# Gonzaga–Washington State men's basketball rivalry

The Gonzaga–Washington State men's basketball rivalry is an intrastate college basketball rivalry in eastern Washington between the Bulldogs of Gonzaga University in Spokane and the Cougars of Washington State University in Pullman. The universities are separated by just eighty miles (130 km) in the Inland Empire, and the series is one of the oldest in the West.

## Series overview

Gonzaga and Washington State have met a total of 150 times dating back to 1907. The two teams last met in 2015, but renewed their rivalry in 2025 and beyond as rivals in the West Coast Conference (WCC). The Cougars dominated the series in the 20th century, with long winning streaks under head coaches Jack Friel, Marv Harshman, and George Raveling. The Zags have won 14 of the last 17 meetings, dating back to 1998. This trend in the series reflects Gonzaga's ascension from a mid-major program to a perennially ranked powerhouse, making trips to the NCAA tournament every year in the 2000s and 2010s.
Washington State holds a 49–20 lead as the home team, a 46–31 lead on the road, and a 3–2 lead in neutral site matchups. They have met once in postseason play, in the first round of the 1996 National Invitation Tournament (NIT), with WSU winning 92–73. In 2007, the matchup featured two ranked teams for the first and only time, with No. 8 Washington State prevailing 51–47 over No. 17 Gonzaga in Spokane, handing the Bulldogs their first-ever home loss while ranked.

## Hiatus

Washington State and Gonzaga met every season from 1921–22 to 1962–63 and every season from 1964–65 to 1986–87. The teams met again in each season from 2001–02 to 2015–16, before the series was suspended indefinitely.

## Renewal

With the collapse of the Pac-12 Conference after the 2023–24 season, Washington State basketball joined the WCC as an associate member, renewing the dormant rivalry. The Cougars and Bulldogs will play twice in the 2024–25 season and twice in the 2025–26 season as WCC rivals. WSU and Gonzaga basketball will begin play in a rebuilt Pac-12 in the 2026–27 season, where they will continue to meet each season. Gonzaga has appeared in two national championship games since the Cougars and Bulldogs last faced off, falling to North Carolina in 2017 and Baylor in 2021.

