SANTA CLARA — Fans filled Leavey Center to capacity for Santa Clara’s biggest game in years on Saturday night, but Gonzaga spoiled the party.
The 12th-ranked Zags held off the Broncos 94-86 to snap Santa Clara’s nine-game win streak and retake the top spot in the West Coast Conference.
Santa Clara, off to its best start in a season since 1969-70, led by as many as eight points in the first half. But Gonzaga, in its final season in the WCC before joining the rebuilt Pac-12, controlled the second half.
Zags star Graham Ike had 21 points, 15 rebounds and four assists and Gonzaga (25-2, 13-1 WCC) made 13 of its final 14 free throws to reach 25 victories for the 19th consecutive season.
The Broncos (22-6, 13-2) lost for the first time in 14 home games, despite 16 points from Christian Hammond, 15 from Elijah Mahi and 13 from Allen Graves.
After splitting two games with Gonzaga each of the past two seasons, the Broncos went 0-for-2 against the visitors from Spokane, missing the chance to give their No. 41 NET computer ranking a boost in pursuit of their first NCAA tournament bid in 30 seasons.
Gonzaga dominated the paint, with a 66-42 scoring edge, in part because of the 6-foot-9 left-hander Ike. But quick wings Adam Miller and Tyon Grant-Foster attacked the basket, contributing 21 and 20 points, respectively.
Down 44-39 at halftime, Santa Clara rode eight points from Mahi to outscore the Zags 10-4 over the first 3 1/2 minutes of the second half for a 49-48 lead.
When Thierry Darlan and Sash Gavalyugov hit back-to-back 3-pointers, the Broncos pushed their advantage to 60-55 with 12:31 left, prompting a raucous response from the crowd. Gonzaga coach Mark Few, no doubt displeased that Santa Clara made seven of its first nine shots in the half, called for a timeout.
The Zags scored 11 of the next 13 points for a 66-62 lead, cranking up their transition game while the Broncos went seven possessions without a field goal.
The Broncos led for much of the first 12 minutes — and by as many as eight points — before Ike came alive for Gonzaga.
Ike had 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot in the half, most of that in the final 10 minutes of the period. He had a tip-in, another put-back and a 3-pointer in a span of 78 seconds, sparking a 9-2 run that pulled the Zags even at 24-all.
When Ike converted a layup with 6:25 left, the Zags had their first lead of the night at 31-29.
The Broncos got a big lift off the bench from 6-foot-5 freshman guard KJ Cochran, who had nine first-half points on 4-for-4 shooting, including a remarkable tip-in among much taller players.
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