When was the last time the Gonzaga Bulldogs won the NCAA Tournament? Exploring the program's March Madness history
The Midwest Region's No. 5 seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs were able to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday as they defeated the No.12 seeded McNeese State Cowboys by a score of 86-65.
The Bulldogs received a balanced performance in which all eight players who played at least ten minutes scored at least seven points, with five players finishing in double figures.
Graham Ike led the way with 16 points and ten rebounds while shooting 6-6 from the field and 4-4 from the free-throw line.
Anton Watson nearly had a triple-double, adding 13 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and two steals while shooting 6-10 from the field and 1-1 from the free-throw line.
The victory marks the 15th consecutive March Madness in which Gonzaga has made it out of the first round.
They will face the Kansas Jayhawks in the second round on Saturday as they look to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament. Take a look at whether or not the Gonzaga Bulldogs have won a championship below.
Gonzaga Bulldogs' NCAA tournament history
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have made the NCAA Tournament every season since the 1997–98 season, aside from the 2019–20 season, when the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, they have never won a national title in program history.
The Bulldogs have made 13 trips to the Sweet Sixteen and six trips to the Elite Eight. They have reached the Final Four just twice in program history, with the appearances coming in 2017 and 2021. Both times, they weren't able to reach the national title before falling short.
While Gonzaga has remained in the title picture, they have been unable to get over the hump. Despite their consistent play, they have run into teams that are simply playing better basketball.
Furthermore, the West Coast Conference has typically been a poor conference, leading to the Bulldogs not being tested much until the NCAA Tournament.
The Bulldogs will have to win five more games in order to capture their first national title in program history. They will have a tough road, however, as the No. 11-seeded Oregon Ducks are the only lower seeded team to win in the first six games of the first round of the Midwest Region.
The No. 1 seeded Purdue Boilermakers will face the No. 16 seeded Grambling State Tigers on Friday, while the No. 8 seeded Utah State Aggies will face the No. 9 seeded TCU Horned Frogs.
It remains to be seen if Mark Few, who is widely considered one of the best coaches in college basketball, can lead the Gonzaga Bulldogs on a postseason run.