Gonzaga Basketball
Gonzaga Men's Basketball is the hottest ticket in town! For more than 20 seasons, Spokane has been cheering on its hometown team through consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, multiple WCC Tournament Championships and countless game victories. The cheering starts echoing each fall, and come time for March Madness, the city is roaring with pride for our Zags!
We invite you to join us in cheering for the Zags in Spokane. Want to know the game schedule? How to get tickets? What the best places around Spokane are to watch the game? We've got the answers in our complete guide to Gonzaga Basketball.
United We Zag!
Quick Links:
Gonzaga Men's Basketball Schedule
West Coast Conference Championships
Gonzaga Women's Basketball Schedule
How to get Gonzaga Basketball Tickets
Hoping to cheer on the Zags in person while experiencing the full effect of the craziness that ensues at the Kennel on game day? We have some good and some bad news for you. Men’s Basketball games at the 6,000-seat McCarthey Athletic Center are sold out. Always. We aren’t exaggerating. But, fans who contribute $250 to Men's Basketball are notified of ticket sales, if available, on a weekly basis. When students, faculty and staff, and the visiting team do not use their ticket allotment, these tickets are made available for sale at face value to these Men’s Basketball supporters. You can find more information here.
However, this rule doesn’t apply to the Gonzaga Women’s Basketball team. It’s easy to purchase tickets from gozags.com. The games are fun, competitive and full of the Zag spirit and community. So, if you’re looking for a game at the Kennel, the Gonzaga women’s basketball team can help you get your Zags fix as well!
How to Pronounce Gonzaga
We have news for you. You’re probably pronouncing Gonzaga wrong. We want to be understanding, but after two decades of consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, it’s time for viewers, and more importantly sports announcers, to get it right. So, how do you pronounce it? Is it Gun-Zaw-Guh? Gone-ZAG-uh? Gun-Zog-Ah?
Here’s the official pronunciation from Gonzaga University:
Gone-ZAG (as in “bag”) - uh
Practice that gone with the ahhhh sound. When in doubt refer to the team nickname - The Zags. Zag comes from the middle of Gonzaga. So when you want to say Gonezoguh, remember, it’s the ZAGS not the ZOGS.
The more you know. United we ZAG at GoneZAGuh.
5 Places to Watch the Gonzaga Game
1. Jack & Dan's
If you can’t be at a Zags game in person, Jack and Dan’s is the next best thing. Owned by two Gonzaga alumni and located just across the street from the university, Jack and Dan’s serves as an extension of the Kennel for Zags fans. The owners purchased the bar and restaurant from John Stockton’s dad, and the building is still owned by the NBA great. Basketball is in its bones! The building is so much a part of the neighborhood and community that it’s on the Spokane Register of Historic Places.
During games the energy is electric and every seat is packed with cheering fans and the Gonzaga community cry of United We Zag!
2. Borracho Tacos & Tequileria
Located in downtown Spokane, Borracho Taco & Tequileria is a great place to cheer on the team while also getting that taco fix we know you’re craving. Along with great food, Borracho has 19 large screens so you can catch every moment of the Zags action. Plus, if you need to get some air, the location has an awesome patio with a 12’ fire feature.
By day Borracho is a restaurant, and by night it’s one of Spokane’s favorite dance spots and favorite of Gonzaga University students. So watch the game and then stick around and make a night of it.
3. 24 Taps
Also located in downtown Spokane, 24 Taps features just that, but pairs the great selection of local beers with 23 screens to watch the Zags game on. The restaurant is family-friendly, and a sports watcher's dream. With so many screens, a large selection of brews and a full menu, it’s easy to spend hours watching the Zags or any other sports team that makes you cheer!
4. The Park Inn
Affectionately known as The PI, the Park Inn is one of the oldest restaurants in Spokane. Regulars treat it like a living room, and if you’re looking to watch the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the type of place where everyone knows your name, the PI is it. What makes the PI a Zags watching favorite is the large screens, community vibes and cheap eats. Order a pitcher of Rainier and one of their pizzas! The PI has been using the same pizza recipe since the 1950s. The menu also features burgers, sandwiches, wings and more with most menu items coming in at under $10.
5. EPIC at Northern Quest Resort & Casino
What better way to watch the Zags dominate the court than on a 30-foot-by-10-foot big screen? The larger than life screen brings the game to life while you chow down on fantastic pub fare and beer with friends. Epic is also a family friendly establishment, so you can bring the kids along to cheer on your favorite team on one of the 17 additional screens. Before or after the game make sure to stop on the floor, take the kids to the new Kids Quest, or book at night at the resort.
About the Team
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have made 20 consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament. That’s 20 years of March Madness in Spokane and intense hometown pride. It all started in 1999 with a Cinderella tournament run to the Elite Eight by an unknown team lead by new Coach Mark Few. Ever since that season the Zags have given Spokane something to cheer for every season.
In 2017 the Zags made their NCAA Championship debut, after an unstoppable season that was riveting for local fans to be a part of. ESPN descended on Spokane to highlight the town that calls the Zags their own. Unfortunately, the team fell to the North Carolina Tar Heels in a close game. We anticipate seeing more tournament runs and more visits to the championship game as the team continues to grow and mentor new talent.
The Zags call the McCarthey Athletic Center home court. On game night, you won’t find an empty seat in the house as fans and students cheer as loud as possible for their team. The team has played there since 2004, after the trustees approved the new arena specifically for the growing team. Known as The Kennel, the Bulldogs maintained a 41-game winning streak at home through 2015, which was the longest active home game streak in the NCAA at the time.
No great team comes without rivals, and for the Zags, that team is St. Mary’s. It’s one of the best college basketball rivalries on the West Coast with both teams sitting at the top of the WCC for over 20 years. Expect extra team spirit when the Gaels are in town!
Zags in the NBA
With a successful history, the program has sent more than a few players to the NBA. The most notable being the legend John Stockton. While he played long before the Zags ever made a NCAA tournament appearance, he’s still the greatest player to come from the program. Others include NBA champions Adam Morrison and Ronny Turiaf as well as Miami Heat star Kelly Olynyk.
Here’s a complete list of Zags that have gone on to play in the NBA:
What Sets Gonzaga Apart
Springtime is all about Gonzaga basketball. But what sets GU apart off the court? Challenging academics, an unmatched student experience founded on a Jesuit mission, and a more than 130-year history of graduate success.
U.S. News & World Report ranks Gonzaga No. 4 best “Regional University” in the West and No. 1 among the West’s Regional universities for its strong commitment to undergraduate teaching. Not only that, but Gonzaga’s student-athletes perennially rank among the best in the nation for academic success.
To learn more about the impact of Gonzaga education, visit www.gonzaga.edu/about/what-sets-us-apart.
