The streak: Inside Gonzaga’s 46 straight wins against one-time bitter rival Pepperdine

Before Gonzaga-Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga-BYU developed into entertaining rivalries, Gonzaga-Pepperdine was the headliner in West Coast Conference basketball.

The Zags were still in the process of establishing residency on the national stage early in Mark Few’s coaching tenure in 2002 when the Zags lost 88-79 to a talented Pepperdine squad in Malibu, California.

Nearly a month later in the rematch, Dan Dickau scored 26 points in GU’s 91-78 victory at the Martin Centre.

“The lead-up to that game was that Sports Illustrated was writing an article on me and their writer (Grant Wahl) was in town all week,” Dickau recalled. “It was one of the first big ESPN games at the Kennel. Jay (Bilas) did the game. It was the first game maybe with the students camping out for tickets. They were actually inside in the lobby area (at the Martin Centre). It was a heck of an atmosphere.”

The Zags haven’t lost to the Waves since that memorable night, an improbable span of 46 games over 22 years. It ranks as the third-longest streak versus a Division I opponent in NCAA history behind UCLA’s 52 in a row over California from 1961-85 and Syracuse’s 49 against Colgate between 1963-2019.

“Santa Clara was good back then, but really Pepperdine was the team,” Dickau said. “They had some really good players. (Coach) Paul Westphal had them playing a unique style, changing defenses constantly, pressing full court, three-quarters court, random traps everywhere. They were talented.”

As the teams prepare for Thursday’s meeting in Malibu, here’s a look at five of the closest calls during Gonzaga’s 46 consecutive wins, preserved in part by the efforts of Drew Timme and Rasir Bolton last year, Killian Tillie in 2020, Domantas Sabonis and Kyle Dranginis in 2016, Kyle Wiltjer and Kevin Pangos in 2015, and Dickau in 2002.

2002 WCC Tournament: GU 96, Pepperdine 90

The Zags followed up their streak-launching 91-78 win over Waves in Spokane with an impressive victory in the WCC title game in San Diego. Dickau and Blake Stepp combined for nine 3-pointers and 53 points.

Dickau struggled in the first half but responded in the second and joined Stepp in leading a 32-10 run that turned a 63-56 deficit into an 88-73 advantage. The Waves rallied late but GU, which moved up to a program-high No. 6 ranking in the Associated Press poll earlier in the day, held on.

Gonzaga corrected two of its main issues from the Waves’ January win. The Zags failed to handle Pepperdine’s pressure, turned the ball over 18 times and got worked on the boards 47-33 in Malibu. GU trimmed its turnovers in the next two meetings and won the rebounding by 13 in Spokane and 11 in the championship game.

“That game, the Wyoming game in the (NCAA) tournament, maybe Illinois to open the season, those were probably the only games we got beat on the glass all year,” Dickau said. “That was the year after we lost to Michigan State (in the 2001 Sweet 16) when we got drilled on the glass. That’s when the coaches shifted the focus and put a lot of attention on rebounding.”

January 2015: GU 78, Pepperdine 76

This game had an eerie feeling, even before it started. Gonzaga arrived at Firestone Fieldhouse just 30 minutes before the scheduled tip time due to an accident on the Pacific Coast Highway that caused lengthy traffic delays. The start time was pushed back 30 minutes.

Gonzaga led by 15 in the first half, but the Waves pulled within 47-46 with just under 15 minutes remaining. Kyle Wiltjer scored 16 points of 24 points in the next 5 minutes as GU moved in front 65-57.

Pepperdine surged back within one at 71-70 and the Zags’ errant free-throw shooting (14 of 33) kept things interesting in the closing minutes. Kevin Pangos, an 88% free-throw shooter, missed two before hitting a pair with 19 seconds left.

“I was really ticked about that,” Pangos said. “I’m glad I got a second chance. I 100% wanted it, even more so after missing those two.”

Domantas Sabonis finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The two-point win is the closest margin in the 46-game streak. The closest outcomes from 2003-14 were a pair of seven-point victories in 2005 and 2010.

February 2016: GU 69, Pepperdine 66

The unranked Zags – their streak of 143 consecutive appearances in the AP poll that ended last Monday would begin about six weeks later – held on by hitting 21 of 23 free throws, including their last nine.

Sabonis was 12 of 12 at the foul line and finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Wiltjer added 17 points.

Kyle Dranginis, serenaded with “airball” chants by Pepperdine’s student section after misfiring badly on an open 3-pointer with 1:20 remaining, calmly drained two free throws to give Gonzaga a 67-63 lead with 19 seconds left. Silas Melson’s dunk on a feed from Sabonis made it 69-63 before Pepperdine hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds.

“I could hear it,” Dranginis said. “I wanted redemption. I needed redemption for that airball. They were going crazy when they saw I got fouled, but I was happy. I didn’t want to end the game that way.”

January 2020: Gonzaga 75, Pepperdine 70

It was tied at 37 at half, Pepperdine led by two with 11:30 remaining and it was tied again near the 8-minute mark.

The top-ranked Zags moved in front 71-63, but the Waves cut it to 73-70 and had possession inside the final minute. All-WCC point guard Colbey Ross attempted a game-tying 3-pointer, but Tillie switched off his man and swatted the shot.

“I could see (Ross) just wanted to shoot a 3 (with) the high screen,” said Tillie, who scored a team-high 20 points. “I just jumped on him and blocked it. That’s what we needed.”

Admon Gilder scooped up the loose ball and hit a pair of free throws to seal the victory. Filip Petrusev contributed a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards.

Ross finished with 24 points and 10 assists but committed 10 turnovers.

February 2023: Gonzaga 97, Pepperdine 88

The Zags found themselves in another tight game at Firestone Fieldhouse. GU led just 78-77 before senior guard Rasir Bolton scored 10 of his 12 points in the final 4 minutes to help the Zags reach the finish line.

“It’s just nice to have a guy like that on your team. You just know, you’ve got to get him open and he’ll do the rest,” Drew Timme said of Bolton.

Timme scored 22 of his 34 points in the second half and Julian Strawther added 28 points. Houston Mallette and Jevon Porter – both of whom will line up against Gonzaga on Thursday – combined for 42 points. Maxwell Lewis, who is splitting time between the Los Angeles Lakers and the G League, had 20 points

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“We survived with our offense,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “Sometimes, that’s what you have to do.”