Gonzaga University NCAA News

Robert Sacre has been big late in the season for Gonzaga, finally using all 7-feet, 247 pounds to give the Bulldogs an inside presence.

Long past being a Cinderella Story in the postseason, the Gonzaga Bulldogs begin yet another turn in the NCAA Tournament tonight as they clash with the Florida State Seminoles in the first round of the 72nd annual event at HSBC Arena in Buffalo.

It's not often an ACC school like Florida State gets mid-major envy. Then again, Gonzaga's basketball program has developed the kind of reputation that makes most schools blush.

It's kind of amazing, actually. When the brackets were announced Sunday evening and the No.

Subtle as an Elias Harris forearm, here is everything you need to know about Gonzaga as the Bulldogs head into the NCAA tournament against Florida State on Friday: A-Alabi, Solomon, leading scorer for first round NCAA opponent Florida State.

NCAA first round: No. 9 Gonzaga vs. No. 8 Florida State, 4:10 p.m., Ch. 7 Buffalo, N.Y., the site for Gonzaga's first-round game against Florida State, is memorable for GU program insiders.

Gonzaga spent the season hoping to grab a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament and perhaps land in its hometown of Spokane, Wash., because first- and second-round games are being played off campus in the city's downtown arena.

They play Friday in Buffalo: Gonzaga Bulldogs LOCATION : Spokane, Wash.A RECORD : 26-6, 12-2 in the West Coast Conference HOW THEY GOT HERE: At-large bid KEY PLAYERS: G Matt Bouldin 15.8 ppg, 4.1 apg; F Elias Harris 14.7 ppg; 7.2 rpg; G Steve Gray 13.7 ppg, 2.8 apg.

Gonzaga's Elias Harris looks to drive against USF's Moustapha Diarra last month in Spokane, Wash.

Gonzaga University men's basketball player Mangisto Arop underwent successful surgery on Wednesday in Spokane to repair his broken left foot.

University of Washington senior Quincy Pondexter earned District IX's All-District Team honors as voted on by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and was also named a Fourth-Team All-American by FOXSports.com. He was named First Team All-Pac-10 on Monday.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are in a familiar position, heading into the West Coast Conference Tournament as the No.

The Santa Clara women's basketball team demonstrated at times this season - and especially Friday and Saturday - that it might not be far from competing with the West Coast Conference's mid-level teams.

Mickey McConnell matched his career high with 26 points, Ben Allen added a career-best 20 and Saint Mary's upset No.

Gonzaga guard Steven Gray lines up a shot between Loyola Marymount's Kevin Young, left, and Jarred DuBois during the Bulldogs' 77-62 win Sunday in a West Coast Conference Tournament semifinal at the Orleans Arena.

A relatively young Gonzaga team encountered some speed bumps en route to winning another regular-season West Coast Conference title.

Matt Bouldin of Gonzaga tries to dribble around the defense of #12 Darryl Roberts of t Akron in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in the Portland Oregon Rose Garden Thursday March 19, 2009.

Matt Bouldin scored 15 points and No. 18 Gonzaga closed its regular season Tuesday night with a 78-59 pounding of overmatched Cal State Bakersfield.

Gonzaga's dominance of the West Coast Conference is so taken for granted that news of the No.

Despite two wins last week, the Gonzaga men's basketball team barely moved in the national polls when they were released on Monday morning.