Gonzaga Point Guard Braeden Smith to Enter Transfer Portal Amid Team Roster Changes Four Gonzaga players are expected to enter the NCAA transfer portal by the time it officially opens following the team’s national championship game, with point guard Braeden Smith joining teammates Emmanuel Innocenti, Cade Orness, and Steele Venters in the process. Smith’s agency, ADS Sports, confirmed his decision to On3.com’s Joe Tipton on Monday, making him the third Gonzaga player to publicly announce his intent to transfer. The portal will officially open at 9 p.m. PT, but over 1,000 players nationwide have already expressed interest in transferring, with many likely to be in the portal by Tuesday morning. Smith, a redshirt junior, is set to seek his third college program in five years after spending two seasons at Colgate and two at Gonzaga. At Gonzaga, he redshirted during the 2024-25 season before appearing in all 35 games of the 2025-26 campaign under head coach Mark Few. Despite his contributions, Smith’s role on the team fluctuated throughout the season. He began as the starting point guard but ceded the position to freshman Mario Saint-Supery after the Nov. 17 game against Southern Utah. Saint-Supery went on to start nine consecutive games before the Zags reinserted Smith into the starting lineup during the West Coast Conference season, a period when Saint-Supery was battling severe flu symptoms. Smith held the starting role for 14 games before returning the position to Saint-Supery on Feb. 18 at San Francisco. Saint-Supery, a freshman from Malaga, Spain, took over the starting role for the final four regular-season games and all four games in the West Coast Conference Tournament and NCAA Tournament. If Smith returns to Gonzaga next season, Saint-Supery is expected to assume full-time starting duties.#gonzaga #braeden_smith #emmanuel_innocenti #cade_orness #steele_venters
Gonzaga's NCAA Tournament Run Ends with Late-Game Collapse Against Texas Gonzaga’s 2025-26 season came to an end in heartbreaking fashion as the Bulldogs fell to Texas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 74-68. The loss marked the second consecutive year the team failed to reach the Sweet 16, reigniting frustrations over recurring struggles in high-stakes games. For fans, the final moments of the contest—particularly a late three-pointer by Texas—will linger as a painful reminder of how the Zags have repeatedly let opportunities slip away. The game’s narrative unfolded in familiar fashion for Gonzaga. Early in the contest, the Bulldogs controlled the tempo, forcing Texas into contested shots and limiting the Longhorns’ rhythm. The Zags’ offense, led by Graham Ike, showed promise, with Ike scoring efficiently and distributing the ball effectively. Gonzaga built an eight-point lead by halftime, despite a slow start from beyond the arc, shooting just 1-for-7 from three. However, the team’s struggles persisted, with defensive lapses and missed opportunities threatening their momentum. Texas, meanwhile, found its rhythm in the second half. The Longhorns adjusted their strategy, spreading the floor and exploiting Gonzaga’s switching defense to create open looks. A 6-for-6 scoring surge in the final minutes, capped by Jordan Pope’s three-pointer, shifted the momentum decisively in Texas’ favor. Gonzaga’s perimeter defense, a recurring weakness, faltered as the Longhorns capitalized on open shots, while the Bulldogs’ own shooting woes—only four makes from three-point range—exacerbated their woes. Despite individual efforts from key players, Gonzaga’s team performance fell short.#texas #tramon_mark #gonzaga #graham_ike #jordan_pope
NCAA Tournament Takeaways: Big Ten Dominates, Texas Shocks Gonzaga, Houston Leans Into Home Advantage The NCAA tournament’s first round has concluded, with eight teams securing spots in the Sweet 16, including four from the Big Ten. Top-seeded Duke advanced after a decisive second-round win over No. 9 TCU, joining No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Houston, No. 3 Michigan State, No. 3 Illinois, No. 4 Nebraska, No. 4 Arkansas, and No. 11 Texas. The Big Ten’s dominance continued as all seven remaining teams advanced to the second round, with four securing Sweet 16 berths on Saturday. The Big Ten’s performance was a stark contrast to its early struggles. While Ohio State and Wisconsin suffered opening-round losses on Thursday, the conference’s other entrants dominated. No. 1 Michigan cruised past No. 9 St. Louis, while No. 3 Michigan State defeated No. 6 Louisville. In the evening games, No. 4 Nebraska edged No. 5 Vanderbilt in a thrilling matchup, and No. 3 Illinois swept No. 11 VCU. The Big Ten now holds a perfect 4-0 record in Sweet 16 chances for Saturday’s games, with three more matchups on Sunday involving Purdue, Iowa, and UCLA. Texas, seeded 11th, became the first double-digit seed to reach the Sweet 16 after a stunning upset over No. 3 Gonzaga. The Longhorns’ victory, which included a late-game 3-pointer from previously scoreless Camden Heide, has sparked debates about whether a power conference program like Texas can truly be called a “Cinderella” story. Despite its reputation as a well-funded powerhouse, Texas’s journey from the First Four to the Sweet 16 has been marked by resilience, including wins over NC State, BYU, and Gonzaga. The team now faces the winner of Purdue and Miami in the next round. Houston, guided by coach Kelvin Sampson, has reached the Sweet 16 for the seventh consecutive year.#texas #nebraska #big_ten #houston #gonzaga
