Nov. 2—LAS VEGAS — For about 25 minutes, it was a seesaw battle between 15th-ranked Gonzaga and Purdue in Monday's season opener at T-Mobile Arena.
The Bulldogs and Boilermakers traded the lead nine times in the first half — neither able to gain any real separation until a scoring flurry from Gonzaga pushed Mark Few's team out to a 10-point lead in the second half.
Xaivian Lee and Izan Almansa combined for 13 of 15 points during a key second-half run and Gonzaga held off a late push from Purdue, allowing the Bulldogs to prevail 78-72 and pick up the program's first victory over the Boilermakers.
Gonzaga had scoring contributions across the board, but Davis Fogle led the Bulldogs with 22 points, making 6 of 18 shots from the field while going 9 of 10 from the free throw line.
Lee, who joined Gonzaga's roster in late August as a fifth-year transfer, added 18 points on 4 of 7 from the field and 7 of 9 from the free throw line. Almansa supplied 11 points off the bench and Braden Huff added 10 points to go with a game-high seven rebounds.
Gonzaga stretched the lead to a game-high 11 points in the second half, but Purdue clawed back with a 10-2 scoring run and closed the deficit to two points on Antoine West Jr.'s jumper in the paint.
Fogle got a layup to rattle in on the next possession and the sophomore wing made three of Gonzaga's eight free throws inside the final two minutes to ice the victory.
The Bulldogs withstood a career-high outing from 7-foot-4 Purdue center Daniel Jacobsen, who had 22 points on 9 of 11 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free throw line.
Gonzaga (1-0) has four days off before returning to McCarthey Athletic Center for Saturday's home opener against New Mexico State. The Aggies open the season on Tuesday at home against Western New Mexico.
BOXSCORE
How defense, rebounding helped Gonzaga hold off Purdue's second-half comeback
Gonzaga won a couple of stat categories that frankly have been cornerstones in Purdue's sustained run of success over the last decade or so. — Read more
Gonzaga transfer guard Xaivian Lee makes instant impact in first game — Three takeaways
LAS VEGAS — Three takeaways at the buzzer from No. 15 Gonzaga's 78-72 win over Purdue in the season opener Monday at T-Mobile Arena. — Read more
Key moments
GU uses foul shots to hold on
Final — Gonzaga 78, Purdue 72: Gonzaga standout Davis Fogle opened his sophomore season with a career day and all but sealed the Bulldogs' first-ever win over Purdue with clutch foul shots.
Fogle (career-high 22 points) knocked down two free throws to put GU up by five points in the final 30 seconds after the Boilermakers erased a double-digit deficit in the last five minutes and closed to within a possession late.
Fogle missed a tough floater with 50 seconds left. A Purdue 3-pointer was off-target on the other side, but Caden Pierce pulled down a rebound and dunked it to cut GU's lead to three points with 30 seconds left. Then Fogle drew contact and hit two huge free throws.
Javon Bennett and Xaivian Lee added free throws later for the Zags, who finished 26 of 34 from the foul line.
"I thought we toughened up," coach Mark Few said during a postgame interview with TNT. "... I thought we played with some pretty good poise."
Purdue sets up anxious finish
2nd half, 1:51 — Gonzaga 71, Purdue 66: Purdue crept to within two points with a 10-1 run, taking advantage of a string of GU misses and hitting a few clutch shots to set up an anxious finish. GU's Davis Fogle stopped the bleeding with an incredibly difficult make on an off-balance floater, then hit a free throw to restore a two-possession lead.
Not so fast
2nd half, 4:50 — Gonzaga 67, Purdue 62: After struggling to get much going offensively for a few minutes, the Boilermakers have found a spark.
They closed a double-digit gap with a 6-0 run. Gicarri Harris had a four-point play and Daniel Jacobsen knocked down a pair of free throws to make things interesting.
De Sousa gives GU biggest lead
2nd half, 5:48 — Gonzaga 67, Purdue 56: GU newcomer Nathan De Sousa's first bucket in a Zag uniform was a beauty.
The guard from France sliced into the paint and finished an awkward scoop layup to give the Zags their biggest lead of the game.
The Boilermakers were matching the Zags shot for shot in the first half, but Purdue seems to have lost a step with Daniel Jacobsen in foul trouble while GU's offense is finding a late flow.
GU settles, stifles Purdue rally
2nd half, 7:58 — Gonzaga 63, Purdue 54: The Boilermakers used a 6-0 spurt to cut the deficit to four points, capitalizing on a GU scoring drought of about three minutes. But the Zags' defense settled things down and GU's ballhandlers started aggressively attacking inside to draw fouls.
The Zags have gone nearly five minutes without a field goal, but they're earning plenty of opportunities at the foul line, where they are 17 of 22 in this one. Purdue went about three minutes without a point as the Zags extended their lead with free throws from Xaivian Lee, Braden Huff and Davis Fogle. Fogle and Lee are leading the team with 17 and 15 points, respectively.
Purdue big man Daniel Jacobsen, who's been the team's most effective player, has spent much of the second half on the bench in foul trouble.
