No. 15 Gonzaga beats Purdue 78-72 for first win in series
The gist
No. 15 Gonzaga beat Purdue 78-72 in Las Vegas, its first win over the Boilermakers.
The Zags opened with a new-look roster and host New Mexico State next.
How it unfolded
- Oct 23, 2026Gonzaga announced the addition of Spanish forward Izan Almansa, a 6-10 forward who averaged 4.9 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game for Real Madrid last season.
- Nov 2, 2026No. 15 Gonzaga beat Purdue 78-72 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, its first win over Purdue and its 23rd straight season-opening win; Davis Fogle scored 22 and Xaivian Lee 18.
- Nov 2, 2026Braden Huff was named to the Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Watch List.
Key terms
- AP poll
- A weekly ranking of the top 25 American college teams in football or basketball, voted on by sportswriters and broadcasters.
- Naismith Trophy
- Annual award honoring the top men's and women's college basketball players, named after basketball's inventor James Naismith.
- Top-25 recruit
- A high rating given to a top high school athlete in college recruiting, indicating high expectations.
Source: Wikipedia