## Game results

Below is a complete list of series results, according to WSUCougars.com and GoZags.com. Rankings are from the AP Poll at the time of the game.
| Gonzaga victories | Washington State victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 1 | 1907 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 21–18 |
| 2 | 1908 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 23–17 |
| 3 | 1910 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 23–18 |
| 4 | 1911 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 20–12 |
| 5 | 1912 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 23–17 |
| 6 | 1913 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 26–23 |
| 7 | 1914 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 32–28 |
| 8 | 1916 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 43–18 |
| 9 | 1916 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 19–14 |
| 10 | 1922 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 31–19 |
| 11 | 1922 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 24–21 |
| 12 | 1923 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 29–10 |
| 13 | 1923 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 31–14 |
| 14 | 1923 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 27–25 |
| 15 | 1923 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 28–18 |
| 16 | 1924 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 27–26 |
| 17 | 1924 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 38–26 |
| 18 | 1925 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 33–30 |
| 19 | 1925 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 42–33 |
| 20 | 1926 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 28–26 |
| 21 | 1926 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 33–19 |
| 22 | 1927 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 36–16 |
| 23 | 1927 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 28–21 |
| 24 | 1928 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 28–25 |
| 25 | 1928 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 34–28 |
| 26 | 1929 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 33–29 |
| 27 | 1929 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 33–27 |
| 28 | 1929 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 35–33$^{OT}$ |
| 29 | 1930 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 34–33 |
| 30 | 1930 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 35–22 |
| 31 | 1931 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 40–39 |
| 32 | 1931 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 39–24 |
| 33 | 1931 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 43–18 |
| 34 | 1932 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 38–20 |
| 35 | 1932 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 44–30 |
| 36 | 1933 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 61–42 |
| 37 | 1933 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 47–23 |
| 38 | 1934 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 44–28 |
| 39 | 1934 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 43–38 |
| 40 | 1935 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 29–25 |
| 41 | 1936 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 49–33 |
| 42 | 1936 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 60–23 |
| 43 | 1937 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 56–25 |
| 44 | 1937 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 48–34 |
| 45 | 1937 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 38–20 |
| 46 | 1938 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 58–19 |
| 47 | 1938 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 32–29 |
| 48 | 1939 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 42–22 |
| 49 | 1940 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 50–42 |
| 50 | 1940 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 42–39 |
| 51 | 1940 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 50–27 |
| 52 | 1942 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 60–36 |
| 53 | 1942 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 67–40 |
| 54 | 1942 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 48–34 |
| 55 | 1942 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 60–41 |
| 56 | 1943 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 52–46 |
| 57 | 1944 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 57–38 |
| 58 | 1944 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 54–39 |
| 59 | 1944 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 55–48 |
| 60 | 1945 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 64–54 |
| 61 | 1945 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 66–38 |
| 62 | 1945 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 59–35 |
| 63 | 1946 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 42–40 |
| 64 | 1946 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 40–38 |
| 65 | 1947 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 40–36 |
| 66 | 1948 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 36–28 |
| 67 | 1948 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 40–33 |
| 68 | 1949 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 43–36 |
| 69 | 1950 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 52–34 |
| 70 | 1950 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 46–43 |
| 71 | 1950 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 66–44 |
| 72 | 1951 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 45–38 |
| 73 | 1951 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 65–51 |
| 74 | 1951 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 63–47 |
| 75 | 1952 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 69–64 |
| 76 | 1953 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 66–57 |
| 77 | 1953 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 62–60 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 78 | 1953 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 60–49 |
| 79 | 1954 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 69–61 |
| 80 | 1955 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 71–61 |
| 81 | 1955 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 73–53 |
| 82 | 1956 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 72–53 |
| 83 | 1956 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 62–60 |
| 84 | 1957 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 65–57 |
| 85 | 1958 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 68–67 |
| 86 | 1958 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 88–79 |
| 87 | 1959 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 81–70 |
| 88 | 1959 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 69–67 |
| 89 | 1960 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 80–77 |
| 90 | 1961 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 81–60 |
| 91 | 1961 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 74–73$^{OT}$ |
| 92 | 1962 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 74–61 |
| 93 | 1962 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 70–66 |
| 94 | 1963 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 73–56 |
| 95 | 1964 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 72–71 |
| 96 | 1964 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 54–49 |
| 97 | 1965 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 106–78 |
| 98 | 1966 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 97–82 |
| 99 | 1966 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 72–70 |
| 100 | 1967 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 69–64 |
| 101 | 1967 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 95–66 |
| 102 | 1968 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 101–70 |
| 103 | 1968 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 91–64 |
| 104 | 1969 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 85–61 |
| 105 | 1969 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 85–69 |
| 106 | 1970 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 73–66 |
| 107 | 1970 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 81–70$^{OT}$ |
| 108 | 1970 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 74–72 |
| 109 | 1971 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 77–65 |
| 110 | 1971 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 82–61 |
| 111 | 1972 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 54–52 |
| 112 | 1973 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 61–52 |
| 113 | 1973 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 73–57 |
| 114 | 1975 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 73–50 |
| 115 | 1976 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 77–76$^{OT}$ |
| 116 | 1976 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 66–57 |
| 117 | 1977 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 58–52 |
| 118 | 1978 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 66–63$^{2OT}$ |
| 119 | 1979 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 75–48 |
| 120 | 1980 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 63–52 |
| 121 | 1981 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 53–44 |
| 122 | 1982 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 75–53 |
| 123 | 1983 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 73–72 |
| 124 | 1983 | Portland, OR | Gonzaga | 71–70$^{OT}$ |
| 125 | 1984 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 62–56 |
| 126 | 1985 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 64–61 |
| 127 | 1986 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 64–56 |
| 128 | 1986 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 59–58 |
| 129 | 1988 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 64–63 |
| 130 | 1995 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 72–67$^{OT}$ |
| 131 | 1996 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 92–73 |
| 132 | 1996 | Spokane, WA | Washington State | 75–62 |
| 133 | 1997 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 85–70 |
| 134 | 1998 | Spokane, WA | Gonzaga | 70–61 |
| 135 | 1999 | Spokane, WA | #25 Gonzaga | 73–63 |
| 136 | 2001 | Spokane, WA | #25 Gonzaga | 67–44 |
| 137 | 2002 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 110–104$^{OT}$ |
| 138 | 2003 | Spokane, WA | #15 Gonzaga | 96–58 |
| 139 | 2004 | Pullman, WA | #25 Gonzaga | 54–52 |
| 140 | 2005 | Spokane, WA | #9 Gonzaga | 67–53 |
| 141 | 2006 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 77–67 |
| 142 | 2007 | Spokane, WA | #8 Washington State | 51–47 |
| 143 | 2008 | Pullman, WA | #4 Gonzaga | 74–52 |
| 144 | 2009 | Spokane, WA | #17 Gonzaga | 74–69 |
| 145 | 2010 | Pullman, WA | Washington State | 81–59 |
| 146 | 2011 | Spokane, WA | #22 Gonzaga | 89–81 |
| 147 | 2012 | Pullman, WA | #10 Gonzaga | 71–69 |
| 148 | 2013 | Spokane, WA | #13 Gonzaga | 90–74 |
| 149 | 2014 | Pullman, WA | #9 Gonzaga | 81–66 |
| 150 | 2015 | Spokane, WA | #13 Gonzaga | 69–60 |
| 151 | 2025 | Spokane, WA | #18 Gonzaga | 88–75 |
| 152 | 2025 | Pullman, WA | Gonzaga | 84–63 |
| Series: Washington State leads 98–54 |||||
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