How to watch Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Saint Mary's Gaels WCC championship game

It just wouldn't be the West Coast Conference tournament championship game if it didn't feature Gonzaga and Saint Mary's.

The most frequent rivalry in college basketball over the last decade is set to renew tonight when the Bulldogs and the Gaels battle for an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN.

Here's a quick preview and more on how to watch tonight's matchup.

Game Preview

The Zags (24-8, 14-4 WCC) advanced to the conference title game with an 85-76 victory over 3-seed San Francisco in the semifinal round on Monday. Graham Ike scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Khalif Battle added 21 points and four rebounds. Ryan Nembhard chipped in eight points and eight assists on his 22nd birthday.

With the win, the Bulldogs advanced to the WCC championship for the 28th postseason in a row, an NCAA record. Gonzaga has won 21 WCC tournament titles, including 10 of the last 12. The other two championships during that span were won by Saint Mary's, which is set to appear in the conference tournament finale for the sixth time in the last seven seasons after taking down Pepperdine in the semifinal round.

The Gaels (27-4, 17-1 WCC) dominated the glass over their last two games, posting a rebounding margin of +40 during their double-digit wins over Oregon State and Pepperdine. Saint Mary's outrebounded the Waves, 45-22, and turned 15 offensive rebounds into a 17-5 advantage in second chance points.

Paulius Murauskas finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while the back-to-back WCC Player of the Year, Augustas Marciulionis, added 15 points and five assists. Luke Barrett chipped in 13 points. Saint Mary's outscored the Waves 46-26 in the paint.

Saint Mary's won the previous two head-to-head matchups this season and have claimed four of the last five meetings dating back to last season, though Gonzaga historically has dominated the postseason series with an 18-4 edge over the Gaels in the WCC tournament. The two schools have met 28 times over the last 10 years, which is more than any other matchup in the country during that span, and have squared off in 13 of the past 15 WCC tournaments.

"Just from where their program came, when I first got in as an assistant, and then actually, when Randy [Bennett] took over; he's just done an amazing job," Few said of the Gaels. "I think the interesting thing is we've had two head coaches that have stayed a really good long time, and their staffs have stayed relatively intact or they hired former players and things like that. I think that's the other thing that makes it really, really special."

How To Watch Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary's

Who: Gonzaga (24-8, 14-4 WCC) vs. Saint Mary's (25-8, 13-5 WCC)
What: WCC tournament championship game
When: 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET | Tuesday, March 11
Where: Orleans Arena | Las Vegas
TV: ESPN

Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary's Odds, Spread and Total

Spread:

Gonzaga: -3.5 (-110)
Saint Mary's: +3.5 (-110)

Moneyline:

Gonzaga: -164
Saint Mary's: +136

Total: 138.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Gonzaga outlasts San Francisco, advances to WCC championship game vs. Saint Mary's: 3 takeaways

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