Zag lead hits double digits
2nd half, 11:57 — Gonzaga 56, Purdue 48 — Izan Almansa, the former pro from Spain, continues to impress in his GU debut.
The 6-10 forward fought through contact and converted a layup, drawing a foul and finishing the three-point play to put GU up 56-46 before the Boilermakers answered with another jump hook from 7-footer Daniel Jacobsen.
Almansa now has 11 points of 4 of 6 shooting, joining two other Zags in double figures.
Quick burst extends GU lead
2nd half, 14:50 — Gonzaga 51, Purdue 42: In a blink the Zags opened up a game-high nine-point lead.
Izan Almansa hit a pair of free throws, then Purdue answered with a jumper before Almansa's second jam of the game. Xaivian Lee rebounded a Boilermaker miss on the other end, then drilled a stepback 3-pointer, igniting the Zag bench and the large contingent of GU supporters in Vegas.
The two Zag newcomers are looking like very solid additions.
Purdue big man creates matchup problems
2nd half, 15:59 — Gonzaga 44, Purdue 40: Purdue's offense is revolving around 7-footer Daniel Jacobsen, who put in three straight shots from close range. But Jacobsen just went to the bench with his third foul, which could be a major development.
The Zags haven't scored a field goal over the last 2:40, but they're moving the ball inside and drawing fouls, and preserving their lead from the line. Lee is into double figures in his Zag debut after he drove into the paint and drew a goaltend.
Zags take lead into break
Halftime — Gonzaga 36, Purdue 33: An energetic, highly entertaining first half in the season opener ended with the Zags holding a narrow lead after Davis Fogle knocked down a difficult reverse layup in traffic in the final minute.
Neither team led by more than six points and the first half featured nine lead changes. Purdue hit 1 of its last 8 field goals in the half and committed three turnovers over the final three minutes.
The Zags' 3-point shooting was the difference. They went 5 of 8 compared to Purdue's 4-for-13 mark from beyond the arc. GU is shooting 15 of 28 (54%) overall and the Boilermakers are 14 of 31 (45%) from the floor. Rebounding and turnovers are about even.
Fogle leads all players with 11 points (5 of 10). Lee has six points on a pair of 3s. Huff has been held to five points on 2 of 5. Pacing Purdue is 7-4 center Daniel Jacobsen (eight points).
GU's 3-point shooting impresses
1st half, 1:50 — Gonzaga 34, Purdue 33: Outside shooting was an issue for the Zags last year. That doesn't seem to be the case with this team.
GU is 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Transfer point guard Xaivian Lee is 2 of 2 from deep. He just answered a 3 from Purdue's Pierce with a contested triple.
The Boilermakers used a 7-0 spurt to take the lead before Lee's first 3 calmed things down for GU. Transfer guard Javon Bennett, Fogle and Diop also have hit 3s.
The teams are both playing with pace and making extra passes. It's been a pretty fluid half, despite all the newness on the court for both sides.
Fogle heats up, Zags take lead
1st half, 7:51 — Gonzaga 26, Purdue 23 — Sophomore standout Davis Fogle scored five quick points, including a 3, for the Zags to put them up by a game-high six points, but the Boilermakers halted the mini run. Purdue hit three straight shots.
Huff showed off his fancy footwork to answer a basket from his high school teammate, Purdue's Caden Pierce.
The Zags are shooting 12 of 19 (63%) from the field. They already have nine assists.
Teams trading buckets in entertaining start
1st half, 11:43 — Gonzaga 16, Purdue 14: Both teams are finding a rhythm offensively, capitalizing on nice feeds to post players. Both teams are shooting 7 of 13 from the field after a fast-paced, back-and-forth stretch. Diop had a nice assist to Braden Huff for a layup, and GU newcomer Izan Almansa, a former Spanish pro, converted on a perfect dish from Huff before jamming a two-handed dunk. But the Boilermakers have answered every basket.
Post players start fast
1st half, 15:54, Gonzaga 6, Purdue 6: Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop, a 7-1 center, knocked down his first bucket in a Zags uniform. And unexpectedly, it wasn't from close range. Diop drained a 3-pointer for GU's first basket of the season.
But Purdue big man Daniel Jacobsen answered with back-to-back makes in the paint. Diop responded with a block before a rejection from the 7-4 Jacobsen on a Davis Fogle attempt. The game is tied 6-6 at a timeout at the 15:54 mark. The teams have combined to shoot 5 of 12 in the early goings.
GU's new-look lineup
The Zags are rolling with three transfers and two returners in their starting lineup.
Their backcourt includes Florida transfer Xaivian Lee, who gained a fifth year of eligibility when a California court granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, and Houston transfer Isiah Harwell. Sophomore returner Davis Fogle is starting at wing while senior standout Braden Huff and Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop will occupy the post spots.
Zags looking for first win against Purdue
The college hoops heavyweights have matched up five times before, and Purdue has won them all.
The Boilermakers beat the visiting Zags 83-68 in the teams' first meeting in November 1998. GU got a rematch the following season in the NCAA Tournament, but the 10th-seeded Zags fell to sixth-seeded Purdue 75-66 in the Sweet 16.
