Tag: Gonzaga Bulldogs Basketball

Big 12 and Gonzaga resume negotiations; Zags could join conference in 2024

While Oregon State and Washington State plan their futures, another Pacific Northwest school could join the Big 12.

Realignment isn’t over. The wheel is still spinning. We know that the Pac-2 — Oregon State and Washington State — are trying to find the right conference arrangement and sift through a lot of legal matters connected to the splintering of the Pac-12. Lawyers and administrators are heavily involved in figuring out how Oregon State and Washington State can potentially recoup Pac-12 revenues in a reconfigured conference with Mountain West schools. While all of that gets sorted out, however, another Pacific Northwest school might be making a move toward another Power Five conference.

Seth Davis of The Messenger reported Monday that the Big 12 and Gonzaga have resumed negotiations about potentially bringing the Zags into the conference. Gonzaga might enter the Big 12 as early as next year. This has people talking.

Let’s see what the reaction is in the college sports world:

Iowa Hawkeyes’ Keegan Murray named Wooden Award finalist

Iowa sophomore forward Keegan Murray was named a finalist for the Wooden Award.

The recognition keeps on rolling in for Iowa sophomore [autotag]Keegan Murray[/autotag]. The 6-foot-8, 225 pound forward was named one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award.

Murray joins Kansas junior guard Ochai Agbaji, Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis, Gonzaga forward Drew Timme and Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe as finalists. All five players have been invited to Los Angeles for the 46th annual presentation of the award.

With Murray announced as a Wooden Award finalist, it marks the third consecutive season that Iowa has had a finalist for the award. Murray joins Luka Garza (2020 and 2021) in that distinction.

Murray averaged 23.5 points per game this season, which ranked fourth nationally and was tops among power-five players. He finished second-best among Big Ten players, averaging 8.7 rebounds per game. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native also averaged 1.9 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game. In fact, Murray joined Kevin Durant as just the second Division I player in history to total more than 800 points, 60 blocks and 60 made 3-pointers in a single season.

Murray finished the 2021-22 season with 822 points, 303 rebounds, 68 blocks, 66 made 3-point field goals, 52 assists and 45 steals during the campaign. He also joined North Carolina’s Antawn Jamison as the first player since 1998 to shoot 55% or better while scoring more than 800 points and grabbing more than 300 rebounds.

Murray shot 55.4% from the field and 39.8% from 3-point range. He declared for the NBA draft earlier this week and he is considered a potential lottery pick. In addition the Wooden Award, Murray is also a finalist for the following national awards: the Naismith Trophy, the Lute Olson National Player of the Year, the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year and the Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Josh on Twitter: @JoshOnREF

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Texas and Gonzaga schedule home and home series

UT has scheduled a home and home series with Gonzaga. It begins next season at home, with the return trip occurring in the 2021-2022 season.

Shaka Smart and Texas continue a busy early offseason by scheduling home and home series with Gonzaga. The first game will occur next season in Austin, while the Longhorns will travel out west to Spokane, WA the following season in 2021.

The schools have met three times throughout history, with the latest coming in 2017. Playing in Portland, OR for the Phil Knight 80 Tournament, the Longhorns took the Zags to overtime but came up short 76-71.

The other two games also came before the turn of the century, with Gonzaga coming out on top in those matchups as well. All-time, the Bulldogs are 3-0 against the Longhorns.

Texas will be looking to get their first win in the series with a home win next season. Since Smart took over as head coach in 2015, the Longhorns are 33-8 in non-conference home games.

With Gonzaga projected to be one of the best teams in all of college basketball next season, it will be a good early-season test for Texas.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]