
Gonzaga maintained this lead for most of the second half until the clock read under two minutes left when Minor made a jumper to tie the game 77-77. The crowd went wild at the tie and started chanting, which led to raucous, echoing cheering when Rataj took the lead. The shot clock ran out during a Bulldogs possession with just a minute left in the game.
The cheering in Gill didn’t stop until, finally, Gonzaga big man Graham Ike made a three-pointer with seconds to go, bringing the game to overtime.
The Beavs kept their momentum and led for almost the entire extra five minutes, securing the win for good with a layup from Liutauras Lelevicius and sets of free throws from Josiah Lake II and Michael Rataj at the end.
Beaver fans rushed the court immediately after time ran out, cheering and surrounding the players. “It makes me feel really good, all the crap we’ve been through… it’s unbelievable. It’s an unbelievable reward for the crowd,” Tinkle said.
Redshirt junior Nate Kingz had a huge game, scoring 20 points and pulling off four rebounds with three steals. Michael Rataj also saw some major action, leading the team with seven rebounds and a season-high 29 points. Sophomore Josiah Lake II led the bench with 11 points and three steals.
Rataj mentioned that going into overtime, the only thing on his mind was his desire to “drive, make the shot, and just help us win in the end.” He made good on his wishes, securing two three-pointers, a block, and four free throws in OT.
Lake II had similar thoughts regarding his late-game actions and efforts on the court.
“Just wanted to make winning plays for the team… little ways I could impact the game without scoring the basketball,” said Lake II
The Bulldogs shared the ball, with their starters averaging 16 points for the night. They also won the board battle, racking 19 offensive rebounds versus the Beavers’ three. They were led by forward Graham Ike, standing at 6’9”, who was able to make most of his 29 points right under the basket. Despite the tough defense, it wasn’t enough to help in the match’s final minutes.
This marked the first meeting between the Beavers and the Bulldogs since the 1991-92 season, and the 13th win in a row for the Beavers against the Zags. Of the 28 meetings between the two teams, the Beavers have now won 26 of them.
The Beavers take on the San Francisco Dons in California next Saturday, Jan. 18.