The teams didn't meet again for over two decades. They squared off in November 2022 at the Phil Knight Legacy tournament in Portland, and 24th-ranked Purdue knocked off No. 6 Gonzaga 84-66 to advance to the tourney championship game.
The next season, the second-ranked Boilermakers, led by star big man Zach Edey, beat GU 73-63 in a Maui Invitational quarterfinal game in November. The most recent meeting came during the same season, in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, where top-seeded Purdue, again led by Edey, topped fifth-seeded Gonzaga 80-68.
"I've been haunted by Zach Edey," GU coach Mark Few said Monday during a pregame interview on TNT. "I think he's still in Memphis (with the NBA's Grizzlies)."
Few talks matchup in pregame interview
The Zags' Hall of Fame coach discussed his team's roster rebuild and its big season-opening matchup with the Boilermakers on TNT before the game.
"We're trying our best," Few said of GU's roster makeover. "It's been challenging, but it's been fun. It's been a great group to work with, a lot of positive energy and a bunch of different skill sets. It's actually been fun."
"The biggest challenge," Few said, is making sure the new-look team "plays to our strengths" and finds situational matchups. To earn their first-ever win over Purdue, the Bulldogs need to win a "battle of toughness," Few said.
"(The Boilermakers) are always so tough and so disciplined and well-coached. You have to beat them. They're not going to beat themselves."
Pregame
The time for roster building, transfers, eligibility appeals and speculation is finally behind the Gonzaga men's basketball team.
Now it's time to actually play basketball.
The No. 15 Zags tip off their season against Purdue in the Hall of Fame Series tonight at 4:30 p.m. from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be broadcast on TNT.
It's a matchup that features two of the game's top coaches in recent Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Mark Few and Matt Painter, who has led the Boilermakers to 11 straight NCAA Tournaments and was national runner-up in 2024.
Gonzaga will feature a formidable frontcourt with senior power forward Braden Huff back from injury, Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop at center and sophomore Davis Fogle coming off the wing.
The Zags will hope that trio, aided by a new-look backcourt assembled after an offseason of upheaval, will amount to a winning formula. The Zags are 4 1/2 -point favorites according to vegasinsider.com .
The Boilermakers are turning the page after an illustrious four-year career from point guard Braden Smith, who graduated from the program as the NCAA career assists leader. Look for 7-foot-4 center Daniel Jacobsen to make a big impact inside.
Game preview
Years in the making: No. 15 Gonzaga ready to roll out new roster in high-profile opener against Purdue
LAS VEGAS — Two years ago, in Las Vegas of all places, Matt Painter was asked if Purdue had ever explored the idea of a home-and-home, nonconference series with Gonzaga. — Read more
Text chat has stoked friendly fire between Braden Huff, Xaivian Lee, Caden Pierce ahead of Gonzaga-Purdue opener
Former Glenbard West High School teammates Braden Huff and Caden Pierce had already spent months bantering over text messages about the impending matchup between their Gonzaga and Purdue teams. — Read more
At 7-4, Purdue's Daniel Jacobsen is literally, figuratively a huge part of Gonzaga's game plan — Key matchup
LAS VEGAS — Déjà vu? More like déjà Purdue. — Read more
How will Purdue look in a post-Braden Smith era? Indy Star beat writer breaks down new-look Boilermakers — Q&A
Purdue's starting lineup should be a refreshing sight for Gonzaga, regardless of how Matt Painter pieces the puzzle together when the Boilermakers and Bulldogs match up Monday afternoon in the season opener. — Read more
More on the Zags
A behind-the-scenes look at how Gonzaga managed a chaotic, unprecedented offseason: 'The obstacle is the way'
Even in the offseason, college basketball coaches are inundated with recruiting calls, player evaluations, high school camps, summer workouts and other tasks that characterize the nonstop, 24/7/365 profession. There's not as much downtime as the average fan would think but it does exist, usually in small pockets. — Read more
On BFR, self-belief and the road back to basketball for Gonzaga's Braden Huff: 'He was disciplined'
Before returning to Spokane in August, Braden Huff swung by Achieve Orthopedic Sports Institute in the Chicago area to drop off a handwritten letter and photograph for Brandi Hosford. He wanted to extend gratitude and appreciation to the physical therapist who logged hundreds of hours working to get the Gonzaga forward back on the court after dislocating his left kneecap. — Read more
Sizing up Gonzaga's roster, Purdue opener — Zags Basketball Insiders Podcast
We're back.Richard Fox and yours truly touched on multiple topics in the first Zags Insiders podcast of the season, including Gonzaga's roster, schedule, season predictions and Monday's opener vs. Purdue. — Read more
Mark Few, Brian Michaelson reminisce on building Gonzaga's 2016-17 roster, magical season: "It was the perfect mix"
Early in the 2016-17 college basketball season — Game 2, to be exact — No. 14 Gonzaga led by as many as 30 and hammered fellow West Coast power San Diego State 69-48. — Read more
