In Portland, Ore., Gonzaga’s coach Mark Few struggled to identify a clear reason behind the team’s unexpected difficulties against Portland, summing it up as a game where “everything went wrong.” Few noted that the Pilots simply outperformed the Bulldogs in every aspect, making their shots when given the chance, while Gonzaga faltered on their opportunities.
The No. 6-ranked Bulldogs suffered a surprising 87-80 defeat at the hands of the Pilots on Wednesday night, snapping a 15-game winning streak. Despite being favored by 21.5 points and holding a dominant history with 20 consecutive wins over Portland—19 by double digits, according to BetMGM Sportsbook—Gonzaga could not overcome their opponent. Portland’s last win over Gonzaga was on January 9, 2014, and the Pilots had never beaten a top-10 ranked team before this victory.
Portland led by as much as 15 points in the game, though Gonzaga narrowed the score to 84-80 in the final 30 seconds. The Pilots managed to hold on for the win, energized by their home crowd that famously rushed the court after the game. Few emphasized the importance of patience moving forward, acknowledging the pressure that comes with their program’s high expectations but stressing the need to improve defensively.
Gonzaga standout Graham Icke delivered a strong performance with 24 points and 10 rebounds. After overcoming an ankle injury that sidelined him for three games, Icke earned his fourth West Coast Conference Player of the Week honor following a recent 30-point outing against St. Mary’s. Still, he admitted the Pilots showed more effort and energy during Wednesday’s matchup and that Gonzaga has to learn from the loss.
The Bulldogs were also missing forward Braden Huff due to a knee injury. This defeat marks Gonzaga’s second loss of the season, the first being a substantial 101-61 loss to No. 1 Michigan State in December at the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas.
Coming into the game, Portland had struggled recently with losses to Washington State (104-74) and Pacific University (74-51), which made them clear underdogs against Gonzaga. Portland’s coach Shantay Legans highlighted that the team stayed confident and composed, capitalizing on Gonzaga’s miscues and executing efficiently on their home court.
Portland’s Joel Foxwell led all scorers with 27 points and eight assists, and the Pilots shot an impressive 59% from the field compared to Gonzaga’s 40%. Looking ahead, Gonzaga aims to recover quickly with an upcoming game against Oregon State, a future conference rival in the newly reformed Pac-12.
“I can promise you it won’t happen again,” Icke said, reflecting the team’s determination to bounce back.
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Fan Take: This upset reminds basketball fans that even top-ranked teams are vulnerable, injecting exciting unpredictability into the sport. It also signals that emerging programs like Portland are capable of challenging established powerhouses, which could lead to a more competitive and dynamic college basketball landscape moving forward.
