LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mario Saint-Supéry scored 21 points, Tyon Grant-Foster had 20 and No. 12 Gonzaga went out a winner in its final West Coast Conference Tournament by beating Santa Clara 79-68 on Tuesday night in the championship game.
The Bulldogs (30-3) received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, though the only mystery was what seed they will get. This was their sixth WCC tournament title in seven years and 12th in the last 14.
Santa Clara (26-8) will wait until Sunday to see if it is in the 68-team field, but the WCC appears to be a three-bid league. Gonzaga, Santa Clara and No. 21 Saint Mary's were in the top 38 of the NCAA's NET rankings entering this game and in the top 35 in Kenpom.
Four players scored in double figures for the Zags, who made 52.8% of their shots. Graham Ike added 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting.
Christian Hammond led the Broncos with 24 points, and Allen Graves scored 11.
Sash Gavalyugov, who scored 23 points that included the dagger 3-pointer in the closing seconds to beat Saint Mary's 76-71 in the semifinals, was held to eight. He was 3 of 13, including 2 of 9 from 3-point range.
But the Broncos made Gonzaga earn this victory. They led 52-50 nearly midway through the second half before the Bulldogs scored seven straight point to go ahead for good.
After dominating the WCC, Gonzaga will see if it can continue to assert itself against San Diego State, Boise State and Utah State in the revamped Pac-12 Conference beginning next season.
That will come later. Gonzaga has yet another NCAA Tournament appearance to place its focus.
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