. World News – CA – With frequent victories, Gonzaga continues to prevail against the « blue blood cells » of college basketball.

For as much success as the Gonzaga men’s basketball team has seen over the past two decades, it would take the Zags many more years to match the historic achievements of the great college men’s basketball programs in the country.

With 21 consecutive appearances at NCAA tournaments, the fifth-longest active series, the Zags are still a long way from their Cinderella days.

Since the 1997/98 season began, Gonzaga has played 28 games against the 10 most successful programs of all time. This success is measured by the number of NCAA tournament games played.

These programs are: Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, Duke, UCLA, Louisville, Syracuse, Villanova, Michigan State, and Indiana.

GU has beaten six of these programs at least once, and the senior Zags have a chance to add a seventh on Thursday when they play sixth-placed Kansas at the Fort Myers, Florida tip-off.

In total, Gonzaga has won 10 of those 28 games, including a 7-11 record in regular season competitions.

Here’s a look back at five of those seven Signature wins in Gonzaga’s history, with each team’s Associated Press ranking.

Dec. . 11, 1999: After losing to No.. 1 Cincinnati and No.. 19 Temple, the Zags were still in the polls, but a signature non-conference victory was missing – until this one. Gonzaga’s defensive efforts were memorable in UCLA history as the Bruins had never shot so poorly (26%) or scored so low (43) in a game at the Pauley Pavilion. Casey Calvary and Richie Frahm each recorded double doubles to lead Gonzaga to a win in his first match against UCLA. Of the 10 programs with the most played NCAA tournament games, the only two Gonzaga records are UCLA (3-2) and Louisville (1-0), beaten in the opening round of the NCAA tournament later in the 1999-2000 season.

Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison (center) scored a tournament record of 43 points in a 109-106 overtime win over Michigan State in the 2005 Maui Invitational semifinals. (MICHAEL CONROY / Associated Press)

Nov.. . 22nd. 2005: The Zags caused a sensation on their second visit to the Maui Invitational. Gonzaga was the fifth seed in the eight-tier standings, opening with a win over Maryland before a triple marathon win over Michigan State. Adam Morrison set a tournament record with 43 points, including 10 3-point points, and overtook senior Spartan Maurice Ager, who finished with 36 points. Gonzaga lost to No.. 3 UConn 65-63 in the tournament finals the next day. Although the Zags swept 14-0 through the West Coast Conference that season, they didn’t beat any other team after Michigan State. Morrison left after the season and was voted third overall on the NBA draft.

ORG XMIT: NAS105 Gonzaga striker Austin Daye (5) faces Indiana striker Tom Pritchard in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Indianapolis on Saturday, December. 6, 2008. Gonzaga won 70-54. (AP Photo / Darron Cummings) (Darron Cummings)

Dec. . 6th. 2008: Shortly after winning the eight-team Old Spice Classic, Gonzaga dominated Indiana a week later in a street game that was essentially played at the new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Hoosiers have not done well this season, winning only six games all year. They were stifled by the Zags defense, which forced 24 turnovers and kept Indiana on 30. 4% shoot. Senior Josh Heytvelt led the Zags with 17 points as they scored most of their score within the arc and only scored three 3-point hits in the entire game. Gonzaga won 28 games and lost in Sweet 16 to North Carolina – later the season’s national champions.

Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura, 21, attempts to bypass Duke forward Zion Williamson (1) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational on Wednesday, November. 21, 2018, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Marco Garcia / Associated Press)

Nov.. . 21, 2018: On his fifth visit to the Maui Invitational, Gonzaga scored what was arguably the most impressive regular-time win in programming history in that tournament championship game. The Zags won their first victory over a No.. 1-tier team that competes against a Duke squad that has three of its starters selected in the top 10 of the 2019 NBA Draft.

But in Maui, Gonzaga’s own NBA duo of Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke ended up doing better with 37 points and nine blocks. Gonzaga had lost his last three games to Duke, including a 35-point loss nine years ago. This was a proclamation of how far the Zags had come to sit down at the table with the nation’s elite programs.

Analysis: Gonzaga uses Hot Shoot Start, Lock Down Defensive Finish to Down No. . 1 Duke, win Maui Invitational Title
With the clock seemingly in slow motion for the last 8 minutes, Gonzaga’s lead, once at 16 points, shrank to six, then to two, before Duke finally connected it to 1:40. | Continue reading  »

Gonzaga security guard Admon Gilder (1) goes to the basket while North Carolina security guard Brandon Robinson (4) and North Carolina security guard Justin Pierce (32) defend in the first half of a college basketball game on December. 18, 2019, at the McCarthey Athletic Center. (COLIN MULVANY / The Spokesman-Review)

Dec. . 18, 2019: The highly anticipated Tar Heels visit to Spokane and the 2017 national championship game rematch proved somewhat of a disappointment as North Carolina arrived and lost four of its previous five. After that defeat, the Tar Heels finished 14-19 overall and were ready to miss the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010 before the pandemic canceled the event. Still, Gonzaga’s win – the second in five meetings between programs – was a memorable one. Corey Kispert had one of his best games of the season, sinking 5 of 6 3-point attempts and scoring 26 points. The Zags led by up to 23 points in a dominant performance that helped bring them back to a No.. 1 bring. 1 rank in the polls.

Analysis: For Gonzaga as Corey Kispert, business as usual, balanced offenses overwhelm North Carolina
For the Zags it was normal business. They showed why they are one of the top crimes in the nation and the only team in the country with six players averaging double digits. They shot 59% off the field. They had their usual widespread posts, with five of the seven players that got into the game hitting double digits. | Continue reading  »

Gonzaga plays against teams that are in the top 10 of all time in NCAA tournament games.

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